So, this happened to a friend of a friend and was asking for the others advice.
WHICH call would YOU make for them or someone YOU know in a situation like THIS?
They are in Canada, but this happens here all the time...
"This happened to a young man I know. But let’s pretend it is a hypothetical, for discussion.
The young man related that as he was returning to his car in a grocery store parking lot, a man told him he had seen someone hit his parked car with their car. There was a dent and a scrape along one side of the car. The driver of the other vehicle initially seemed hesitant to admit her fault, was not apologetic and seemed to him to treat the incident as an annoyance. She said she would prefer to avoid going through insurance and if he would get an estimate she would pay cash to cover the damage. He left with her telephone number and photo of her license plate.
The young man asked me what he should do. He was concerned that making a claim on his insurance would count against his record in some way, and should be avoided at all costs. He had the impression that the other driver, who appeared to be a well-to-do young Israeli woman [he thought this was significant] living in that toney neighborhood, could be trusted.
My non-legal advice was that he should call the 800 number on the back of his insurance slip and start a claim. As the woman had initially seemed hesitant to own up, he had no reason to trust that she would pay up. She probably would pay, but why take the chance? Besides, this is what insurance is for. As for an insurance claim, I did not think a single claim, with the other driver at fault, would likely count against him and increase his insurance premiums.
What do you think? Should he trust the other driver, not make a claim on the insurance, get an estimate and accept cash? Do you agree that a single insurance claim involving maybe $2000 or $3000 in repairs (??) is unlikely to have an effect on the young man’s insurance rating and premiums?"
What is YOUR call SPIES?