Driver who hit me got cited for no insurance — but she's claiming she has 'some kind of' coverage?

I went through almost the exact same thing last year. The other driver kept texting me promising to 'make it right' and I almost believed her. Spoiler: she didn't. The moment I involved my own insurance and stopped responding to her directly, things actually started moving. Save every single text she's sent you — I can't stress that enough.

So 'only covers the car itself' almost certainly means she has comprehensive and/or collision on her own vehicle but zero liability coverage. It's shockingly common, especially with certain dealer-arranged financing deals where the lender requires the car to be protected but nobody checks whether the driver actually has liability. Legally she's uninsured from your perspective, plain and simple. The citation the officer issued is actually really useful documentation — make sure you get a certified copy of that police report if you haven't already.

To answer your question about the dealer — in most states there's actually a short window (sometimes 30 days) where a newly purchased vehicle can be driven under the assumption that insurance will be obtained, but liability coverage requirements still apply to the driver, not just the car. The dealer didn't necessarily do anything wrong by letting her drive off the lot, but she was still legally required to carry liability. That citation is evidence she didn't.

Also, I'd stop texting her directly now that you've filed a claim. It's not that it's illegal, it's just that anything you say could get complicated later. Let the insurance process handle it.

Please get checked out if you haven't already, even if you feel okay right now. T-bone impacts are really rough on your neck and back and symptoms from soft tissue injuries can show up days later. Don't wait until something really hurts. Document everything with your doctor so there's a clear record if you need it.

Not legal advice, but — the personal payment arrangement she's proposing is almost never worth pursuing. Even if she means well, there's no enforcement mechanism if she stops paying, and getting a judgment against an uninsured driver is often uncollectable anyway. Your UM coverage existing is genuinely the better path here. Might be worth a free consult with a PI attorney just to understand what your options look like. Most won't charge you anything to talk.

Stop texting her. Seriously, right now. You've got what you need from her — the admission of fault, the citation, the texts where she acknowledges it. You don't need anything else from her personally. Your UM claim is your best shot and every extra conversation with her just adds noise.

This sounds so stressful, I'm sorry you're dealing with it. It's actually kind of her that she's trying to take responsibility but you're right not to just trust a verbal payment plan. Please take care of yourself physically too — the legal and insurance stuff can wait a few hours but your health can't.