I hit a parked car two days ago and left a note. The insurance company says I need to sort it out directly with the other guy. But he wants me to pay everything right away and won't even deal with the insurance company. I'm not obligated to pay out of pocket, right?
Legally, you're not obligated to pay anything out of pocket, because that's exactly what insurance is for - the responsibility lies with the insurance company. What you need to do is formally report the claim to your insurer (if you haven't already), with photos, a police report if you filed one, and the other driver's contact information. From there, it's the insurance company that deals with him or his insurance. If the guy keeps insisting on cash in hand, ignore him - he can sue the insurance company, not you directly.
That's the thing: did you already report the accident to your insurance company, or did you let that slip? Because if you did report it, that's who the other person needs to deal with, not you directly. The guy's trying to skip the line by ignoring your insurance, but you have every right to tell him he needs to contact your insurance company to get paid. If you haven't reported it yet, do it quick! 🚗
The problem here is that the guy is trying to get around the system because he probably wants to avoid the insurance claim going against him (which happens when there are claims filed). But that's not your problem. If you reported the accident to your insurance company, the legal obligation is theirs to handle the compensation. The other person can file a claim with your insurer, and that's it - they sort it out with them.
The practical trick that nobody mentioned: document everything in writing. If he pressures you for direct payment, send him an email or text clearly stating that you've already reported the accident and that the insurance company is responsible. Keep that. If he insists, you can always show the police that he tried to coerce you into making an out-of-pocket deal (which is legally questionable). Plus, if you agree to pay everything out of pocket now, you can't ask the insurance company for a refund later - it's all or nothing.
The smartest strategy is to contact your insurance company again, tell them the other guy is pressuring you, and ask for direct contact info for the claims handler or a claim number to give him. Let them explain to him how it works. He might not like it, but that's not your problem - you're the one he hit, and you already reported it.
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