Hi. If I catch someone dinging my car, should I call the police and ask them to file a report? The reason I ask is I definitely will ask the culprit to pay for the repairs on my car and their insurance may need a police case number.

 

Make sure you get thier liscense and insurance information. A police report isn't much, since if there is no law breaking (for instance any parking lot accidents have no laws usually broken) the police won't actually file a report. The police officers job is just to facilitate the trading of insurance information and to help mediate if there is a problem deciding who's fault it was. If the person takes the blame and you trade insurance information, make sure you call both your insurance and their insurance.

You then have the choice to file the claim through either insurance, if you file through yours you will get the ammount needed for repair over your deductable at first, then wait until the other insurance company pays back yours to get your deductable. (This took me 5 months, but this was abnormal as the lady who hit my car never filed through her insurance for it)

The other option is to file through the other persons insurance which means that you will have to deal with them directly (this might be a pain) but you will get the entire sum all at once. (and probably somewhat quicker).

If you have any other questions feel free to ask as I just had my '97 prelude hit and scratched in a parking lot 6 months ago and had to go through the whole mess and then some to get my money back. As long as the other person takes fault, I wouldn't bother calling the police, if they start making a fuss (I would have them write a quick note accepting guilt and have them sign it, may want to check a credit card or liscence to make sure the signature looks close) then call the police to help mediate.

 

If they ran aka hit-n-run, then definately get the police involved. Otherwise, don't be silly.

 

If it is in a parking lot, the police have no jusidiction. If the person is there exchange insurance and license information. If it is hit and run your insurance will pay under uninsured motorist coverage.

 

If it on private property like walmarts parking lot, then the police will not care.

If its on a city street sure they must of broke a law or you would not of been hit. Call th epolice unless they are handing you cash on the spot.

 

dings are a fact of life nowadays. Take me as an example: I just got two dings removed 3 weeks ago. I park farthest from everybody. And two days ago I have 1 new ding from nowhere. Too much work to get a police report, hustle with insurance, the time and effort needed would cost more than just paying for a ding guy to fix it.

 

Good luck. Your best hope is that the person is a stand up guy/gal and will pay for their mistake.

 

The original question is quite valid. Some insurance companies do need police case report numbers. For my insurance company, if you claim a hit-and-run without filing a police report then they count it against your collision record, which can raise your premiums. But if you do file a police report then they count it under "uninsured motorist", and it doesn't raise your rates.

But the law will vary from place to place. Ignore all the advice here about private parking lots, etc. Instead, check your own state law to see what qualifies. For instance, in my state you are legally required to file a report if there is $750 of damage or an injury.

 

My asshole neighbor dented my rear bumper while he was parking. I was in my yard and I saw him do it but he moved his car before I had time to take a picture. He wouldn't pay me to fix the dent and I tried calling the cops on him to force him to give me his insurance info. Police said they would only file a report on him and force him to give his insurance info if I had definitive proof.

Damn neighbor...