Scraped a work van pulling out of a parking lot — didn't call cops. Now what?

Ugh, been here. Almost the exact same thing happened to me in a shopping center — other driver said forget it, we both left. Two weeks later my insurance got a call from their side. Report it to your own insurance NOW, before anyone else does, so you control the narrative. Seriously don't wait.

The 'don't worry about it' thing from the other driver means absolutely nothing legally. People say that and then their neck starts 'hurting' a few days later or their boss sees the scuff and tells them to file a claim. Cover yourself — report it to your carrier today and let them know there's no police report. At least you have documentation on your end.

Worked claims for years. No-contact accidents where nothing gets exchanged are actually really common, and they don't automatically go badly for you. But here's what matters: the timestamp on your photos, whether you filed with your insurance promptly, and whether your story stays consistent. If that van company ever does file, adjusters will look at all of that. Get your report in today and write down everything you remember about the driver, the van markings, anything — while it's fresh.

A few practical things worth knowing: most states don't legally require you to call police for a low-speed parking lot incident with no injuries, so you're probably fine on that front. The bigger issue is the window you have to report to your own insurer — check your policy because some have surprisingly short notice requirements. Also, if you can remember any branding or lettering on the van, you might actually be able to track down the company, which could help if there's ever a dispute about who was at fault.

Oh no, that sounds so stressful especially with a brand new car 😔 Please don't be too hard on yourself, these things happen. Hope you're doing okay emotionally — that shaky feeling after an accident is totally real even when it's not a big crash.

Three things: 1) Call your insurance today, not tomorrow. 2) Get a repair estimate from a body shop so you know what you're actually dealing with. 3) Stop worrying about what the other guy might do — you can only control your own actions right now. The photos you took were smart. Go make that call.

Not legal advice, but the absence of a police report doesn't leave you without options or protection. Your own photos and a prompt report to your insurer create a record. The scenario to be cautious about is if the van driver later claims injury — which is rare in low-speed mirror clips but not unheard of. If you ever do get any kind of notice or contact from another insurance company or attorney, don't respond to them directly — loop in your own insurer immediately.

Few things I'd want to know: Do you have collision coverage or just liability? Because that changes your options a lot. And when you say 'he waved it off' — did he see your damage too, or just his? Asking because if he didn't really register that your car was hurt, that changes whether he'd even think to file anything later.