Hit while parked! Insurance questions.

This morning I awoke to my car alarm. I look out the window and see a car had backed into my 2009 Taco, then she pulls off! I take some pics, there are 2 other witnesses, and the lady who hit me lives in my complex. I call the police, and she pulls back into her garage while I'm on the phone. She never tries to contact me or leave a note. Officer shows up, and we're able to track her down through the on-site maintenance folks (leasing office was closed this early). She says she was just getting ready to write a note when the officer calls her (this in an hour later). Officer doesn't want to press charges because she has insurance and we were able to find her. I file an on-line report (it was on private property) and a claim with her insurance. I call my insurance just to give them a heads-up. Question: anything I should know going into this? I've never had to deal with an insurance company before. Thanks.

I guess the plus side is the damage isn't too bad. Just a couple scuffs and scrapes on the rear bumper.

 

Did you get a police report? People change their stories, so it's good to get things in writing from the police.

 

wow i would probably kill her, but as long as you took pics and you have witnesses your good to go.. you need to move out of there and come to az!!

 

that should be everywhere!!

 

+1 on the police report. IF it is not in writing stories will change.

 

A police report is required by the insurance agency...but since she has insurance, the report will be obtained by her agency (as long as the claim is filed through her agency). Since you have pics and witnesses you should be ok.

...and if she wasn't of the other gender...I would have given her one swift kick

 

Technically, it is a hit-and-run. But, like I said, the officer didn't want to press charges (IE didn't want to do paperwork). So, no report filled out by the officer, but I did an online report (only one you can do when it's on private property). So, I have a case number at least. I'm hoping it'll be pretty clear cut, she hit a parked car for crying out loud.

 

This has happened to me twice. You will be fine as long as you got her insurance info and a police report. The insurance company will do the rest. Also when you get it evaluated do it at the dealership and have them jack the repair costs up. Then ask the insurance company for a check made payable to you and MOD your truck!!! Ive done that twice just for minor scuffs and got back like $800 dollars and just buffed out the scuffs.

 

Get that officers name and tell them you want a report done! Screw his lazy ass and make him do his job!

 

That should have been your decision, not his.

 

Insurance fraud for the win!!

 

Sorry to hear the news.

You might have to take it to a small claims court if she denies what happen. Make sure the officer takes care of police report. Get yourself a copy. Hopefully insurance can take care of it.

Keep us posted.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

"pressing charges" is simply writing out a citation, which doesn't take much effort. also there is no benefit to you if he choses to cite the driver, besides the satisfaction of knowing the driver received a citation. you will be compensated just the same by your insurance regardless of her receiving a citation or not.

police officers have a reputation to protect at court, no judge likes a police officer wasting their time.. depending on your state's laws, and the verbage in the section, which in PA reads, the driver involved in an accident with an UNattended vehicle shall notify police "without unnecessary delay", the police officer may not be able to prove in a court of law that the operator violated the section.


i would imagine the officer had to write some type of report, and give you an incident number. if he did, that is all you need. your insurance company does the rest, that's why you pay them. if you wish, you can obtain a copy of the crash report, but your insurance is responsible for getting the report, and getting the repair costs from the drivers insurance company.

double check on the report thing..

if the officer didn't document anything, which i hope is not the case, document everything you have, and if it is not taken care of, you will have to file a civil suit for the damages, which should not be hard to prove given the circumstances
i hope this helps, and sorry to hear about your truck.

 

This is incorrect. A police report is not done (at least in most states) when the accident occurs on private property thus the insurance can/will not require one. It is then up to each insurance company to fight it out and determine who is at fault. I've been through this in two states (NJ and here) and it has been the same each time. Some idiot hit me on private property, cop comes out and won't do a report, just gives advice and makes sure nobody gets a beatdown.

The only other option, as mentioned above, is small claims court.

Best of luck.

 

^The cop handed them out to each of us and didn't fill out a thing. This was a state cop. We each filled them out just to make it easier to exchange info. But, the insurance companies doing business here in SC are well aware there is no police report on private property.

 

I've yet to see any cop fill one out. I was with my buddy when he was hit in a WalMart parking lot. Horry County came to that one and he did nothing. My wife was with a friend and the same thing happened but with a MB cop.

I don't know, I think it's wrong. I think there should be a report done period. There are police reports done on crimes that occur on private property so why not for an auto accident? Seems to me that would be best.