I hit a parked car?

Question

I am 10 weeks pregnant and felt uncomfy or something and I hit a parked car. I gave the other car owner my driver licence info and told her that I will pay for the minor damage(it was a scratch). The woman called me and gave an estimate for 250 and I told her I will pay 200. Now she is saying that she did another estimate for 650 and asked me 400$. What should I do? Please help.

Answer 1

Don't pay her a thing without getting your own estimate! she seems like she's trying to scam you, which is unfortunate because you were doing the right thing in admitting fault--by the way, I commend you for that because my car has been hit before in a parking lot with no note or anything! The nerve of some people!!!!

Anyway, what I would do is ask her to see the vehicle so you can take pictures and take those pictures to a couple of places to get a few estimates of your own. That way, you'll know what is reasonable. I would take an average of all of the estimates you get yourself and offer her that. If she says she got a higher estimate, ask her to provide you with the estimate paperwork so you can review it and make sure she's not trying to get you to cover something else.

If she's not willing to work with you, then she'll just have to file a small claims suit against you and then you can let the judge work it out. Or she can report to her insurance and let your two insurance companies work it out. Hopefully, she'll just be willing to work with you. Just DO NOT pay her anything without you having an estimate or a copy of the estimate that she is basing it on. And, make sure, just in case, to write a hand-written receipt when you pay her.

Answer 2

Ask her to see both estimates before paying anything. Sounds like she is just trying to get more money. Next time take pics if you have one handy or call the police. Not everyone is as honest as you may be. Years ago, I backed into a car, left only a scratch or two. Didnt want to go through insurance or call the police because I didnt want it on my record. Told the lady to get an estimate and call me. She did. I asked to see the estimate offered to meet her somewhere. She said she'd call me back and I never heard from her again. Now, I have a camara phones if Im in that situation again... or call the police.

Next: The only info you should give is Insurance not personal info like drivers license number. Also, I worked in insurance before. you dont legally have to use the money to fix the car but Insurance companies keep damage on record so you cant reoprt it more once. Also, sometimes even a scratch could mean replacing the whole bumper depending on the type of car.

Answer 3

You should have just agreed to the extra $50 the first time. But even before that, you should have gotten the police involved so that everything would have been written down in a report and you wouldn't be getting ripped off now. It's probably too late to go to the police at this point. They'll still take a report, but it's now your word against hers, and there's no way to keep her from saying that you were responsible for a bunch of other damage to her car as well.

Answer 4

She probably asked her auto-body cousin Frodo to look at it and he told her he could fix it for $250. When she passed that on to you and you said you would only pay $200 she got miffed and got a real estimate from a legitimate body shop. You should have accepted the $250. Now if she wants $400 and if you say no again she just might file a police report and notify the insurance co. and demand the $600 plus with added points on your insurance it could end up costing you thousands.

You should have taken the offer of $200 when you had the chance.

Answer 5

Definitely report it to the insurance company. I did the same thing in 2004 and the guy wanted me to give him $830 for a new bumper when all I put was a scratch. I ended-up reporting it, and the insurance company told me he had gone to the most expensive place in town. My guess was he was going to pocket it. After he found out I reported it to the car insurance company, he was pissed, surely because he wasn't getting any money to pocket now. This woman could be trying to scam you, just report it to the insurance company. It's such small damage it shouldn't be a problem, and it'll stop her from trying to get more than she needs out of you. Besides, you already are concerned about your pregnancy, you don't need something like this.

Answer 6

First you should have called the police at the time of the accident.
Since you did not. Tell her to get three written estimates and give them to you. Check them out, make sure they are legitimate. Then pay her the lowest estimate.
That is the way the insurance companies do it.
Best idea is turn it over to your insurance company, that is why you pay for insurance.

Answer 7

I think you should ask to see the estimates in person, then go to a shop you, or a friend knows & ask them for a estimate.....You only need to report it if the damage was over l think $700.00 in California, check your local laws on this....You might not want to call the insurance co. or your rates might go up....GOOD LUCK

Answer 8

this is why you should always call your insurance company to prevent you from being screwed by people like that and make a police report.

beause now you
1) dont have proof of damage. she could have damaged it more between the time you hit her and took it ot get an estimate and could be gouging you for the money

You're sol.

Answer 9

Talk to your insurance company in case you have coverage.

If not, ask the lady for proof of the estimate and validate it with another mechanic.

Get the police involved too.

Answer 10

You hit her and you want to negotiate what you say you would take care of? Get your own estimates and come to an agreement. You were in the wrong, pregnancy or no pregnancy. If your condition is impairing your driving I recommend you stay off the road.