Indirectly involved in an auto accident

[alemer3]

I was involved in a car accident where I was pulling out of a street into a median to travel north. I started to pulled out then slammed my brakes because there was a car in the left lane going south that I did not see. That car swerved to median to avoid hitting me then continued traveling and hit a car in the right oncoming lane.
The police ended up letting me go, my name and insurance isn’t on the police report.A month later I got a text message from an insurance company telling me they got my name from the police department and they wanted to speak with me. How should I proceed?

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Contact your insurance company and notify them of a possible claim and they should provide a lawyer.

 

[Zigner]

What US state?
I'm really surprised that you weren't required to give your contact and insurance information to the other party(ies). From your own description, it's pretty clear that you caused this accident.

 

[adjusterjack]

How should I proceed?

With caution. You don't want to speak with any adversaries.

Call your insurance company claims department ASAP. There is likely a toll free number in your policy papers. Report that another driver's insurance company is alleging that you caused an accident. Have a claim opened for investigation.

Again, don't talk to anybody but your insurance company representative.

You should have reported this when it happened. Your policy requires it. If, after all this time, your delay has prejudiced your insurance company's investigation, you may have a problem.

 

[HighwayMan]

...my name and insurance isn’t on the police report.

How do you know that?

A month later I got a text message from an insurance company telling me they got my name from the police department ...

So you provided the police with your information AND cell phone number?

Did you respond to this "text message"?

 

[alemer3]

What US state?
I'm really surprised that you weren't required to give your contact and insurance information to the other party(ies). From your own description, it's pretty clear that you caused this accident.

How do you know that?



So you provided the police with your information AND cell phone number?

Did you respond to this "text message"?
[/QUOTE

How do you know that?



So you provided the police with your information AND cell phone number?

Did you respond to this "text message"?

The police officer took all my information, then later told me that I was free to go. The driver swerved across 3 lanes so I don’t know if that had anything to do with it. I didn’t get a police report or any other information. I have not responded to any messages from the insurance company

 

[Zigner]

Based on what the pol

The police officer took all my information, then later told me that I was free to go. The driver swerved across 3 lanes so I don’t know if that had anything to do with it. I didn’t get a police report or any other information. I have not responded to any messages from the insurance company

Then how do you know your name isn't mentioned in the report?

 

[alemer3]

Then how do you know your name isn't mentioned in the report?

I don’t know that. I would assume if my information was on the report, I would have gotten a copy and also the insurance adjuster had to get my number directly from the police department and not the report. But again i don’t actually know that answer.

 

[Zigner]

I don’t know that. I would assume if my information was on the report, I would have gotten a copy

No, you have to go to the police to get a copy.

and also the insurance adjuster had to get my number directly from the police department and not the report.

How do you know that? You haven't even spoken to the insurance rep. It is entirely conceivable that they got your information after requesting (and receiving) a copy of the police report.

Don't reply to the person that contacted you. As you were told previously, contact your insurance company ASAP to inform them of this matter. They have a duty to you and, hopefully, your failure to promptly report this matter to them doesn't hurt you.