Should I file a claim for damage that I caused to someone's bumper?

I rear-ended someone at a stop light and caused very little damage. My car is fine, but the bumper on the truck I hit needs to be slightly adjusted since the guy hauls trailers for a living. I'm twenty years old, off at college, and this is my first accident so I contacted my parents for help. They told me not to contact the insurance company, but I'm worried that since his car was damaged that I don't have any other choice. It's also been 2 weeks since the accident and I'm worried about getting in trouble for waiting. What should I do?

I would recommend having the other driver get an estimate first. This way, you can decide if the repair costs are affordable enough to pay for the damage yourself. If the repair costs are not feasible for you to pay on your own then you would need to file a claim with your insurance company. And while it is a good idea to file an insurance claim as quickly as possible after an accident, you won't be in any trouble if you wait for an estimate. In fact, drivers in Mississippi actually have up to 3 years to seek compensation for an accident.

If you end up having to file a claim and your parent's rates increase, we always recommend shopping for car insurance rates in order to find the best option.