How Does Insurance Cover Hitting Another Car While Reversing?
3 Answers
Immediately choose a suitable location to stop the vehicle. At night, turn on the width lights and taillights, and on the highway, set up a danger warning sign behind the vehicle. Check the safety conditions of both parties. If there is any personal injury, call the police immediately. You can also choose to reach an agreement privately for a quick resolution. Record the vehicle and owner information of both parties, including license plate numbers, driver's licenses, vehicle registration certificates, and insurance documents. Carefully inspect the vehicle conditions. Use digital cameras, mobile phones, or other photo-taking devices to promptly document the scratched areas and the overall condition of the vehicles. If a safe distance is not maintained, the rear vehicle in a rear-end collision is responsible. If a vehicle changes lanes and affects the normal driving of another vehicle, the lane-changing party is responsible.
I've been through this before. If you accidentally scrape someone else's car while reversing, don't panic. Stop immediately and turn on your hazard lights. Last time this happened, I took five photos after getting out: the distance between the vehicles, details of the collision, and the other car's license plate. Then I proactively approached the owner to apologize and exchange contact information. The most crucial step is calling your insurance company to report the accident within 48 hours, making sure to clearly state the time and location. Don't move the vehicles before the claims adjuster arrives. If the other party is reasonable, you can wait for insurance to handle it - for repairs under 2,000 RMB, compulsory traffic insurance (交强险) should cover it. If you're fully at fault, you'll need to bring your driver's license and insurance policy to the quick processing center to get an accident determination certificate. The 4S shop can use this document to settle directly with the insurance company. Never make private compensation transfers - going through the proper procedures is much less hassle.
Handling a Reversing Accident in Three Steps: First, confirm the damage without moving the vehicle. When I scraped my neighbor's car last time, I took photos of the collision area and a panoramic video. Step two, immediately call 122 to report the incident and file a police record. The traffic police will remotely determine fault and issue an electronic accident report, while you should also contact your own insurance company. Third-party liability insurance can cover repair costs, but be mindful of whether the coverage limit is sufficient—repairs for a new car can exceed tens of thousands. When filing a claim, prepare copies of your ID and bank account details. After the other party’s car is repaired, they will provide you with the invoice, and the insurance company will process the payment within three days. If you’ve purchased zero-deductible coverage, you won’t even have to pay the 5% out-of-pocket expense. Remember not to admit fault casually when reporting to insurance; it’s safer to wait for professionals to assess responsibility.
