My Parked Car Was Hit and the Driver Left a Note With His Name and Phone Number. What Do I Do Now?

December 5, 2020

Stay Calm and Work Through these Suggestions

Before you report this claim to your insurance company, try the following:

Take a picture of the scene and a close up of your damage. If there are other cars parked around yours make sure the photo captures the other vehicles as well.
Stop by the Auto Body Shop of your choice and ask them to provide you with a cost of repairs estimate.
Their estimate provides you with what a reasonable settlement with the other insurance company or the other party will look like.
Inquire about the current deductible for your Collision coverage (assuming you have Collision Insurance)
If the amount of the estimate is close to your deductible amount:
The other party left you a note with a name and phone number. That's a good sign they are willing to make things right.
You are much better off to initially seek payment from the other party or their insurance.
The fact that this is a not-at-fault accident does not guarantee your rates won’t be affected. Many auto insurance rating plans will look at claims frequency regardless of fault.
Even if the party that struck your vehicle is willing to take responsibility for the loss, you should personally obtain their insurance company, policy number and agency/company contact information.
If they choose to pay personally accept only cash payment. If they hedge, you still have their insurance information to seek payment from their carrier.
If the amount is significantly greater than your deductible:
You should still pursue this with the other party's insurance company. You were parked and the vehicle was unattended. There will not be a question of fault.
If the claims process with the other party goes awry, you can change gears and place a claim under your collision coverage.

In a claim where your car is parked and unattended, and the other person is willing to work with you to make things right, it makes sense to pursue coverage under their insurance first before submitting the claim to your insurance company and having that activity show on your claims history.
However, if things start to go south with the other party, don’t wait long to report the claim to your insurance carrier.

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Auto Rates and Finger Prints: Both are Unique to You!

By Jeff Ryan • April 7, 2026

Factors You Can’t Easily Control These factors are built into your profile, but still play a major role: Your location: Claim trends, traffic, and weather patterns where you principally drive. Your age and driving experience: Especially for younger drivers. Other drivers in your household: Their age and driving history. The vehicle you own: Unique to the Year, Make, Model, and Sub-model’s damageability and cost of parts/labor. These factors significantly influence price differences, but they don’t tell the whole story. Factors You Can Control This is where habits and wise decisions can make a real difference: Your driving habits: Minimizing tickets and accidents can have a direct impact. Your coverage choices: Liability limits, deductibles, and optional coverages can vary widely. Your insurance consistency: Avoiding lapses in coverage. Your annual mileage: How much and how often you drive. Discount opportunities: Bundling, pay-in-full, NYS defensive driving course. Your Insurance Score (Yes—You Can Influence It) Insurance companies use a credit-based insurance score as part of their rating process. While it’s based on financial behaviors, it is not permanent—and it can be improved over time. Simple habits like: Paying bills on time Reducing outstanding debt Avoiding excessive credit inquiries… can positively impact your score—and in turn, your insurance rates. Your insurance score is under your control and a worthy mid to long-term project in and of itself. For more information on what you can do to positively influence your score, see: Great 8 Tip #8 - What's Credit Got to Do with Insurance? How Can I Improve My Auto Insurance Score Why Comparing Rates Doesn’t Work When someone says, “I only pay…” , the uniqueness of their fingerprint is missing. What are their: Deductibles Driving history Insurance score Household profile Coverage limits: what they may be giving up in terms of protection. Price without context can be misleading and discouraging.