car involved in accident , what's next?

fac

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Jun 6, 2004
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My car was parked and I was in the car.
A woman backed her car and hit my car.
We exchanged the insurance information.
Should I call her insurance or my insurance?

My husband was involved in a similar accident, but he hit at other people's car, hence he was at fault, he exchanged the information and offered to pay out of pocket and asked the other party to call him. But in my case, they just gave me the information. I was concerned that if I called their insurance, their insurance would try not to pay for the damage. But I don't think I should call my insurance, right?
 
You call your own insurance company (asap!) and let them know what happened, and give them her insurance info. It is their job to collect the money from the other company, not yours. If you got a police report, they will need that info too.


Good luck!
 
In my state you call your insurance, they repaur it and get the money back from her insurance. I am not in New Jersey though. In my state if it happens in a parking lot is no fault and your insurance has to pay for your car and her insurance pays for her car.I hope yours isn't that way.
 
I live in New Jersey and was in a similiar situation a few years ago, except mine was a hit and run in a parking lot. I was able to find the person that hit me because they only changed their spot by a few spots. I had a police report because mine was a hit and run. I called my insurance company and was told to get an estimate. (my car was drivable) After I got the estimate, my insurance company told me they could pay me, less my deductable and I could possibly have an increase in insurance although it wasn't my fault. They told me the best thing to do was contact the other insurance company and go through them. I was very fortunate because the other insurance company was very helpful, because the girl never reported it. Since I had a police report stating it was a hit and run, she got a ticket for leaving seen of accident and for something else, and the fact she never reported, the other insurance company was very helpful and issued me a check that week for the full amount. I hope everything works out for you. Good luck.
 

You call your own insurance company (asap!) and let them know what happened, and give them her insurance info. It is their job to collect the money from the other company, not yours. If you got a police report, they will need that info too.


Good luck!

If you tuen it into your own company you WILL be responsible for paying your deductible up front. When your company gets paid by the other company THEN you will get your deductible back.

I would suggest calling the other persons company or agent to see if she has reported a claim first of all. If the other company is dragging their feet or she doesn't turn it in, then I would turn it in to your company.
 
If you tuen it into your own company you WILL be responsible for paying your deductible up front. When your company gets paid by the other company THEN you will get your deductible back.

I would suggest calling the other persons company or agent to see if she has reported a claim first of all. If the other company is dragging their feet or she doesn't turn it in, then I would turn it in to your company.

Hmm good point
 
This just happened to us several weeks ago, except we were driving when it happened (rear-ended at a light).

We called our insurance agent to let them know about the accident. In our case, some medical stuff was involved, and that had to go through our insurance (DH and I ended up in the ER for xrays to rule out injury - hospital took OUR car insurance info - our insurance then had to go after the other party's insurance).

Then we contacted the other party's insurance. Thankfully, they were very easy to deal with (Allstate - FWIW). We had to jump through a few hoops, like getting an estimate at THEIR place, but were able to take the car anywhere for repairs. They send us the check directly. Their insurance covered a rental for all days of the repair.

Be pleasant but firm with the other party's agent. Most likely, they will try to be nice to you and make you happy (so you don't sue them), but they may try to make you jump through hoops too. In our case, I have 3 kids and NEED a minivan in order to fit them all in. I was not going to deal with shoving my kids in a small car for a week. I made sure to firmly tell them this at every mention of a rental car. No problem - I got a nice minivan rental for a week.

It's really a pain when this happens. Sorry it did.
 
I called both my insurance and theirs.
My insurance told me I have to pay the deductible and they will take care of the rest, and will get the other insurance to pay me back the deductible, or I could contact the other insurance directly.

I called his insurance, progressive opened a claim for me, but told me that they would contact the insurer to make sure the driver was insured.

I am keeping my fingers crossed hoping that he would not deny it ever happened. I was upset earlier because the first thing out of the other driver's mouth was "didn't you see me?", I told her my car was not moving at the time. She moved her car forward, looked at the indented area, then said " I didn't hit you that hard" as if she wanted to deny the indentation was caused by the hit.

I regret that I didn't call the police at the time. Will I be able to report to the police now?
 
I regret that I didn't call the police at the time. Will I be able to report to the police now?

We called the police when we were hit, and they refused to come out unless either one of the cars needed to be towed or an ambulence was required.

We thought there would be problems when we called the insurance and they immediately asked for a copy of the police report. We just told them that they refused to come out.

Hopefully it won't be an issue for you.
 
I know in a lot of areas police won't come out unless it involves a disabled car or injuries. If you need a police report, you need to go to the police that covers that area and file a report. I don't know how long you have to do that though.
 
I know in a lot of areas police won't come out unless it involves a disabled car or injuries. If you need a police report, you need to go to the police that covers that area and file a report. I don't know how long you have to do that though.

This. . .and do go do it. . .soon. . .like today.
 
I know in a lot of areas police won't come out unless it involves a disabled car or injuries. If you need a police report, you need to go to the police that covers that area and file a report. I don't know how long you have to do that though.

::yes::
 
I know in a lot of areas police won't come out unless it involves a disabled car or injuries. If you need a police report, you need to go to the police that covers that area and file a report. I don't know how long you have to do that though.

thanks. At least I do not have to kick myself in not calling the police.
It is 10:00 pm here, I am going to do it first thing in the morning.
 
File a report (marked Information Only) with your own insurance company.
Also file a claim with the other person's insurance company.
Technically (and possibly eventually) you sue the other person directly but for administrative convenience you deal with his insurance company first using the claims procedure because it will have to get involved anyway if you did sue the other person.
 
File a report (marked Information Only) with your own insurance company.
Also file a claim with the other person's insurance company.
Technically (and possibly eventually) you sue the other person directly but for administrative convenience you deal with his insurance company first using the claims procedure because it will have to get involved anyway if you did sue the other person.

Good chance that this person moved and eluded as they do not have insurance. Then you will either repair yourself and sue, or if yours pay's uninsured, come up with the deductable.

Had this happen with ds a few weeks ago. A vehicle towing a trailer clipped the corner of his mint Civic and may not even know they did it. A customer told him as he went to his car, but had no information.

There was video of a few pickups in that time frame by trailers on vehicles but they could not pinpoint which one without the witness....whose name son did not think to get????
The insurance paid less deductable, no rate increase.

If the accident is on private property and not a roadway often it is not a police matter. Although you can call make the report, especially if the person is not providing the correct information, evasive, bad vibs etc...at least that way you have legit info by PD.

And if you have a fender bender on the roadway, pull to the side....if injured, don't move. When able it is much safer for all to be off the road, including PD.
 
I should have called the police. When I went to the police on the next day, I was told that I would have to file a report with the State. The police told me they would have come if I called. Progressive has now agreed to pay for the repair (my other post), I am thinking not to file now as it was a week ago.

I am in a small town, when DH hit another car in a similar situation, he immediately offered the insurance information and offered to pay for any repair. My car was rear-ended in the past, the other driver's fault. he asked me not to call the police or insurance (he already had some points). He offered to pay for the repair. When I got home, my husband decided not to repair the car as it was very minor, but the other driver called me twice until he could reache me. When I told him we decided not to repair, he was suprised and told me he was prepared to pay me.

In this case, The other party did not respond my call and did not admit fault (probably it is normally how people would do when they involve in an accident), I just didn't get use to it because most families have kids attend the same school. Lesson learned.
 












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