Sister tapped someone's car in a lot and drove off — now the guy wants a crazy amount. What do we do?
Okay so I'm posting on behalf of my sister because she's too anxious to even look at this stuff herself.
Long story short: she clipped the rear corner of a parked SUV while backing out of a tight spot at a grocery store. It was slow speed, barely a love tap. She panicked and left — I know, not great. Someone got her plate on their phone.
The SUV owner tracked her down through a note left on her car from a witness (apparently people do this?) and now he's demanding she pay him directly for what sounds like an absurd amount for what she described as a small scrape on his rear bumper. He's also claiming there's damage to his tail light and rear quarter panel, which… maybe? But it really doesn't line up with the way a slow parking lot clip would work.
My sister is the kind of person who just wants conflict to disappear, so she's ready to hand this guy cash and move on. I'm telling her that's probably the worst thing she can do — both because it might not be the right amount AND because paying out of pocket could look like an admission.
She has full coverage. She's had the policy for years and never filed a claim. I'm wondering:
- Would her insurer still cover this even though there's no police report and she left the scene?
- Is it normal for someone to inflate damage claims like this in a private dispute?
- Should she talk to a lawyer before doing anything?
I just don't want her to get taken advantage of because she's scared. Any advice from people who've been through something similar would mean a lot.