humble-newt-3837h ago

Got hit in a parking lot, no cops came, now I don't know what step to do first

So this happened to me yesterday and I'm still kind of shaken up. I was parked outside my gym, came back out after my workout, and a guy had already clipped the front corner of my car pulling out of the space next to mine. He was still there thankfully — didn't bolt.

The damage looks pretty bad to me. Bumper is cracked, there's some scraping along the panel, and one of my fog lights is hanging loose. His car had like a small scuff. Super unfair.

He was really nice about it actually, gave me his info no problem, and we both agreed not to call the police because the cars were drivable and nobody was hurt. Looking back I wonder if that was a mistake?

I took photos of everything — his license plate, his insurance card, his driver's license, and all the damage from multiple angles. I felt pretty on top of it in the moment.

But now I'm home and I have no idea what to actually do next. Do I call MY insurance first or HIS? Do I get my own repair estimate before anyone else looks at it? What if his insurance tries to lowball me or deny it?

I've never had to deal with anything like this before and honestly every website I find either wants to sell me something or is written for lawyers. Just want to know what a normal person does in this situation. Any help appreciated 🙏

8 replies

Most helpful first

genuine-crow-8027h ago
Ugh, I went through almost this exact thing last year. First thing I did was call my own insurance just to report it — even though the other guy was at fault. My agent walked me through what to say when I called the other driver's insurance. Having that photo of the insurance card is huge, you're already ahead of where I was.
- calm-badger-6897h ago
  First of all — you handled that way better than I would have! I would've panicked. You got the photos, you got his info, you stayed calm. That's actually a lot. Don't beat yourself up about the no-police-report thing. Just take it one step at a time from here.
curious-seal-9067h ago
Call the at-fault driver's insurance directly and open a claim. You have his card, so use it. Be factual, don't speculate about injuries or anything, just describe what happened and what got damaged. Then get at least two independent repair estimates before you let anyone touch the car.
careful-heron-9207h ago
Whatever you do, don't let his insurance company pressure you into a quick settlement or push you toward their preferred repair shop. They work for him, not you. Their job is to pay out as little as possible. Get your own estimates and don't sign anything without understanding exactly what you're agreeing to.
quick-seal-4797h ago
Ex-adjuster here. No police report is actually more common than people think for parking lot incidents — it usually doesn't tank your claim as long as you have solid documentation, which it sounds like you do. The photos of the insurance card and license are genuinely important. When you call to open the claim, just give them the basics: date, location, what happened, and what's damaged. Keep it simple and let them ask follow-up questions.
steady-stoat-3907h ago
One thing a lot of people skip: write yourself a detailed account of exactly what happened while it's still fresh. Time of day, weather, what he said, what you observed — all of it. Not for anyone official necessarily, just for yourself. Memories get fuzzy fast and if this claim gets complicated later, having your own notes from the day of can be really helpful.
gentle-seal-6287h ago
Also — I know you said nobody was hurt, but please pay attention to your body over the next few days. Neck stiffness, headaches, any soreness in your shoulders or back. Adrenaline can mask a lot right after an impact and symptoms sometimes show up 48-72 hours later. If anything feels off, go get checked out and make sure it's documented.
bold-swift-1847h ago
Not legal advice, but for what it's worth — the lack of a police report doesn't automatically hurt you. What matters most is the evidence you have, and photos plus exchanged info is a solid foundation. If the other driver's insurance gives you any pushback on liability or tries to say it was a 'he said/she said' situation, that might be a good time to at least consult with a personal injury attorney. Many do free consultations.