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At-fault wants to pay for damage he caused out of pocket

A car hit me and they accept fault. They are willing to pay out of pocket for everything but I do not trust him. I do not know him. Should I accept his offer? Also, how long do I have to decide?

Jun 24, 2018 Orlando, FL

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Ava Lynch

Insurance Analyst

Ava joined The Zebra as a writer and licensed insurance agent in 2016. She now works as a senior insurance contributor, providing insights and data a…

Credentials
  • 7+ years of Experience in the Insurance Industry

This can be a tricky situation. Usually, someone will try to avoid insurance companies for two reasons: they either don't have any insurance or they want to avoid their rates going up. If the damage is small, this is generally encouraged. You can simply go to a mechanic you trust and get the estimate for the damage and have a check made out to you. Keep in contact with the at-fault driver in case anything else comes up and you need additional funds. However, you are under no obligation to do this. If you don't trust the other driver, get their car insurance information and contact their company and begin the claims process. If you decide on the latter, be sure to check out our claims calculator which can help you decide whether or not to file a claim.

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