Just like the title says: A driver ran a red light just as mine turned green, which caused me to hit their car. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road to avoid blocking traffic and called the police. During that time, the other driver left the scene.
When the police arrived, I gave them my statement. They told me they would try to identify the other driver using traffic cams, but couldn’t make any promises. Since I had no contact or insurance info for the other party, I filed a claim with my own insurance to get my car fixed. The damages came out to about $2,500, and I also had to pay a deductible.
A few days later, the police were able to identify the driver and shared my contact info with them. Almost immediately, I got texts and calls from the person asking me not to go through insurance because it would make their rates skyrocket. I was honestly shocked. They made no attempt to reach out before getting caught, and had they not been identified, I would’ve been left to deal with the full cost on my own.
I told them I wasn’t comfortable handling this outside of insurance. The accident, the damage, and the fact that they fled the scene all made me feel like this needs to be handled formally. I later found out from the police report that they’re in their early 20s. Maybe it was a mistake or panic, but it doesn’t change what happened.
AITA for refusing to settle outside of insurance, even though it might hurt their insurance?
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Just like the title says: A driver ran a red light just as mine turned green, which caused me to hit their car. I immediately pulled over to the side of the road to avoid blocking traffic and called the police. During that time, the other driver left the scene.
When the police arrived, I gave them my statement. They told me they would try to identify the other driver using traffic cams, but couldn’t make any promises. Since I had no contact or insurance info for the other party, I filed a claim with my own insurance to get my car fixed. The damages came out to about $2,500, and I also had to pay a deductible.
A few days later, the police were able to identify the driver and shared my contact info with them. Almost immediately, I got texts and calls from the person asking me not to go through insurance because it would make their rates skyrocket. I was honestly shocked. They made no attempt to reach out before getting caught, and had they not been identified, I would’ve been left to deal with the full cost on my own.
I told them I wasn’t comfortable handling this outside of insurance. The accident, the damage, and the fact that they fled the scene all made me feel like this needs to be handled formally. I later found out from the police report that they’re in their early 20s. Maybe it was a mistake or panic, but it doesn’t change what happened.
AITA for refusing to settle outside of insurance, even though it might hurt their insurance?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I refused to work with the driver outside of insurance after they asked me to. I may have been the asshole for saying no and it sounds like they’ll have to pay a higher insurance fee for leaving the scene. I feel kind of bad because they sound sorry for what they did but I’m refusing to work with them outside of insurance.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA. They ran a red light and fled the scene — that’s not just a mistake, it’s a serious legal issue. You’re under no obligation to protect them from the consequences of their own actions, especially when they made zero effort to do the right thing until they were identified by the police.
You handled everything the responsible way: called the police, filed a report, went through insurance. That’s exactly what anyone would advise in your situation. It’s not your job to protect someone who left you with a damaged car and hoped they’d get away with it.
Also, settling outside of insurance could’ve put you at risk if anything went sideways — what if they didn’t pay, or tried to deny further damage later? You’re not just protecting yourself financially, but legally too.
It sucks that their rates will go up, but that’s the consequence of reckless driving and fleeing the scene. Actions have consequences. You did nothing wrong here.
NTA
> I got texts and calls from the person asking me not to go through insurance because it would make their rates skyrocket.
Good.
People who run red lights shouldn’t be driving at all. In a just world, that would disqualify them from driving for life. If it takes prohibitively high insurance rates to keep them off the road, so be it.
NTA
Exactly the right approach. 100% formal all the way. Clearly not trustworthy and they are lucky for not being charged with hit and run !
NTA Bet someone’s driving with no insurance!
Had the exact same thing happen to me. Insist that the police charge him with leaving the scene of an accident. You’ll have to go to court to testify to insure a conviction. If you’re out of pocket for anything tell the judge during the victim impact statement. This guy already tried to screw you by running. Nail him. Obviously you would be crazy to trust this guy to settle outside of insurance. NTA.
You did the right thing.
NTA. They LEFT THE SCENE. They have no right to ask for anything. If they haven’t been arrested and aren’t facing felony charges, they’re lucky.
NTA.
If you take the settlement, it’ll be your insurance rates that skyrocket when your insurance renewal comes up. And if your insurance company finds out you took a settlement, they will come after you to recover that money.
Contact your insurance with the other person’s contact info and screenshots of what they’ve said so far, and stop replying to their texts.
