(California) Hit by Someone Who Won't Share Insurance Info

Hi everyone. I was hit by someone I know on 10/5. At first, I said I wouldn’t go through insurance, but now I got a quote for $1,800 to fix my car. They don’t want to pay that and said their dad can fix it for $600. They also won’t give me their insurance info, and I don’t have full coverage. Should I involve the authorities or call the DMV? I’m not sure what to do, and I can’t afford to fix it myself. Thanks for any help.

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Contact the police to obtain an official report.

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I just finished a call with them, and unfortunately, they only file reports if the accident occurred recently.

Request that he meet you at the police station to exchange information. The police are unlikely to respond if you call them. Let him know that you’ll file a report if he doesn’t show up.

Do you have a license plate? Any details? Name, address, phone number?

I don’t believe the police will take action, but you can give it a shot.

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I know them; they’re dating my cousin’s cousin. I have their name, number, address, and license plate, but when I ask for insurance information, she insists that her dad can handle it and refuses to share any details.

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You should suggest that she meet you at the police station. If she doesn’t show up, you can file a report. That’s about as far as you can take it. I don’t believe the police will investigate at this point, but it could intimidate her.

I also don’t have any confidence in Dad’s repair skills.

Additionally, I recommend filling out the DMV report. In my state, if you don’t submit it and the other person does, you run the risk of having your license suspended.

Obtain the vehicle’s license plate number and report it to your insurance company. Provide them with the plate number, and they will coordinate with the DMV to determine which insurance covers that vehicle. They will then engage with that insurance company for subrogation.

Keep in mind that without any evidence or witnesses, you may have a reasonable chance of the accident being deemed at fault or partially at fault.

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She announced at a gathering that she had hit my car while leaving, but I wasn’t there at the time.

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I’m afraid you might face an issue here because she’s likely going to lie. And it’s not as if the FBI will send forensic experts to investigate the situation.

It’s unfortunate, but what can the DMV really do? Put her in timeout?

The only “proof” you have that she hit you is her word, which she might not even repeat. Either way, the DMV won’t get involved in this.

You’ll need to either fix it and sue her, or if you can’t afford the repairs, good luck trying to sue her. Collecting from her could be a challenge if her insurance doesn’t pay up, especially if they believe her version of events.

Does it suck? Yes. Is it the reality? Yes.

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Hi. I’ve heard from a few people that the DMV can suspend her license if she fails to report an accident within 10 days. I wanted to gather more opinions to see if that’s accurate since family members don’t have all the details. There are witnesses who can confirm she admitted to hitting the car, but she could still lie about it. I’ll be filing a claim with my insurance, hoping they can locate her insurance information so I can proceed with the claim.

Submit an SR-22 or SR-22A; it’s been too long, and request their insurance information from the DMV. Once the damages reach a specific threshold, the DMV is required to follow up.

Did you obtain the driver’s information or, ideally, the owner’s information? If so, file a claim in small claims court and have them served at their registered address. It’s best to use a process server for proper service. Obtain a judgment for the damages and expenses. Often, the mere act of filing the lawsuit will prompt them to respond.

Request your insurance company to conduct a license plate check so you can file a third-party claim.

If they don’t share the information, you can politely ask again. If they still refuse, you may need to file a police report to document the situation. Additionally, you should report the accident to the DMV if the damages exceed $1,000. If they continue to evade responsibility, you could consider taking them to small claims court; involving the police may encourage them to cooperate.

You will need to file a lawsuit against the driver and/or owner in small claims court.

Your insurance won’t assist you because you lack collision coverage. If you have a local agent, they may be able to obtain the other party’s insurance information, but they cannot and will not pursue subrogation against that insurance. Be sure to file a police report to get their insurance details for your claim. There are several reasons your claim might be denied. If that occurs, your only recourse would be to take legal action against the other party.

Obtain written statements from witnesses. Even a text message conversation will suffice.