Hit by someone who ran a stop sign — not my fault but scared my rates will jump. What do I do?

I was in almost the exact same situation two years ago — clearly not my fault, citation went to the other driver, and I was still terrified about my rates. What I ended up doing was going directly to the at-fault driver's insurance first without touching my own policy. It worked out and my rates didn't budge. The key was getting the other insurer to open a claim quickly and keeping my own company mostly out of it. Definitely document EVERYTHING right now though — photos, the citation number, witness info if you have any.

Former adjuster here. Honestly, whether a not-at-fault claim affects your rate depends a lot on your state's laws and your specific carrier. Some states prohibit insurers from raising rates on not-at-fault claims, others don't. Worth a quick call to your state's department of insurance just to understand the rules where you live.

Also — going directly to the at-fault driver's insurer (called a third-party claim) generally keeps your own policy out of it entirely. That's usually the cleaner path when the liability is clear-cut, like it sounds here.

You don't have to wait for the police report to be finalized before contacting the other driver's insurance — you can open a claim now with whatever info you have. The citation number and the responding officer's name should be enough to get the ball rolling. Just make sure you get a claim number from them and follow up in writing (email is fine) so there's a paper trail. Also, go see a doctor about those headaches. Seriously. Even if it turns out to be nothing, you want it documented.

Please don't ignore the headaches. Post-accident headaches can be your body's way of signaling something that needs attention — whether it's muscle tension from whiplash or something that warrants imaging. Go get checked out. From a medical standpoint, waiting can also complicate things if you ever need to make a claim for your injuries, because gaps in treatment make it look like you weren't that hurt.

Here's what I'd do: call the other driver's insurance today, open a third-party claim, and don't volunteer anything extra. Get your car into a shop you trust for a written damage estimate. See a doctor this week. Don't sign any releases or accept any settlement offers until you know the full picture on your car AND your health. That's it. Keep it simple and don't panic.

It actually sounds like you're in a better position than a lot of people posting here — you have a police report, the other driver was cited, and your car is still drivable. That's a reasonably solid starting point. Not-at-fault claims with clear documentation do resolve without rate increases all the time. Hang in there, you've got this.

Quick question — did you actually confirm the other driver's insurance info is real and the policy is active? Because 'had insurance' at the scene and 'has active coverage' are sometimes two different things. What did you actually get from them or the officer at the scene? That changes your options quite a bit.