My husband was laid off of work so we are really short on money. But I can't miss work myself, so I had to drive my car anyway.
A lady and I collided at a store entrance. We don't know who was at fault yet but I have no insurance.
They had an ambulance out for the man with her but said he was fine.
The cops all saw my EXPIRED insurance card and didn't say a word to me.
What can I expect? What can I do? I'm afraid this is going to ruin me. I'm not worried about my car, my husband can fix that. Her car wasn't too badly damaged but with the cost of repairs now adays, am I looking at a HUGE loss?
Please don't try to scare me unless you are really being honest. I'm scared and remorsful enough.
Thank you.
2007-12-08 09:23:59 · 25 answers · asked by mistikmaiden 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Insurance & Registration
first if you got no ticket you're good( no insurance). second you need that police report to figure out who's at fault. she can't get any money out of your insurance so she'd have to personally sue you. so maybe she's at fault and you're good. her insurance will fix her car if she claims through them, if not and she decides to claim through your insurance shes screwed because you have none and then you just have to duck the lawsuit if any. later on if it looks bad try to offer to pay her back for her damages only when you see an estimate though.
2007-12-08 09:32:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Interesting priority there. You know insurance is required, but it's the first thing you don't pay.
What can you expect? That will you have to pay for any and all repairs to the other car, which will be more than what insurance would have been.
You may also receive a ticket for driving without insurance, and when you get to court the first thing they will ask is "Do you have insurance now?" and you had best be able to say yes and PROVE it to them by giving them your card. There's a good chance they will sent the bailiff to call and make sure it's current.
It also depends a great amount on the state you are in, each has different rules, so I can't be more specific.
2007-12-08 18:22:11 · answer #2 · answered by oklatom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, there's no where NEAR enough information for anyone here to hazard a guess. Best case scenario, she's totally at fault and has insurance, and they'll pay for your car, and her husband's injuries and their damages. Worst case, you are, and will be writing a check or selling your house to pay the ambulance bill, their auto damages, his lost wages, and the medical bills.
You need to either edit the question, or reask it - including which state you are in, and a detailed description of how the accident happened, including where on both cars you have damage. Then someone here will likely be able to tell you who's at fault, what your state liability laws will make you do, and give you a more accurate best/worst situation.
2007-12-08 18:56:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on the amount of medical loss sustained by the other party. The damage to the car isn't an issue, at most you'll have to pay to fix the car. It's the medical damages that will hurt you. If the other party claims "whiplash" and "pain and suffering" then you could be looking at thousands.
However, if you didn't have insurance, it would be very difficult for her to collect money from you without going through a long and painful court process. I would suggest you call her up and offer to negotiate a settlement where you pay her off and she waives her right to sue you over the accident.
2007-12-08 21:01:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
For California, regardless of fault, if you were involved in an accident that resulted in injuries or more than $750 in property damage, you must complete a Traffic Accident Report and submit it to the Department of Motor vehicle within a specified period of time from the date of the accident. On the form they are going to request insurance information. Because of your lack of insurance coverage, the D.M.V may take action action your license and suspend it for one year. However may be eligible to get a restricted drivers license (which allows you to drive to and from work) by filing an SR-22 which is issued by an insurance company.
You are legally responsible for any and all damages you cause to another person or property when operating a motor vehicle. However, just because you were uninsured at the time of the accident, does not necessarily mean you are to be found automatically at fault. If on the other hand you are to be found legally liable, the other party can sue you for their loss.
I am not an attorney and you are in a rough situation so its best you consult with someone who has legal experience in these matters who can offer real advice, guidence and solutions for you and your family. Best of luck to you!
2007-12-08 18:38:30 · answer #5 · answered by CA. Auto Insurance guy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the best thing you can do is keep the accident private and offer them a settlement for the damages as long as they don't report it to their insurance. Even if you have a police report you are able to work it out and as far as the officer you are very lucky, he still has a right to issue a summons through the mail without your knowing till a couple of days later. Try talking to the person you hit no matter who's fault it is, cause you know that your in the wrong for not being covered, as far as the cop he may not have seen more then 500.00 in damage and seen that you could afford this accident
2007-12-08 17:31:33 · answer #6 · answered by Herman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can expect a boat load of tickets. The insurance company for the other side will try to determine who was right and wrong. If the other insurance company has to pay out a claim and find that you are at fault then they will subrogate directly against you. They will generally allow you to make payments till you may it off. The state that you live in will require you to show proof of insurance probably within the next 30-90 days.
Good luck!
2007-12-08 17:29:36 · answer #7 · answered by antswife 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you didn't get a ticket and nobody said you were at fault then you have nothing to worry about. If it was in writing that you were at fault even though you didn't get a ticket then the other party can later sue. You might have gotten away with the ticket if your insurance ticket said it wasn't expired yet. Even if you had no insurance and the ticket shows it is in effect until???? then they will not know unless the call the insurance company if you are insured.
2007-12-08 17:32:12 · answer #8 · answered by Larry M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The fact you don't have insurance makes you automatically at fault, so long as the other person has insurance. You shouldn't have been driving and if you hadn't been driving you wouldn't have been in an accident.
The cops were nice to not ticket you, though they could still ticket you if the other lady forces the issue.
Maybe the other lady will simply use her insurance to repair her car and let you off the hook? You could offer to pay reasonable expenses for getting her car fixed to avoid going through the insurance companies.
2007-12-08 17:28:59 · answer #9 · answered by Dan H 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You will need to find a way to work out a settlement with the other party. About the smallest expense I see for body work these days will be $1000, could be more, but you do not say what the damage was.
Being scared and remorsful is no substitute for being responsible.
If you do not settle with the other party, expect to be sued by their insurance company and have your license taken away by the state.
Astrobuf
2007-12-08 17:29:37 · answer #10 · answered by astrobuf 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