Question
The person I hit wants me to pay out of pocket for damage
I rear ended someone. They did not want to call police or file with insurance but now they want me to pay them out of my pocket for the damage. I am 32 and have good insurance at the other girl said she already had a claim before or somebody hit her in the back so she did not want to file a claim. What do I do?
Answer
There's a couple of things to think about here. Let's break it down below:
- First, most insurance companies require you to report all accidents, even when a claim is not filed. Check your policy specifications.
- Next, the other driver cannot stop you from filing a claim with your insurance company nor can they force you to pay them out of pocket rather than handling it through your insurance company. However, there are times when this is a good idea. If the value of the damage is small, you can benefit in the long run by paying out of pocket. Unless you have some type of accident forgiveness in your policy, your insurance company will raise your rates for 3 years after an at-fault accident. In Florida, an at-fault accident raised rates an average of 34%, according to our 2021 State of Insurance data. Get an estimate for the repairs and see if the value of the damage is greater or less than the premium increase (37% for three years in addition to your deductible and regular premium).
- If, however, it is simply easier for you to file a claim, you can find information on our guide to claims.
Good luck and if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask.