Hit by someone whose insurance card doesn't match anything about them — smells fishy?

I spent years on the inside handling these exact situations. A few things: insurance follows the car in most states, not the driver — so if that vehicle is legitimately on the policy, there may still be coverage even if the driver isn't named. BUT if the policy holder knew an unlisted or excluded person was regularly driving that car, the insurer can argue 'permissive use' was never granted and deny everything. The nervous behavior you described at the scene is a red flag. The other carrier is going to investigate hard before paying anything. Document every single symptom and expense starting now.

The mismatch you're describing could be a few things — a relative's policy, a friend letting him borrow a car, or something shadier. What matters legally is whether there was valid coverage in force on that vehicle at the time of the crash. Your police report is gold here. I'd also suggest sending a written request to your own insurer to open a UM/UIM (uninsured/underinsured motorist) claim as a protective measure while all this gets sorted. You're not committing to anything by doing that — it just keeps the clock from running against you.

I don't want to dismiss your concern but — did you actually confirm he has no connection to the policy holder? Sometimes people share names with cousins or have a parent with a different surname after remarriage. Did you ask him directly whose car it was? The answer to that changes things a lot.

Oh man, I went through something similar last year. The guy who hit me was listed as an 'excluded driver' on his girlfriend's policy — basically she had specifically removed him from coverage. Her insurance denied the claim instantly. It was a nightmare. Ended up having to go through my own uninsured motorist coverage. Make sure you know what your UM/UIM limits are ASAP.