Hit and run on my parked car — insurer now saying it never happened??

Oh man, this is almost exactly what happened to me two years ago. Someone sideswiped my car overnight and my insurer pulled the same "inconsistent damage" line. What turned it around for me was demanding a second inspection by an independent appraiser — not just the one the insurance company sends out. The independent guy's report completely contradicted theirs. Don't let them be the only voice on what the damage "means."

I used to work in claims and I'll be honest with you — the "inconsistent damage" finding is sometimes legitimate, but it's also sometimes a first-pass denial tactic to see if you'll just accept it and go away. The fact that you have camera footage and a witness puts you in a stronger position than probably 90% of hit-and-run claimants.

Make sure every piece of evidence you submitted has a written confirmation receipt. Request the full written denial letter if you haven't already — you want their specific reasoning in writing before you respond to anything. And definitely don't just keep calling your adjuster; escalate to their supervisor in writing so there's a paper trail.

"Inconsistent damage" is insurance company speak for 'we'd rather not pay.' They do this because a lot of people don't push back. You have a video — PUSH BACK. Loudly and in writing.

A few practical steps that tend to matter here: (1) Submit a formal written dispute of the determination — phone calls don't create a record, emails and certified letters do. (2) Look up whether your state has an insurance commissioner's office where you can file a complaint; insurers take those seriously because they're tracked. (3) If your policy includes an appraisal clause, you may have the right to bring in your own appraiser at your expense and force a neutral umpire process if the two appraisals conflict. Check your actual policy document — that clause is a real lever.

Not legal advice, but situations like this — where you have documented evidence and the insurer is denying in a way that seems to contradict that evidence — are exactly the kind of thing a PI or bad-faith insurance attorney will at least review for free. Many of them handle the consultation at no cost. It's worth a call just to understand your options before you negotiate further on your own.

Were you in the car when it happened or was this while you were away from it? Just checking because sometimes the stress of dealing with the claim overshadows whether anyone was checked out medically. If there's any chance you were jostled or startled in a way that felt minor at the time, document how you're feeling physically too — stress manifests in real ways and it matters.

Stop calling. Start writing. Every single communication from here on should be email or certified mail. You want a paper trail that shows exactly what they said and when. If it ever goes to a complaint or litigation, verbal conversations essentially don't exist.

What format did you submit the video in, and did you confirm they actually reviewed it? I've heard of cases where attachments were too large and just never opened on their end — and the adjuster didn't bother to ask. Before assuming bad faith I'd make sure the video actually got in front of human eyes.

This sounds absolutely exhausting on top of the stress of having your car wrecked in the first place. I'm sorry you're dealing with it. You clearly did everything responsibly and you deserve better than this. Hang in there and keep pushing — people here seem to know exactly what steps to take next.