Someone gave me the wrong insurance information after a claim

So, there's a couple of parts to this question. Someone hit me in a parking lot and the damage was so minimal we didn't call police. We took pictures and exchanged information. Later I realized they gave me a insurance card for a policy that doesn't start for 5 days from now. I am afraid that this person may have done this on purpose to take advantage of me. What do you do?

Start by reporting the accident to your own insurance company as soon as possible, even if the damage looked minor and you did not call the police at the scene. Give them the photos, the other driver’s contact information, and the insurance card they provided. Your insurer can help verify whether that policy was actually active on the date of the accident.

It is possible the driver simply handed you a renewal card for a policy that had not started yet, but it is also possible they were uninsured at the time. The insurance company listed on the card should be able to confirm whether there was coverage in force on the day of the crash. If there were no active policy, that does not automatically mean you are out of options.

If the other driver was uninsured, you may still be able to recover through your own policy depending on the coverage you carry, such as collision coverage or, in some states, uninsured motorist property damage. If you do not have coverage for the damage, the other driver may be personally responsible for paying out of pocket.

You should also save all photos, messages and repair estimates, and consider filing a police report now if your state allows delayed reporting. That creates a paper trail in case the other driver stops responding.

The big thing is this: do not try to handle it casually from here. Report it, document everything and let your insurer help verify coverage and next steps.