Driver who hit me might not have real insurance — feels like I'm chasing a ghost

Ugh, I went through almost exactly this last year. The other driver gave me an insurance card that turned out to be for a policy that had been cancelled. I kept trying to track her down while my car sat in the driveway. Eventually my own adjuster told me to just file under my UM coverage and let them chase her. Felt like giving up but honestly it was the fastest path forward for me. The plate number did matter — my insurer used it when they went after her.

Do NOT let your own insurance company talk you into settling this quickly under your UM coverage without understanding what you're signing. Some insurers will try to get you to close it out fast and cheap, especially if there's a soft-tissue component you might not even feel yet. Read everything before you put pen to paper. The fact that her policy lapsed doesn't mean you're automatically stuck holding the bag — but they'd love for you to think that.

Former adjuster here. The lapsed policy situation is more common than people think, unfortunately. A few things that will actually help you: that police report is gold, especially with the plate. Your UM carrier can run that plate and pull registration info, which gives them something to work with if they want to subrogate against her. The fact that you have photos of the damage and the scene matters a lot too. File under your own UM, keep records of every call you make trying to reach her (screenshot the call log), and don't assume this is over just because she's not picking up.

A couple of practical things worth knowing: presenting a lapsed or invalid insurance card at an accident scene can actually be a separate legal issue depending on your state — sometimes it's considered fraud or misrepresentation. That doesn't resolve your car situation today, but it's worth mentioning when you talk to anyone official. Also, your state's DMV may have an uninsured motorist fund or a process for reporting uninsured drivers — look into that, it varies a lot by state but can sometimes open additional options. Not telling you what to do, just things worth researching.

Hey — are you doing okay physically? I know you didn't mention injuries but rear-end impacts can do sneaky stuff to your neck and upper back that doesn't show up for a few days. Just please don't ignore any stiffness or headaches that pop up. Document anything you feel, even if it seems minor. You don't want to have settled everything and then realize two months later you've got something that needed treatment.

This sounds so stressful, I'm sorry you're dealing with it. The fact that she picked up when you called at the scene and now won't answer says a lot. I hope you're able to get some resolution soon — you did everything right and you shouldn't be the one stuck with this mess.

Quick question — when you called the insurer, did they confirm in writing that the policy was lapsed, or was that just a verbal thing from a phone rep? I'd want that in writing before I made any big moves. Phone reps sometimes get things wrong and you want documentation if this ever goes further.