At-fault driver's insurance keeps stonewalling me over a technicality — is this even legal?

Oh man, I went through almost the exact same runaround last year. Different insurance company but same energy — they kept telling me I was missing info and couldn't proceed. What finally worked for me was calling back repeatedly until I got someone who actually knew what they were doing. Took me like 8 calls but I finally got a rep who just... filed it. Don't give up, keep calling.

This is a classic delay tactic. They know most people will either give up or go through their own insurance, which takes them off the hook entirely. Don't let them outlast you. Document every call — date, time, rep name or ID if they'll give it — because if this escalates you'll want that paper trail.

I used to work in claims and honestly? Front-line reps sometimes just don't know how to handle situations where the driver and the policyholder are different people. It's not always malicious — sometimes it's just incompetence and a rigid script. Ask to be escalated to a senior adjuster or a claims supervisor and specifically mention 'permissive use coverage.' That phrase tends to get people's attention because it signals you actually know what you're talking about.

A few things worth knowing: most auto policies cover permissive users — meaning if the owner let someone borrow the car, their policy should still apply to an accident that person causes. The insurance company's argument that they need the policyholder's first name to proceed is... thin. You might also consider filing a complaint with your state's Department of Insurance. It's free, easy, and insurance companies tend to move a lot faster once a regulator is CC'd.

Not legal advice, but this kind of situation — where a third-party claimant is being stonewalled by the at-fault driver's insurer — is actually pretty common and there are ways to push back. If the damages are significant enough, a PI attorney can often cut through this quickly because insurers know an attorney letter means the situation just got more serious. Many offer free consultations so it might be worth a quick call just to understand your options.

Try this: call back, skip the pleasantries, and immediately ask for a supervisor. When you get one, use the words 'bad faith claims handling' out loud. You don't have to threaten anything — just let them know you're aware that term exists. Watch how quickly the tone changes.

Just want to make sure I'm understanding — did the owner of the car give you any contact info, or just what was in the glovebox? And did the driver sign the police report? Wondering if there's a way to track down the policyholder's name through the DMV or small claims paperwork if the insurance thing keeps hitting a wall.