NTA at all. In fact, you are handling matters as they should be handled. Sounds like this young person has much to learn. While this may be a painful lesson for this person, it is certainly not of your doing.
NTA! Very much a well well well, if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions, situation. The other driver didn’t show one iota of empathy towards you even though the accident was 100% their fault – if the police weren’t able to identify them, then your insurance rates would’ve likely gone up after this accident even though you weren’t at fault, plus you would have to pay the deductible.
It’s honestly laughable that they would try to get sympathy points from you because now THEIR insurance is going to go up because THEY caused an accident (which by the way could have seriously injured you, not that they stuck around to find out), when they didn’t even have the decency to check on your physical safety, let alone think about the fact that your insurance rates were going to go up for an accident for which you were 0% at fault!
Unless they’re offering to pay you the cost of all damages plus a significant amount of money, you should laugh in their face and let them know that the insurance rates are the least of their problems since they may not have a license anymore. The police are already involved and it’s pretty clear that they were driving recklessly, caused potential bodily harm to you (and any passengers) and then fled the scene.
NTA cease all contact with them and have your insurance handle it. That’s what they’re there for. They hit and ran, actual crime. Let them face the consequences.
Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the … extra payments.
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NTA, this is literally the point of insurance. If they have insurance, which might be why they don’t want you to go through insurance, which depending on where you live might be a criminal offense which is why they are so freaked out.
So lemme get this straight: they fled the scene and didn’t exchange contact info, seemingly didn’t come forward to the police about it until after they were caught, and now are begging you to not go through insurance? They had several opportunities to attempt to do so in good faith. They avoided all of them until it was too late.
NTA
NTA. You’ve already involved your insurance, there’s nothing you or they can do about it. Give the information the police gave you to your insurance company.
Other factors:
Did you have any injuries? You may need a lawyer.
Are you in a no fault state and or have uninsured motorists coverage? If the insurance paid out that’s likely. You can sue the other driver for the deductible.
I suggest posting to the insurance sub.
NTA You might want to tell the police what this person is saying because I’m pretty sure that’s also illegal. If anything, tell the police you’d like to press charges because hit and runs are serious and need to be handled accordingly.
NTA- they hit and run. Just think- if the police had not ID’d them, you’d still be dealing with this yourself and the other person would think they got away with it.
Got hit by someone without insurance a few years ago who played the same game. Eventually he admitted he didn’t have insurance. He called me a dick for going through the cops/my insurance company, but I wasn’t about to take his word for it (he kept insisting I could trust him). Found out later the guy was an unemployed sound cloud rapper…. I’m so glad I went through insurance lol.
I’ve gone outside insurance before for minor wrecks that were my fault. I gave them all my insurance info and said they could change their mind at any time if they felt uncomfortable. Going outside insurance IMO is doing someone a favor. A person who flees the scene lost the right to any favors.
A hit and run charge will have a much bigger impact on his insurance than your claim.
If they wanted to beg to not go through insurance they should have done so right after they hit you, but they chose to speed off instead
No, even if you knew who they were, you would still want to file the claim with your insurance. They work for you. The other driver and his insurance work for their own benefit.
Give your insurance the other drivers info and let them subrogate the claim. You should get reimbursed for your deductible when they collect from the other driver/insurance company.
NTA
No no no
Don’t do it!
Unless he hands you like $3k cash straight off the bat
They could have hot a car full of children, they could have caused a bigger accident, what if they cut off a semi? t
They would have fled because they are guilty and only thought about themselves, not caring about what injuries they caused. They need to learn the consequences of their reckless driving.
NTA. Imagine if he had actually caused you serious physical injury. I think you’re feeling this way because it was just material damage and you’re sympathetic to how young they are.
You have no idea whether they’re poor or wealthy, whether they have done other hit and runs, etc.
Follow the law, not your feelings on this one.
NTA Them being in their early 20’s doesn’t change anything. They knew it was illegal to “hit and run” and choose to do it because they didn’t want to deal with the consequences. Them asking not to involve insurance is just them continuing to try and dodge the consequences.
NTA
NTA. Dude. Why is this even a question.
NTA. And your insurance is already involved so you couldn’t if you wanted to.
But I believe they do have the option to resolve it without involving their insurance by talking to your insurance and paying the bill as if they didn’t have insurance.
NTA. First of all, it’s not in your hands any more.
Nta. They are reckless drivers, their insurance rates should go up.