Found damage on my car I didn't cause — hit and run with zero witnesses, what do I do?

Ugh, I'm so sorry. There's something uniquely infuriating about damage to a car you just got. The fact that the business next door brushed you off is also really annoying — you weren't asking them to pay for anything, just to look at footage. Is there anyone above that manager you could escalate to? Even a polite but firm email to a business owner sometimes gets a different response than talking to whoever's at the front desk.

Almost exact same thing happened to me in an apartment complex last spring. Someone sideswiped my car in the lot overnight and took off. I filed the police report like you did, which was honestly the most important step. My insurer actually treated it differently than an at-fault claim because I had the report number — rates didn't budge. Don't skip that step and make sure you get a copy of the report for your records.

The police report is your foundation here. Keep the case number handy and reference it in every communication with your insurer. If you do manage to track down footage or a witness later, you can go back to the police and add it to the report — it's not a closed door just because you filed already. Also worth checking whether your state has an uninsured motorist property damage provision, because that sometimes kicks in specifically for hit-and-run situations and can affect how your deductible is handled.

Quick question — did the police officer who took your report actually come out and see the vehicle, or did you just file it online or over the phone? Reason I ask is that some insurers want documentation that law enforcement physically observed the damage for hit-and-run claims. Might be worth confirming that's noted in the report.

Not legal advice, but if you do somehow identify the driver later — through footage or a witness — you'd potentially have a property damage claim against them directly, separate from your own insurance. Hit-and-run is also a traffic offense in most states, so the police report creates a record that could matter down the line. For now your instincts are right: document everything, preserve all photos with timestamps, and don't repair the car until you've gone through the claims process.

Go door to door on your street and ask about Ring cameras or any outdoor cameras people might have. You'd be surprised what's out there. One neighbor two doors down might have caught a plate without even knowing it. Also check if there are any city traffic or parking enforcement cameras nearby — people forget those exist.

Be careful how you word things when you call your insurance company. Don't speculate out loud about what might have happened — just stick to the facts: you found damage, you don't know who caused it, and you filed a police report. Adjusters are trained to pick up on anything that sounds like you're uncertain, and they can use that to slow-walk your claim or question coverage. Keep it simple and factual every single time you talk to them.

No injuries involved so that's genuinely the best part of this whole situation. Property damage is stressful but it's fixable. Just don't let the frustration of chasing this down make you rush into a repair before your claim is fully sorted — you want everything documented before the car goes into the shop.