spry-raven-3531d ago

Rear-ended by a drowsy driver while I was stopped — now insurance from years ago is calling me?

So this happened a few days ago and I'm still kind of processing it. I was sitting completely still at a red light when a guy plowed into the back of my car. Witnesses told police he'd been drifting between lanes for a few blocks before the impact — apparently he'd been driving after a double shift with no sleep.

He was conscious when I went over to check on him, but his front end was basically destroyed and the paramedics ended up taking him away on a stretcher as a precaution. I wasn't cited, wasn't breathalyzed, nothing — the responding officer basically told me straight up it wasn't even a question of fault.

My car is driveable but the rear bumper and trunk area are pretty banged up. My neck started getting stiff the next morning and I've been to urgent care once already.

Here's the weird part: I got a voicemail from an insurance company I haven't had a policy with in probably four or five years. Like, I canceled that policy a long time ago and moved on. Why are they calling me now? I haven't called back and honestly I'm inclined to just delete it.

Two things I'm genuinely confused about:

1. Does an accident like this — where I'm clearly not at fault — still show up on my driving record in a way that could affect my insurance rates going forward?

2. Should I call back some random old insurer who has nothing to do with my current coverage, or is that a trap of some kind?

I know I probably need to talk to someone who actually knows this stuff but figured I'd ask here first.

9 replies

Most helpful first

bright-swan-8461d ago
The voicemail thing is weird and I'd be suspicious too. When I got rear-ended a couple years ago, a random company I'd never even heard of called me within 48 hours. Turned out they represented the other driver and were fishing for a recorded statement. I almost called back thinking it was routine. Don't do it until you know exactly who they are and why they're calling.
- candid-swan-0691d ago
  Did the voicemail actually say which company it was, or just a name and a number? And did you get the other driver's insurance info at the scene? Just trying to understand whether this is actually mysterious or whether you might already have their carrier info somewhere in your paperwork.
kind-sparrow-5441d ago
I worked in claims for years and I can tell you — that call is almost certainly coming from the at-fault driver's insurer, not your old one. They pull your name from the police report and then locate whatever contact info they can find, sometimes including old policy records. The goal of that first call is almost always to get you talking before you've documented your injuries or spoken to anyone. They'll frame it as just 'checking in.' It's not. You don't owe them a conversation, especially not an unrecorded, unprepared one.
humble-wren-7881d ago
Do NOT call that number back without knowing exactly who it is first. Look the company up independently — don't use the number in the voicemail. Adjusters love catching people in the first few days when they're still shaken and their injuries haven't fully shown up yet. A 'quick call to get your side' can turn into them using your own words against a claim later.
silent-wolf-9091d ago
On your driving record question — in most states, not-at-fault accidents can still appear on your MVR as an 'involvement,' but they're treated very differently by insurers than an at-fault accident. Some states don't allow insurers to raise your rates for a not-at-fault incident at all. Worth pulling your state's DMV info or asking your current insurer directly how they handle it. As for the mystery voicemail, I'd confirm who they actually represent before saying a single word.
calm-mole-8661d ago
Please keep going back for that neck stiffness — don't brush it off just because you felt okay at the scene. Soft tissue injuries from rear-end crashes can take days to fully develop, and if you wait too long to get it properly documented, it becomes harder to connect it to the accident. Keep a simple log of your symptoms, even just notes on your phone with dates and times.
sharp-marmot-7841d ago
Two moves: first, call your current insurer and report the accident yourself before anyone else frames the story for them. Second, don't call that mystery number back — look the company up yourself and figure out who they actually represent. Those are the only two things that matter right now.
quick-raven-4951d ago
Ugh, the fact that you're dealing with all this paperwork and weird phone calls on top of a sore neck and a damaged car is so unfair. You did nothing wrong. I really hope you're taking care of yourself physically too, not just running around handling logistics.
brave-sparrow-5051d ago
Not legal advice, but that voicemail pattern is extremely common — the other party's insurer identifies you from the accident report and reaches out fast, sometimes before you've even seen a doctor. You are under no obligation to give a recorded or even informal statement to anyone representing the other driver. Your obligation is only to cooperate with your own insurer. Given the neck injury and ongoing symptoms, it might be worth at least a free consultation with a PI attorney before you talk to anyone on the other side.