I got into a car accident....?

Question

Hi... I got into a minor car accident today and I dented the other car just a little. The dent is the size of a tennis ball maybe smaller. The guy has my information DL # and everything but I told him that I didn't have my insurance card on me. I gave him my number and told him to call me later and I would give him the info. Right after we left the scene I hopped on the computer and bought insurance. The insurance is dated for today and policy covers the damages, am i covered? or is this insurance fraud? Oh and he called later and I gave him my policy number and insurance company. If i just let the insurance deal with it am I commiting fraud? What should I do? He offered a deal to have me pay for the fixing of the damages but I dont really have that much money. I need help!!! oh... and I kinda f*cked up by signing a piece of paper stating that I hit him. BUT there's no date or time or anything else on it. It just says "I certify that I did hit the above vehicle with my vehicle"

Answer 1

pretty sure that is insurance fraud. If anything, i would try to avoid going through insurance anyway. if it minor damage it will cost you more in the long run to pay increases in insurance (your rates will go up). You should do what ever you can to avoid insurance, especially since it really could be a fraudulent claim. good luck

Answer 2

The insurance company is totally going to know what is up and deny your claim. They're not stupid. If I were you, I'd call the guy, tell him you want to pay for the damage, but beg him for mercy and see if he'll let you pay him in installments. That is the ONLY way you're getting out of this one. Better flirt with him or cry or something.

Learn from this mistake.

1) NEVER sign ANYTHING, EVER, when you've had an accident.

2) Keep minimal liability insurance at least. There are small places you can get it cheap.

3) When you get in an accident, immediately call the police and do not leave the scene until they arrive to write a report. If you don't do that, then he could go home, claim you pulled a hit and run, and then you're not only in it for the damage but will have criminal charges as well.

Answer 3

Wow.........

It is fraud, but it looks like you'll get away with it if the policy is, indeed, effective today...

The insurance company will handle it, but I'll bet your rates will go up. What would you have done if the accident was (A) your fault, (B) huge and (C) you were knocked unconscious?

It could be fraud if the fine print says that you cannot have had an accident on the same day that you are signing up for the policy. I'm sure insurances have thought of that. They've been around for decades.

I don't know this kind of irks me because I'm just getting over a relationship with a girl that lied all the time. Not only that, but she can never sit still. Her car was in the shop, so she borrowed mine... and wrecked it. It was her fault and she got a $1200 fine for it, plus she doesn't have a license. What does she do? She gets her car back from the shop... and gets pulled over again. Another $1200 for no license and speeding. What does she do? She quits her job to attend a dance in another state.

It just hits close to home. Dishonesty affects innocent bystanders.

Answer 4

It is fraud because when you had the wreck you were not covered by insurance.

Insurance, while sometimes it is a racket, is the understanding that you have paid into a pot that takes care of your mess in case you have a wreck...not after you have a wreck. It won't take much to uncover your lie when they look at the time of the accident report, and the time you purchased the policy...and believe me all those details are documented. It won't look good at all.

This is a sticky situation, you have started weaving a lie...your best bet is to call the other party and offer to make it right without involving your new insurance company, telling him that you lied and didn't have coverage at the time of the wreck and don't want all the drama that will rain down on you when the truth comes out. At that point, depending on who is at fault for the accident...he can either file on his own insurance (uninsured motorist, I don't think in this case that rates are hiked) or if he was to blame, use his policy to cover HIS damages in which case his rates will increase, or you both pay for your own damages out of pocket (a co-fault or no-fault solution), or you can pay for his damages out of pocket if it was your fault...which is also fraud even though it is hard to stay honest when every claim results in your rates getting jacked up. Insurance only is a bargain when you don't need it.

If there is any discrepancy about who did what and who is to blame, you will have to wait for the police report and at that point it will all be out of your hands. AND you will be in trouble.

Answer 5

Do you want the truth?

Not only is it fraud, but when the insurance company finds out about it, IF they let you keep the insurance, they are going to raise your premium WAY up!

C'mon, if your going to drive, you gotta be financially responsible. Take your punishment like a woman. You lied and cheated and your going to pay for that. Your license will more than likely be suspended for a year when you show up in Court -take it like a woman, let it be a learning experience and let this mature you.

What you should have done was offer to pay him and stop driving until you could afford insurance. Why? What if a child runs out in front of you and to avoid hitting him, you hit another car? How are you going to pay? What if you hit the child? These are examples of why being financially responsible is more important than your right to drive a car -so don't be selfish. Do the right thing from now on. Call him back now and tell him you thought about it, and you want to pay out of your pocket. Your insurance deductible is probably more than his bill to you -Ask him if he knows how much the cost will be to fix it. Tell him to give you 2 or 3 written estimates if the cost is more than 300.00 to repair.

Answer 6

wow the second that one hits
first you're insurance will be canceled
2ND the police will ticket you $400 in Utah for not having insurance
3rd you will now need high risk insurance $300 per month
call him now beg him bribe him not to claim pay him for the damages should cost you less Thain $1000 if you are describing it rite
you may also loose your drivers license

i don't want to seam like i am excusing your lack of judgment and or stupid i mean you were lucky this time you could have hit /injured /killed someone and or caused $10000's in property damage you would have been responsible for
and put a huge financial strain on whoever you hit
driving without insurance is a horrible thing to do unless you're rich and can pay off the claims out of your own pocket

yes the insurance will probably charge you as they should
the only reason i say to beg the guy you hit is i hope you learned a lesson if you didn't
i hope the fines will help you to learn

Answer 7

I don't think you are going to be covered because when the guy you hit claims the accident, the times aren't going to match up. Plus, it's just sketchy that you get into an accident on the same day as you get insurance.

Hopefully you got the guys' number and can call him. Tell him that you want to pay for it out of pocket rather than going through an insurance company. What you did was fraud.

Answer 8

I'm no expert on insurance, but unfortuately this sounds like fraud. The dent shouldn't cost that much to repair. I had a friend rear end me at 50 mph in a 2001 Tahoe and it cost 1200 dollars at the local repair shop, which is considered an average to high price. A tennis ball sized dent shouldn't cost very much to fix. Have him get an estimate and decide the proper choice of action. Its unfortunate that you may consider less than legitimate course of action, but my advice to you is to try to pay for it out of your pocketbook and keep the insurance you purchased for the next accident.

Answer 9

you may be in trouble with this one. i'm pretty sure that driving without insurance in any state is illegal, and i think the insurance company may put two and two together and realize u just got the insurance the day the accident happend. Were the police called? They would def have dates and times. I'd go for the deal and try and work out a payment plan!!

Answer 10

I don't quite understand why some of the people here are giving you advice/suggestions to better your own situation. What you did is clearly fraud, and I'm hoping the insurance company in your area is as good as sniffing things out as the ones around here. Do not use Yahoo! Answers to aid your illegal-doing.