The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Insurancequick-owl-706

Hit and run driver finally identified — but his insurance is playing games. What now?

So about six weeks ago I was parked on my street and someone clipped the entire driver's side of my car pulling out of a driveway down the block. I watched it happen in my rearview mirror. The guy just kept going.

Here's the lucky part: my elderly neighbor across the street was sitting on her porch and saw the whole thing. She even recognized the truck — turns out it belongs to a guy two streets over. She gave me a partial plate and a description, and between that and some asking around the neighborhood, we pieced together who it was pretty quickly. Filed a police report that same day with all of it.

Now the frustrating part. I only carry liability on my car (I know, I know), so my own insurance basically said my options are limited unless I want to pursue the at-fault driver directly. I contacted his insurance and at first they seemed almost cooperative — said the witness statement was helpful and they'd "look into it." That was three weeks ago. Now they're dodging my calls and when I do get someone, they just say the "investigation is ongoing."

The driver himself apparently told his insurance company he doesn't know what I'm talking about. My neighbor is willing to give a recorded statement but I don't know if I should let her do that without me having some kind of representation first.

I'm not trying to be litigious but my car has been sitting undriveable and I've had to rent something out of pocket. I'm honestly not sure if I should just get a lawyer involved now or keep trying to work with his insurance.

Has anyone dealt with something like this? How long did it take before things moved forward?

12replies

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12 replies

  • 20
    gentle-tern-388

    On the witness statement thing — your instinct is right. Before your neighbor gives a recorded statement to his insurance company, I'd really recommend at least a free consult with a PI attorney first. The way a statement is framed matters, and adjusters are trained to ask questions that can muddy the waters. Most attorneys offer free consultations and can advise on whether to allow that recording or not. Not legal advice, just process stuff I've seen play out.

    • 6
      hopeful-rider114

      Wish I had seen this a month ago — would have saved me a lot of stress.

  • 19
    plain-otter-403

    Almost the exact same thing happened to me — hit and run, witness, uncooperative driver, insurance stonewalling. Honestly the moment his insurance stopped returning calls in a timely way, that was my sign to stop handling it myself. Once an attorney sent a letter things moved a lot faster. Not saying that's your only path but the "ongoing investigation" line can drag on forever if you let it.

    • 4
      kind-owl-048

      The fact that you have a willing eyewitness puts you in a genuinely better position than most hit-and-run victims. A lot of people have nothing. It feels stalled right now but that witness is real leverage — don't underestimate it.

  • 17
    genuine-crane-945

    "The investigation is ongoing" is basically insurance-speak for "we're hoping you get frustrated and go away." They have zero urgency to resolve this for you. You are not their customer — their customer is the guy who hit you. Never forget that.

  • 11
    bright-owl-437

    Not legal advice, but from what you're describing you likely have a viable claim against the at-fault driver directly, independent of what his insurance decides to do. A hit and run with a corroborating eyewitness is actually a reasonably strong fact pattern. A personal injury attorney can send a demand letter to his insurer that signals you're serious — that often breaks the "ongoing investigation" logjam quickly. Many PI attorneys work on contingency so there's no upfront cost. Worth at least one consultation.

  • 9
    brave-raven-056

    Stop calling his insurance company. Seriously. Every time you call without representation you're giving them information and getting nothing back. Get a free consult this week, decide if you want an attorney, and then let them handle all communication. You're burning time and energy for zero result right now.

    • 9
      gentle-sparrow-543

      I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. It's already stressful enough being hit, but then having to fight for accountability on top of it while your car just sits there — that sounds exhausting. Please don't go through this alone, even if it just means talking to someone at a free consult to know your options.

  • 7
    genuine-kestrel-232

    I used to work claims and I can tell you exactly what's happening: the adjuster is waiting to see if the driver's story holds up or if you push hard enough to matter. A third-party claimant with no attorney and no collision coverage? Unfortunately that's a low-priority file. A represented claimant is a different story entirely. I'm not saying the system is fair, just telling you how it actually works.

    • 20
      candid-marten-160

      Are you physically okay? Sometimes after something like this the adrenaline masks stuff and people don't realize they have soreness or tension in their neck or back until days later. Just making sure you're not ignoring your body while you deal with all the car and insurance stress.

  • 7
    genuine-sparrow-432

    Did the police report actually name the driver or is it just "unknown suspect with partial plate"? That distinction matters a lot for what his insurance is obligated to do. If the report is vague they may be using that as cover for the delay.

    • 3
      patient-walker607

      Thanks for sharing. Hope things are getting a little easier for you.