Guy crashes into my truck, his fault, gives false insurance info

[Big Bend]

Yep, this last weekend my son was driving my truck when someone pulled right in front of him, causing an accident. Guy admitted it was his fault. He gave my son his personal and insurance info. The cops were called out but they didn't want to file a report since it was a minor accident, nobody was hurt, and it looked like all info was exchanged. Damn I shoulda had the cop file a report anyway.. oh well..

Today we called the guys insurance and found out it was totally bogus. Then we found out his phone # was fake too. Well we do have a valid drivers license # and his address is correct - I drove by his house and saw his damaged car in the driveway. Found out his real home phone # and called but nobody answers.

So, unless we can contact this a-hole and get some valid insurance info from him (which I doubt will ever happen), then we'll have to file a claim against our insurance that an uninsured person hit us, and pay a $250 deductible. Which SUCKS!! Its not our fault, why should we have to pay?

So whats my play? I'll be calling again tonight, will try knocking on his door to ask for the right info, but that might cause problems too. But damn, if I gota pay $250 and deal with a lying a-hole, there will definitely be revenge at some point down the road.

Suggestions on how to handle this, and how to get revenge if all else fails, much appreciated. Doubt the cops will do anything at this point. Oh well, at least nobody hurt.

L8r.. BB

[eviljeff]

definitely get the cops involved. put some pressure on them.

[traz]

obviously get the cops involved, but how does this even happen? I mean, don't you usually look at the insurance papers when the accident happens?

edit-- this is a serious question, not being an idiot or anything

[yeotaJMU]

call the cops or set his car and fire and leave a fake note

[qdmcg]

the only play here is going to the police, don't show up to the dude's house, nothing good will come of this

alternatively, call your insurance company and ask what to do, they have probably dealt with this before

[droopy0021]

[ QUOTE ]
the only play here is going to the police, don't show up to the dude's house, nothing good will come of this

alternatively, call your insurance company and ask what to do, they have probably dealt with this before

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts (I'm in the insurance business):

1. Calling cops probably won't do you any good re: getting your $$. They filled out a report and the person filled his info, some of it false. Even if they give him a ticket for filing false report, how is that going to get your $$? It's not.

2. You've made reasonable attempts to contact this individual by phone. You can try a letter next. If that doesn't work you could enlist an attorney, who likely would charge you $$ to pursue that it wouldn't be worthwhile to use said attorney.

3. Your insurance company can give you advice and might issue letter to recoup the whole repair cost (including deductible). How much they pay to fix your car will determine how hard they pursue. If it's $1-2k to fix they'll probably try with a letter or 2 and phone calls. Probably not worth their cost to sick a mad attorney.

4. I'd recommend you get the repair done through your insurance company, pay the deductible and provide them the accident report & contact info you've developed (right phone #). It sucks you have to pay the deductible. This unfortunately happens a lot....the responsible person with insurance pays when a deadbeat causes an accident.

This accident shouldn't be held against your insurance costs (unless you have a lot of claims).

[poorolrich]

When you talk to him and (if) he gives you the run around buy the cheapest bottle of wine, give the wine to a bum/wino, fill empty bottle with gas, burn house down at 4:am. Revenge is good!!! Oh yeah, wipe finger prints off bottle!!!!!!!!!

[diddyeinstein]

^^ No [censored], my advice was to burn down their house as well.

As stated above you going to their house by yourself can only be a bad thing. Contact the insurance, contact the police, cross your fingers.

Apparently I forgot the cross your fingers step when this happened to me because I still haven't gotten [censored].

[Poofler]

Stop asking a message forum that loves to give unqualified advice, and call your insurance company to ask for theirs.

[smk67]

If I were you, I would call your insurance agent ASAP because dealing with this stuff is their job. Also, I can't understand why the cops would not make a report for any accident. The report is the best proof that the accident was not your son's fault.