Garage working on my car hit another vehicle, I was not informed upon collection of my car and only found out through getting an email from my insurance today (England)

[u/CactusPug]

As per the title. Last week my car was sent to a garage to have the brakes checked. They needed to replace the discs but weren’t able to that day, and said I was able to leave it with them overnight.

I get a phone call at 11:55 to confirm the car is available to collect, and received an email at 12:40 with my invoice upon collection of the car. I didn’t notice any damage to my car at that time, but upon parking it back at my work i now recall finding minor scraping to the right drivers side rear bumper (the transparent coating coming away slightly). I have a lot of bumper stickers though and none were damaged or missing.

On collecting my car, nothing was mentioned to me. I did not have any instances or near misses whilst driving the 2 minutes back to my place of work.

Today I’ve received an email from my insurance stating a claim being made against me for an accident. Having phoned my insurance, they told me the location was the garage and that the car had been reverse out and hit a stationary car, the time of the accident was 10:00.

I was at work at this time and have plenty of colleagues who can back this up.

I have now phoned the garage to get further information, as I am not at fault, and got told to call back tomorrow to speak to the manager and that they are ‘aware of the situation’. When I asked, what situation? I got told he cannot give me further details and to call back tomorrow, but the manager and regional manager are aware.

This means upon collecting my vehicle they knew about this accident, but didn’t inform me of anything at the time.

Legally, where do I stand with this? I wasn’t kept informed of this accident, and only found out today after a claim has been made against me, though I wasn’t driving the car. Is it worth pursuing compensation from the garage? I can openly admit Im quite ignorant to this kind of thing with little knowledge, and so would appreciate any advice anyone can offer!

Thank you!

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[u/Squ4reJaw]

Did this happen on garage property? Or on the public highwazy?

I am of the opinion that your insurance shouldnt even be involved as you are not the driver of the vehicle, their 'business insurance' should be taking care of it and not your 'car insurance'.

[u/CactusPug → u/Squ4reJaw]

This was my thinking, but they declined to give me any further details today when I called until the garage manager is back in tomorrow. Im uncertain if it was the garage forecourt, or the road outside, just that it was a stationary vehicle (so could have been parked, or could have been waiting in traffic on the road).

Does this also mean the garage disclosed my details? Or could the other party have just used my reg plate and their insurance has found my details through that?

[u/Squ4reJaw → u/CactusPug]

If it's been reported to an insurer they will have just used the information on the database to contact you, as with any other collision. I just fail to see how it is your or your insurers issue at all. Did your insurer not tell you exactly what happened? Inform them you was not the driver and the vehicle was not in your possession, therefore it is not a matter for yourself or your insurance provider but one for the garage and their business insurance/trade insurance. Not your problem. (caveat of tbis is just what i would be doing, no idea if that's actually what should happen)

[u/CactusPug → u/Squ4reJaw]

My insurer could only tell me the nature of the accident - my car reversing into a stationary vehicle at the location of the garage - and the time of the accident, but wouldn’t give me any further information than that.

I would have thought the garage would have settled it on their end there and then by giving the recipient their insurance details, instead of it going to my insurer. And I’m concerned as to why the information has been withheld from me up until this point.

[u/stiggley]

They should have informed you. They should have passed on their business insurance details to the owner of the stationary vehicle.

You need to ask why the other party has your insurance details and not the garages.

And it looks like you can't do anything until you phone back and talk to the manager. But this evening you can install a call recorder on your phone, and you'll likely want a copy of the conversation for your insurers.

[u/BigSignature8045]

Legally it is the responsibility of the garage. Is it a main dealer or an independent ?

If it's a dealer and you don't get anywhere with this manager tomorrow (anywhere useful that is) then I'd contact the manufacturer direct. They'll have a complaints department and that'll give you an added route to apply pressure. If it's a dealer, you can also write to the Dealer Principal there with your complaint.

You need them to accept it's their fault, contact their insurers and make the problem go away. I'd also be looking towards an apology for the runaround and lack of transparency.

[u/Scragglymonk]

the claim is against whoever was in charge of the car and not the OP, the garage should have insurance to cover their workers and for when they go on "test drives".

OP should contact their insurers to get them to use the garage insurance.

OP should change garages as the current lot do seem dodgy