Who’s Liable For Damage To Your Car In A Car Park?

A quarter of motorists (24%) have come back to find their car damaged while parked in a car park, new research shows. 

 Surveying 2,000 car owners highlighted the extent of the problem, with over three-fifths (61%) worried about their car getting damaged when parked in a car park. 

With this is a clear issue for drivers, Motorpoint enlisted the help of Guy Platon, Senior Solicitor at Walker Foster Solicitors to answer some of the most common questions motorists have when it comes to vehicle damage in car parks: 

Even if it’s accidental, what should you do if you see someone damage your car?  

“The person responsible may be unaware they’ve caused damage, so assess the situation and decide if you want to inform them. Even if the damage is unintentional, they may still be responsible,” Guy explains. 

“When you speak to them, make sure to get their vehicle registration number, contact and insurer’s details. Give this information to your insurers, as well as further details of the circumstances surrounding the accident. You’ll be able to get your money back from the other person’s insurers, provided there is no question about who caused the damage.” 

If you witness a driver causing damage to someone else’s car in a car park, taking a video of the incident can be helpful to the owner of the vehicle, if it’s something you can do discreetly. 

If that’s not possible, Guy recommends leaving a message (i.e. a card in the window) including details such as the registration number and a description of the event. If you’re comfortable to, also include your contact details so that you can hand them your evidence or offer to provide a witness statement. 

Do you have to pay for car park damage such as scrapes, dents or repairs yourself? 

It depends if you can establish that another insured driver is at fault and you have their insurance details, Guy advises. 

“If you found someone at fault and have their details, then it is likely you will be able to recover all costs from them/their insurers. If not, then you’ll either have to pay for repairs yourself or make a claim on your car insurance and possibly pay the excess. Unfortunately, if your no claims bonus is unprotected, then you may lose it, so it’s important to decide whether to go through insurance or pay out of pocket.” 

If you can’t identify the person responsible for the damage, you can either take no action or decide if you’re going to ask your insurers to arrange repairs or reimburse you for the repair costs.  

In some instances, car park operators might be liable, Guy says: “They can be liable for damage under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 if they have been negligent. This depends on whether the environment is unsafe and puts motorists at risk. It’s the driver’s responsibility to prove that the operator has been negligent which is sometimes difficult to do.” 

Should you always report car park damage to the police or your insurer, even if it seems minor? 

“You should inform your insurer as it may invalidate your policy if you don’t. It’s worth checking your insurance policy. If the damage is significant or there is evidence of a criminal act, then you should report the matter to the police. This can bolster any insurance claim.” 

What kind of evidence should you collect if your car is damaged in a car park (e.g., CCTV, witness statements, photos)? 

Guy says that any video and photo evidence can be valuable to a claim: “Photos could be very useful, as well as asking any witnesses if they can provide their contact information in case it’s needed. If CCTV might have caught the incident, ask the owner if they have any footage; it could be direct evidence and be incontrovertible evidence of fault. It could also identify the person and enable you to contact their motor insurers. If the evidence is more ambiguous, then it can still be useful in identifying a party and raising a presumption of fault.” 

For more information and to learn more about the UK’s parking crisis, visit: https://www.motorpoint.co.uk/company-news/park-of-the-problem