Poll: Will my friend from south of the border have insurance?

Forgive my Sportschick Lifetime Network moment, but I got rear-ended driving home last night on the 10.  Bad bumper damage, nothing else.

The person who hit me was originally not from the United States.  The law in California is that when you are operating a vehicle, you must have at all times your driver's license, proof of insurance and registration. 

When we first pulled over, the gentleman, in his fifties and driving an older truck with lots of tools, pulled out an insurance card with no name, no expiration date, etc.  Then an expired insurance card.  But he was still looking and said he had insurance. At that time, the police had come and they took my info.  Policeman said I can go ahead and leave, and gave me a card to get the report in a couple days.  He then went to take the info from the other gentleman and I left.

Here is the poll question:  When I get the report, will the other gentleman have insurance?

 

Couple years ago, I got hit by a kid in a Hoopty-mobile ('74 Impala, I think). Force of it sent my grill into the trailer hitch of an Explorer.

My car was the only one with any damage.

Kid claims he has insurance (which is state law in Kentucky), yet can't produce the card. He eventually goes to court.

First time, he tells the judge he'll pay my $500 deductible. Judge tells him he has 30 days.

30 days later, kid tells the same judge that he doesn't have the money. Judge tells him he has to pay me the money in installments. I talk to the county attorney, who'd rather be anywhere else, and he blows me off.

I ended up getting maybe $200 from the kid. I didn't pursue it anymore because my insurance company ended up writing me a check to cover everything and suing him in return. I'm not sure how it ended up getting resolved.

Poin, I hope you have great insurance, because it looks like you'll need it.

 

That's why you have insurance, Dexter.

I'm sure you can also get hit by a lifetime resident of our fair nation who doesn't have insurance if you give it a shot.

 

valid point, Ace. Nevertheless, Poindexter's fucked...

 

Since you said we could vote for both options, I couldn't resist

 

Me too, and right now those account for the only two yes votes.

 

I am running it like a Chicago election.

 

This happened to my boss and the person who caused the accident had no papers, no valid driver's license, no insurance and did not speak a lick of English.

Getting in any kind of accident with someone like this has always been one of my greatest fears.

 

He might not have insurance, but if you have insurance they should pay for the repairs less the deductible. And if the accident isn't your fault, the insurance company might cover that.

My wife got hit in our month-old station wagon by a hit-and-run driver. Unfortunately for him, he lost his license plate so were were able to get the information. They got the guy within two hours, and it turned out he was just rushing to pick up his kid from school or day care - he didn't have a criminal record, he just drove like an idiot that day. Anyway, we paid the deductible and then got it refunded.

Also, if you have a child carseat, the California law says you have to replace that even if there is no damage. That also should be part of the insurance claim.

 

My car got rear-ended outside a popular Mexican food restaurant several years ago. The other driver worked there and didn't speak a lick of English. But he had all of his required paperwork with him and was fully insured and the whole process was as painfree as possible.

 

My car got rear ended by a born and bred citizen, and though he claimed he had insurance to the cop, he didn't. My insurance company paid for the damage and went after him.