Car accident - other party didnt want to claim insurance

[Wittgenstein's Ghost]

Originally Posted by nitynity

My spouse had an accident this morning. At the traffic light, it just turned red from orange, but she didn't pay attention. She drove through instead of yielding, another car from the left side came and hit her from behind. Obviously it was her fault and both cars had scratched up bumpers. The other driver was a Spanish old lady with her adult son sitting nearby. He didn't want to claim insurance for whatever reason.(probably no insurance or who knows). He wants $75 and call it good. He said he don't want his premium go up.



Exchanged phone numbers but he hesitated to share insurance info and left the scene. Now, looking at the pics, my car has a small scratch on the driver side rear bumper. The other guys car has a very long scratch (which doesn't make any sense) on the whole front bumper. Probably it was already scratched up, at least a portion of it.



Obviously he didn't want insurance involved and I have $250 deductible. I drive an Audi and it cost lot more to get it fixed for sure. Since both parties left the scene, he can easily deny the accident if he chooses to.


Should I pay him or claim insurance or just ignore it? Though it was fault from my side, the other car hit mine from behind.


If he is uninsured, how will that turn up if I claim insurance?

So you ran a red light and caused a crash but got off for $75 and a scrape that can very likely be buffed out? And you're complaining why?

You would have a $250 deductible regardless -- it was your fault. It doesn't matter which car costs more to fix because you'd be paying for both -- it was your fault. It doesn't matter if he denies the accident -- it was your fault. It doesn't matter from a monetary standpoint if he is uninsured -- it was your fault.

I'm really not sure why you think his insurance or the previous damage on his bumper or his statements about the accident are relevant here. You caused the accident, and in most cases, your insurance would pay for his repairs and your repairs, resulting in increased rates for you. You just avoided the CarFax entry and increased rates for a mere $75. You should take your car to a detailer, have them buff it and jump up and down with joy.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

No, it's not.
I was involved in a hit and run crash 2 years ago that ended up totalling my car. No one was injured, but the driver who hit me sped away. I needed that police report in order to get the witness statements recorded about what they saw, and to prove that when the hit and run driver hit me, it knocked me into the car in front of me. Had I not had the police report, my own insurance would have been charged for the damage to the car in front of me, and I would have had to pay my full $500 deductible for the damage to my own vehicle, instead of the $250 uninsured motorist deductible. I also had to sign paperwork stating that if the police found the hit and run driver, I wanted to press charges.

No offense or anything but I do have to note that there is a huge difference in your situation in that...

#1 Your car was totaled thus presumably undrivable

#2 The other driver ran, thus committing a policeable crime as they would need to obtain as much information as they could from you to later apprehend him if their paths ever met.

In a normal fender bender, most PD's across the country will not respond unless someone is hurt or a vehicle is undrivable. This has been my experience outside of Texas as well.

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

No offense or anything but I do have to note that there is a huge difference in your situation in that...

#1 Your car was totaled thus presumably undrivable

#2 The other driver ran, thus committing a policeable crime as they would need to obtain as much information as they could from you to later apprehend him if their paths ever met.

In a normal fender bender, most PD's across the country will not respond unless someone is hurt or a vehicle is undrivable. This has been my experience outside of Texas as well.

No, my car was still driveable. In fact, I didn't know it would be totaled until 2 weeks later when the body shop took it apart and found the frame had been bent in two places from the impact. My airbag did not deploy.

Yes, the hit and run aspect made a difference. It was also a multi-vehicle accident since my vehicle was pushed into the vehicle in front of me when I was hit. (The street was wet from rain earlier in the day.) I declined medical treatment at the scene, but I did end up going to my chiropractor several times over the next week to straighten out the whiplash I received.

I will say this accident happened in Grapevine, and the GPD is very happy to help its citizens. They also are not busy with lots of crime like the Dallas PD is.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

No, my car was still driveable. In fact, I didn't know it would be totaled until 2 weeks later when the body shop took it apart and found the frame had been bent in two places from the impact. My airbag did not deploy.

Yes, the hit and run aspect made a difference. It was also a multi-vehicle accident since my vehicle was pushed into the vehicle in front of me when I was hit. (The street was wet from rain earlier in the day.) I declined medical treatment at the scene, but I did end up going to my chiropractor several times over the next week to straighten out the whiplash I received.

I will say this accident happened in Grapevine, and the GPD is very happy to help its citizens. They also are not busy with lots of crime like the Dallas PD is.

Noted. I personally would say due to the severity of your accident - it warranted a response but if we're just trading paint or pushing a dent in a fender - most PD's probably aren't going to care too much.

I've been rearended three times in Georgia before I moved to TX. Once by a Toyota Tacoma to my 01 Z28 who was on the phone while we were crawling in stop and go traffic, Another while at a stop light by an SUV to my 01 Firebird and the ladies foot slipped off the brake, and finally another at a right turn on yield where there was traffic coming and the car behind me thought I was going to go - and rear ended me...

Fortunately they were all low impact so at the very most, a few scuffs on the paint, no bumper damage. Two of them I completely let slide, one of them we just traded insurance information. Never had a problem.