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If I Get Into a Care Accident and do not Wish to Involve My Insurance Company, but the Other Party Insists, What Happens?
January 22, 2021
First, keep calm and read on
If the other party is insisting that the claim be presented to your insurance company, they must assume that you are at least partially to blame for the damages.
Most people are justifiably skeptical about pursuing someone personally to pay for a “minor” accident because:
Involving the insurance companies to handle the claim takes much of the above out of the equation.
Can I refuse to hand over my insurance information?
Assuming law enforcement is not involved, you might refuse to give up your insurance information. However as the question suggests, if the other party is insisting on that information, that does not prevent them from subsequently making a report to law enforcement after the fact.
If the police get involved, numerous states require verification of your insurance coverage at the scene or following the accident when the officer knocks on your door.
Following a report, this information is usually available to the other party, revealing your company/carrier.
I am involved in a minor car accident. Damages less than $200 and my deductible being $1,000.
As you may know, a deductible only applies to your vehicle’s physical damage - and - $200 damage on a car in this day and age is actually hard to do. A tail light lens alone can total much more than $200 bucks.
I don’t want to involve my car insurance company but the other person requests my information or calls the police.
Not wanting to get your insurance company involved is understandable. There’s the threat of potentially higher insurance rates and a mark on a driving record.
You should know, there is a high likelihood that this accident will show up on your driving record regardless of your voluntary report of this incident to your insurance company.
What would you do in such scenario?
This one’s simple. If after your offer to work with them personally, the other party still insists…. give them your insurance information.
Think for a moment… would you feel confident personally pursuing a complete stranger who just damaged your car? And that, after they suggested the bill should only be $200?
Most people are justifiably skeptical about pursuing someone personally to pay for a “minor” accident because:
- “Minor” accidents typically cost much more than anticipated
- The other party may not be willing to pay
- The other party may not have the ability to pay
- It’s just flat out awkward. And time-consuming. And frustrating.
Involving the insurance companies to handle the claim takes much of the above out of the equation.
Can I refuse to hand over my insurance information?
Assuming law enforcement is not involved, you might refuse to give up your insurance information. However as the question suggests, if the other party is insisting on that information, that does not prevent them from subsequently making a report to law enforcement after the fact.
If the police get involved, numerous states require verification of your insurance coverage at the scene or following the accident when the officer knocks on your door.
Following a report, this information is usually available to the other party, revealing your company/carrier.
I am involved in a minor car accident. Damages less than $200 and my deductible being $1,000.
As you may know, a deductible only applies to your vehicle’s physical damage - and - $200 damage on a car in this day and age is actually hard to do. A tail light lens alone can total much more than $200 bucks.
I don’t want to involve my car insurance company but the other person requests my information or calls the police.
Not wanting to get your insurance company involved is understandable. There’s the threat of potentially higher insurance rates and a mark on a driving record.
You should know, there is a high likelihood that this accident will show up on your driving record regardless of your voluntary report of this incident to your insurance company.
- If the police get involved, it will appear on your Motor Vehicle Record.
- If the other party submits it to their insurance company with your information, it will also likely show on a Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report.
What would you do in such scenario?
This one’s simple. If after your offer to work with them personally, the other party still insists…. give them your insurance information.
Think for a moment… would you feel confident personally pursuing a complete stranger who just damaged your car? And that, after they suggested the bill should only be $200?
This article may have been originally published at Quora.com.
To see Jeff's Quora.com profile click here.
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