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Disclaimer - This is a follow on question from the previous one I asked on whether it is a crime to fail to stop.

Let's say I have some sort of minor damage to my car, such as a scratch/dent from another passing car or a my wing mirror being damaged. As the cost of repairing the car is either negligable (as in the case of a scratch) or low enough that all it would do is raise the cost of my insurance premium, would I need to still notify my car insurance company of the accident, according to law?

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    Does the insurance policy actually require you to report every incident?
    – Iñaki Viggers
    Feb 1 at 23:40

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What does your insurance contract say?

If the contract says you have to report it, and you don't then you have breached your policy and your insurer may be able to avoid liability for future claims due to that breach.

Notwithstanding, when renewing your insurance you are required to disclose any matter that may increase the risk to the insurer. The fact that you are a driver who runs into things is probably such a factor.

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  • If they may avoid liability for future claims they you should avoid liability for paying them. Also, if you have a law that backs your second paragraph then please cite it. I have been renewing my policy every 6 months for decades now and have never disclosed anything I didn't submit a claim for.
    – Michael Hall
    Feb 2 at 5:05
  • @MichaelHall done
    – Dale M ♦
    Feb 2 at 8:14
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    The question is tagged England-and-Wales. The duty of utmost good faith for insurance contracts has been considerably weakened in E&W. If the insurance company doesn't ask about it, you don't have to tell them. (Having said that, all my insurance policies have asked about things "whether a claim has been made or not".)
    – Martin Bonner supports Monica
    Feb 2 at 8:28
  • One could argue you don’t have to report “any matter”, only “material facts”. Minor scratches, that aren’t claimed, (may not even be repaired) and if they were would fall within the deductible, do not increase risk to the insurer, and are therefore irrelevant.
    – Michael Hall
    Feb 2 at 15:47
  • @MichaelHall and a counter point is the fact that you allow your car to get “minor scratches” (for whatever reason) is an indication that you don’t take as much care as other car owners and are therefore higher risk.
    – Dale M ♦
    Feb 2 at 21:06

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