Other driver texting me personally for repair money — am I actually on the hook for this?

I went through almost the exact same thing a couple years ago — disputed fault, rental involved, other driver blowing up my phone. What I learned the hard way is that paying someone informally with zero paperwork is basically the worst of both worlds. You're out money AND it can still be used against you. Don't do anything without at least some kind of written agreement.

Not legal advice, but to answer your questions loosely: no, you generally have no obligation to pay him out of pocket just because his own coverage falls short — that's his coverage gap, not your automatic liability. His realistic option if you decline is to sue you in civil court (small claims or otherwise depending on the amount). And yes, if you ever did settle privately, you'd absolutely want a signed release of all claims — not just property damage but any future claims related to the incident — before any money changes hands. A handshake or Venmo note won't cut it.

I used to work on the claims side and I want to flag something: if neither insurer accepted liability, that means there's an open fault dispute on record. Any direct payment you make — even something small — can absolutely surface later as an informal admission if this ever goes to litigation. I've seen it happen. At minimum, stop responding to those texts until you know what your actual exposure is.

A few practical things worth knowing: the statute of limitations for property damage claims varies by state, and depending on which state's laws apply here, he may have longer than you think to file suit. Also, 'release of all claims' language in a private settlement agreement is really important — it needs to cover bodily injury too, not just the car repairs, because sometimes people feel fine initially and then claim injury later. A boilerplate template from the internet probably won't cover you the way you need.

Honestly? Stop texting him back. Full stop. Every response you send is a data point he can use. If he wants to pursue this, let him do it through proper legal channels where there are rules about what he can and can't claim. You engaging casually over text is only creating problems for you.

Few questions that might matter here: Did the police come to the scene? Is there an official report with a fault determination, or is it truly just competing statements? And did your rental agreement include supplemental liability coverage or did you use a credit card that provides it? Those details could change your situation pretty significantly.