Common scenarios
Car-Park Knock Claims
A knock in a car park is low-speed but rarely low-cost. If another driver caused it, you could claim compensation for the damage and any injury. It is worth checking.
Last reviewed: Reviewed by the Auto Crash Claims editorial team
What happened
Car parks are where a lot of avoidable knocks happen. Common causes include a driver reversing out of a bay without looking, someone opening a door into your car, a scrape while squeezing past, or a shopping trolley left to roll. Speeds are low, but tight spaces and distracted drivers mean the damage, and sometimes a jolt to the neck or back, can be very real.
Who's usually at fault
Fault usually rests with the driver who was moving or acting carelessly, whether that was reversing without checking, misjudging a gap, or opening a door into passing traffic. The main challenge with a car-park knock is proof, because these knocks often happen with no independent witnesses. That is where CCTV and a note of the other driver's details become important.
Evidence that helps
- The other driver's details and insurer
- Photos of both vehicles, the damage and the parking layout
- CCTV, as many car parks are covered, so ask the operator
- Details of any witnesses
- A note of the date, time and exact location
Common complications
- The other driver leaving without giving details, which is a hit-and-run
- No independent witnesses to a low-speed knock
- An insurer arguing the damage was pre-existing
Small knock, real cost
It is easy to shrug off a car-park knock as one of those things, but modern bumpers, sensors and panels are not cheap to put right, and a sudden jolt can leave you with a sore neck a day later. If someone else caused it, you should not have to absorb that yourself. The key is acting while the evidence is fresh: get the other driver’s details, photograph everything, and ask the car park operator whether the area is covered by CCTV.
Making a claim is simpler than you think
- 1
Tell us what happened
Answer a few quick questions about your accident. It takes a couple of minutes and there’s no obligation.
- 2
We connect you with specialists
We pass your details to the regulated specialists we work with, who’ll look at whether you have a claim.
- 3
They handle the rest
If you have a case, the specialists can pursue your compensation and keep you updated, while you get back to normal.
Frequently asked questions
It was only a low-speed knock. Is it worth claiming?
If another driver caused it, yes. Low-speed knocks still cause real damage, and even a minor jolt can cause whiplash. It costs nothing to check whether you can make a car-park knock claim.
The other driver drove off. What can I do?
That is effectively a hit-and-run. Note anything you can about the vehicle, ask the car park operator about CCTV, and report it. You may still be able to claim through routes for untraced drivers.
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