Tapped someone at a red light, we both drove off — did I handle this right?

You did not overreact at all. I had an almost identical situation last year — super minor bump, other driver was cool about it — and I just drove off without doing anything. Three weeks later I got a letter saying I was being held responsible for 'injuries.' I had zero documentation. It was a nightmare. The fact that you at least tried to get something on record and sent yourself that email puts you in a way better position than I was.

The email you sent yourself is actually more useful than most people realize — it's a timestamped first-person account created right after the incident. If anything ever came up, that would support your version of events. I'd also take photos of your bumper now, today, showing there's no damage. That way if someone later claims your car caused significant impact, you have visual proof of the vehicle's condition shortly after. Basic stuff but it matters.

Call your insurance, tell them what happened, and stop stressing. A two-second heads-up call doesn't raise your rates — a surprise claim filed months later with no record from you absolutely can cause problems. Just cover yourself and move on.

Not legal advice, but what you did — attempting to report, documenting via email, noting the officer's response — is exactly the kind of behavior that looks good if anything surfaces later. It shows you weren't trying to flee or hide anything. Whether you need to loop in your insurer now depends on your policy language around reporting obligations; some policies technically require you to report any potential incident regardless of whether a claim is filed. Worth a quick look at your policy or a call to your agent — not your claims line, just your agent. Again, not legal advice, just general info.

Spent years on the inside processing claims and I can tell you — soft-contact incidents like the one you're describing are some of the most commonly disputed ones we'd see. Why? Because there's usually no police report, no photos, and conflicting memories by the time anyone files. You already did two things right: you tried to involve police (and that attempt itself can be noted) and you created a written record the same day. If I were still sitting at that desk and a claim came in against you, the fact that you proactively documented would carry weight.

One more thing: take photos of your car every couple of weeks for the next few months. If someone claims heavy damage later, a dated photo showing your bumper is pristine is hard to argue with.

Honestly I think you sound really responsible. A lot of people would've just driven off and forgotten about it. The fact that you're this worried shows you were trying to do the right thing. I hope it just fades away and nothing comes of it — sounds like it was truly nothing.