A few weeks ago some scumbag decided to back into the front bumper of my then 3 week old S2000. Well, we traded info (cops wouldn't come since it was private property), unfortunately, her insurance and address didn't check out, but I did get a real name and a phone number, license plate and VIN #. The damage was about $500 as quoted by my dealer.

What options do I have? I have tried everything including going to the DMV, but nobody will release the information to me. I could probably submit it to my insurance and have them track her down, but then I'd be looking at a claim on my record and the possibility of my premiums going up.

Or, if I can find info, and she still doesn't cooperate, maybe filing a lawsuit. I have never done anything like that, so where do I start a process like that, what steps need to be taken?

I'm just at a loss here, any help would be appreciated.

 

Have you tried calling her at the number she gave you. If she is uncooperative on the phone you might look up her address on www.anywho.com, which also does reverse phone number look-ups (look at the tabs at the top of the website).

Otherwise, your state DMV should have a method of providing you with info in situations where the address is required for a lawsuit. It is public record in most states.

Luckily, if the cost is only $500 you can take her to small claims court where a lawyer is not necessary.

Good luck!

 

Some insurance companies will just pay to have the repair done w/o it going on your record if it's actually under a certain amount. You might want to check w/yours to see what that amount is. My insurance company will pay for up to $600 w/o placing anything on my record for making a claim. Call them!

 

Submit it, that is what insurance companies are for. Everyone seems so scared of their insurance company, but we should let them do some of the work we pay them for. This accident was not your fault, and will not cause your premiums to go up.

 

uhh, sure it will......not directly because of this particular incident, but insurance companies dole out billions on this type of stuff and it causes ALL of our insurance rates to go up....

i've NEVER had my rates stay the same or decrease in the last 10 years (that's all i can remember) - it's pretty much a 1 or 2% increase every year and we've had no claims for years.

regards.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the inflation rate greater than 1 or 2% annually? Let's just assume for the sake of argument that inflation is 3% annually. This would mean that your insurance rates ARE effectively decreasing even if the dollar figure is slightly increasing.

Also, if everyone is so afraid of their insurance company raising their rates, am I to assume that everyone that takes this stand has the absolute minimum insurance coverage required by law? Just curious...

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by brantshali
[B]Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the inflation rate greater than 1 or 2% annually?

 

Where I live, it is frowned upon to give false information at the scene of a car mishap (it may even be illegal). I took the plate # of the offending car to the zone police office. The officer immediately punched in the # into the computer and discovered that the phone # was incorrect. He then did a cross reference and got the right #. After he located the perp, he phoned me with all the info for the other person's name, phone #, insurance company and policy #. It is my right to know. Surely, if you did that, your police would give you the same info.

 

I do get the point about the price going up each year. However, if it is either just keeping pace with inflation or the increase is less than inflation (assuming any wage increase you get at work also at least keeps up with inflation), the effective cost to you does not increase.

I understand that it's semantics...but rather important semantics if you ask me (c'mon...gimme some credit, I actually stayed awake one day in college economics to learn this garbage... )

 

Insurance companies have armies of lawyers who would happily track down a perpetrator of what amounts to insurance fraud. Seems like other criminal charges may also apply, like leaving the scene of an accident.
I would first file a police report citing the information about the other driver you do know is correct (plate, VIN) and reference that report number when you file an insurance claim. Let them track down the other driver and file charges against them. I was run off the road by a driver who turned out didn't have valid insurance. My insurer worked for 2 years against the guy to get the money for the claim, but paid it right away.