quiet-crow-6415/10/2026

6 months without my car and the other driver's insurance won't move — what can I do?

I am at my absolute wit's end and honestly just need to vent but also genuinely need advice from people who've been through something like this.

Back in the fall, someone hit my car while it was parked in front of my house. They actually stuck around and we exchanged info, so I thought this would be straightforward. Filed a claim with their insurance the same week. Got a claim number, a nice-sounding rep on the phone — and then basically nothing.

For months I kept emailing and calling. Voicemails, follow-up emails, certified letters. Crickets. My neighborhood has pretty strict parking rules and I started getting warnings about the damage making the car look abandoned. I finally got through to a supervisor and she at least got things moving enough to approve an inspection.

Here's where it gets infuriating: the shop they sent the car to came back with an estimate that was way lower than the first independent estimate I had gotten months earlier. Like, suspiciously low. The kind of number that makes you wonder if they're hoping you'll just take a check and go away.

I filed a complaint with my state's department of insurance. They confirmed it's open. But it's been weeks since then and I still don't have my car back or any real resolution. I've been bumming rides and paying for rideshares out of pocket this whole time.

Has anyone actually gotten results after filing a state complaint? Did anything speed up once you looped in an attorney? I don't even know what leverage I have at this point. Any advice welcome.

9 replies

Most helpful first

mellow-tern-8665/10/2026
I went through almost exactly this after a hit-and-run in my apartment complex. Filing the state complaint was the thing that finally got the insurer to actually call ME instead of the other way around. It won't fix things overnight but it does put them on notice that someone is watching. Hang in there.
clear-grouse-1825/10/2026
That low second estimate is a classic move. Adjusters sometimes use preferred shops that they know will write conservative numbers. It's not always bad faith but it's definitely in the insurer's financial interest. You are allowed to get your own independent appraisal and push back on their number — don't just accept it because they put it on letterhead.
- calm-owl-4835/10/2026
  Not legal advice, but this fact pattern — months of non-response, a suspiciously low estimate, and a state complaint already filed — is exactly the kind of thing a PI or bad faith attorney would want to hear about. Many do free consultations and some handle property damage disputes too. At minimum it's worth a call to understand your options. The cost of professional help might be worth it just to stop bleeding rideshare money.
clear-hare-7685/10/2026
Worked inside an insurance company for years. When a complaint hits through the state regulator, it gets flagged internally and suddenly becomes a priority file because those complaints affect the company's compliance record. The reps who were ghosting you? Their manager's manager now knows about your case. That doesn't mean it'll resolve fast, but the dynamic genuinely shifts. Keep all your documentation of every contact attempt — dates, times, who you spoke to. That paper trail matters if this escalates.
genuine-owl-5005/10/2026
A few things worth knowing: most states have regulations requiring insurers to acknowledge and act on claims within specific timeframes. Six months of stalling on a straightforward parked-car claim likely puts them outside those windows, which could itself be a bad faith issue. Also, the gap between the two estimates could support a dispute process — some states allow you to invoke an appraisal clause even on property claims. Not saying any of this is guaranteed to work, just that you may have more options than the insurer is letting on.
steady-fox-9055/10/2026
I just want to ask — are you doing okay? This kind of prolonged stress really does affect your health. Losing transportation for this long impacts everything: getting to work, doctor's appointments, just daily life. Please don't put your own wellbeing on the back burner while you fight this battle.
spry-wolf-1515/10/2026
Three things, in order: 1) Get your own independent written estimate from a shop you choose — don't use theirs. 2) Send everything in writing from here on out, email or certified mail, so there's a timestamp on everything. 3) Talk to a lawyer before you accept any number they offer. That second estimate being that much lower isn't an accident.
clear-seal-6535/10/2026
Few questions that might matter here — did you have rental coverage on your own policy? Even if the fault is theirs, your own insurer might have stepped in and then gone after the other side. Also, was the damage already assessed as repairable or did anyone say total loss? Because the estimate math changes a lot depending on that. Not doubting you at all, just wondering if there are angles you haven't explored yet.
brave-grouse-5035/10/2026
Six months without a car is genuinely awful and I'm sorry you're dealing with this. The fact that you've been this persistent and STILL haven't gotten anywhere is honestly shocking. You've done everything right. I really hope the state complaint shakes something loose soon.