At-fault driver won't cooperate with his own insurance and now my claim is dead?

This happened to me almost exactly. The other driver just... ghosted his own insurance company. What I ended up doing was going through my own collision coverage, getting my car fixed, and then my insurer went after the other guy's insurance for reimbursement (called subrogation). It took a few months but I eventually got my deductible back. Not ideal but it got my car fixed.

Former adjuster here. When a policyholder won't cooperate, the company CAN still investigate using third-party evidence — police reports, photos, witness statements, that text message you mentioned. The fact that they issued a flat denial instead of investigating further is honestly a red flag. You can file a complaint with your state's Department of Insurance; that tends to light a fire under them real fast. I've seen denials reversed just from a DOI inquiry being opened.

That text message where he basically admits fault is potentially huge. Screenshot it, back it up everywhere, and don't delete the original thread. If this escalates to small claims court or beyond, contemporaneous admissions like that carry real weight. Also — check if your state has an uninsured/underinsured motorist provision that might apply if his insurer fully refuses to pay. It's worth looking into even if he technically had active insurance.

Not legal advice, but from where I sit: a denial based solely on the policyholder's non-cooperation — when you have a police report, photos, and a written admission — is a pretty thin basis for denial. Depending on your state, there may be bad faith insurance statutes that apply here. Might be worth a free consultation just to understand your options. Most PI attorneys don't charge for that.

File through your own insurance today. Stop waiting on his carrier. Yes, the deductible stings, but your car gets fixed now, and your insurer has way more leverage to recover that money than you do alone. You're sitting here with a trunk that doesn't close — that's not a 'wait and see' situation.

Ugh, this is so unfair. You did everything right — got the info, took photos, filed a report — and you're still the one left dealing with it. Really hope you get this sorted. Don't give up pushing on them.

Quick question — did you get confirmation in writing that the denial reason is specifically his non-cooperation? Or is that just what someone told you on the phone? Because if it's verbal only, I'd push for a formal denial letter with the stated reason before you decide your next move. Sometimes what reps say on the phone and what's actually in the file are two different things.