Accidents within the bubble
 

We are villages part timers. We live in Michigan but come down ever couple months for a week or 2. We drove a car down in January to have so we can do some florida exploring this year with plans to drive back in May. Yesterday my wife had parked on the street because she was cleaning out the garage. The cleaning lady from across the street decided to not pay attention and backed right into the drivers door. We are in a no fault state where you usually just exchange insurance info in cases of minor accidents, but from a previous experience of having a rental hit by a work truck we learned that in Florida you need to get a police report. So my wife called 911 to get an officer for report while exchange of information, only to be called back an hour later by the officer who told her they don't respond to "gated communities". He wouldn't tell her what to do. Is this true? It was after 6pm so our insurance agent in Michigan said he'd look things up and get back to us. She did get a letter signed by other driver admitting fault. But who do we call for a report to submit?

Officer probably wrong.

Your post needs some clarification. First, The Villages is not a gated community. Second, if the other driver admits fault, then her insurance should cover the damage, or she should pay for it out-of-pocket. If she cannot or will not pay for the damage, then you should be able to file a claim against your own policy under either collision or uninsured motorist coverage. I don't understand how a police report would be helpful.

Depending on which area you were in, I would contact the Sumter County Sheriff or WIldwood Police on their non-emergency number to learn what needs to be done to get a report. It might also be useful to contact your insurance company and ask if a report is really necessary in this case.

The local sheriff/police certainly do respond to gated communities for serious crime. They may not respond to truly gated communities for traffic incidents since the roads within truly gated communities are private roads and not public roads. In any case, that is moot since the Villages is not a gated community and *most* of the roads are public roads.

Did the accident occur in a Villa neighborhood. I believe those roads are considered private

They would have your address so it does sound like we need more information as Golfing Eagles asked.

An accident report is required for your insurance company to prove that you had damage to your car. The police do come out or send a civilian traffic investigator to take that report, I've seen them in the Villlages before.... also this is a no fault state, so your insurance company covers the damage to your car, I know first hand, had somebody rear end me on 441, cop said my insurance covers, not theirs.

We are not in a villa, we are in Woodbury. She parked on the street and the cleaning lady pulled out of the house across the street and didn't turn enough. Admitted she was wrong and told my wife not to call police or insurance offering $100. The door is off line and won't lock, so not an option. Accident happened at 4:00 so wife called non emergency number but they said too close to 5 when they stop so told her to call 911. 2 hours later no police so she called again at which point police officer called her and said they "don't respond to gated community " she told them this was the villages and all they had to do was "push the red button " he said that didn't matter, just exchange information. Like I said, in the past on a trip to disney in a rain storm a work dump truck decided to go into reverse at a red light and crunched into my rental. He took off, claiming he wasn't aware. We had to chase him down, exchanged information like we do in Michigan and left. When I contacted the rental company they said we needed a police report, but that was obviously too late. I know some states (NJ when I lived there) are not "no fault" states and insurance wants police report. Our agent in Michigan is trying to figure out if insurance here will cover or if we are on the hook and have to go after the driver, in which case I would assume a police report would come in handy. I am back home in Michigan so was just wondering what the protocol was for accidents in the villages. Maybe cop didn't want to be bothered. I'll ask if she got his name. Doubt it as she was cold and passed off as she watched it happen.

I would try to get the cleaning lady's information from your neighbor. I think you need her insurance information.


I got in a minor accident when buying a Nothing Bundtcake a while back. We exchanged information but decided not to call the police as no injuries were involved. I admitted fault.


The cleaning lady obviously does not want her insurance to go up. But she was at fault.

I would probably have called the rental agency number listed your the rental contract for their expectations (probably will say you need a police report). You need to have a 24/7 number for your insurance company provider not just the local Michigan agent’s 9-5 er. In the end take pictures of the accident scene, pictures of license plate of other driver, their drivers license, etc. My 2 cents.

I see you have a letter from the cleaning lady. Does it have her insurance information? That should be enough. It was for our insurance when I backed into a door of a car in my blind spot. This was in Lady Lake near the Nothing Bundtcake place and maybe about 4 years ago.


There were no injuries so it did not look like we needed a police report. I believe the lady in the car I hit called her insurance and they told her we did not have to call the police.

Thanks for the info. Yesterday wasn't a rental, that was a few years ago. She called our agent last night, so we have his info, actually a friend. He just wasn't sure if there were different rules in Florida. She got photos of car, cleaning lady license, insurance, etc. Hopefully all is good. Down side is She is flying back home this morning, so now needs to plan a trip back soon to get the car fixed. Poor gal 🤣

Google Florida Highway Safety and accident insurance. It does look like you need to file something. Both parties involved in the crash. Even with no injuries. You are required to call the police if injuries are involved.


Self report crash seems to apply to you.

Their insurance should cover towing it to a body shop.. I would recommend Car Guys. Then get a neighbor to pick it up for you and put it in your garage offering to buy them dinner when you get back down.

I would be interested in seeing how this self reporting works?