[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Accidents within the Bubble..............it Depends.

I see what you did there - Either #1 or #2. Maybe both.

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

This is like - basic stuff that anyone who has a car should do.
You call 911. You do NOT talk to the driver of the other vehicle other than to tell them to wait for the police.
The police don't answer 911, the emergency services dispatcher does. You tell them there was a car accident at [insert address], with damage to at least one vehicle, and no one appears to be injured. You let them ask questions, answer them simply and truthfully, without adding in information that has nothing to do with the need for police or the situation.
The police will come, because it was sent by 911 services. They might be there within a half hour since there are no known injuries.

They'll take your statement, they'll take the cleaning lady's statement. They'll check insurance cards and ensure that the insurance information has been exchanged. You'll give them your e-mail address. They'll submit the report when they get back to the station and e-mail the report to you. If they don't take the e-mail info you can call the PD's non-emergency number and request the report, which they'll provide to you.

You call THE CLEANING LADY'S insurance company - not yours. To tell them that the cleaning lady drove into your car, and you will have a police report made available to them as soon as you receive it. You do this within 48 hours of the accident so it's on file.

When you send them the report copy (a file, by e-mail or fax), do /not/ let them convince you to do your own appraisal of the damages with your cell phone camera. Tell them you want someone to come out. Insist on it. If you do it yourself they will devalue and offer you a low-ball cash settlement that will NOT cover the cost of repairs. If they tell you to go ahead and just bring it to a repair shop, make sure the repair shop is in touch with the cleaning lady's insurance to get the damage repair cost approved before he starts the work.

If you try to go through your insurance to get this done, YOUR premiums will go up.

^ This is excellent advice. However, I would let MY insurance company deal with her insurance company, I am not going to deal with them directly.

[jimhoward]

Note to self: When parking in the street don’t pick a spot across from anyone’s driveway even if that means a long walk.

The possible accident is the other persons fault, but it is still a hassle.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Drrichross

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?

It is always a hassle. The right thing to do? Hopefully, it is not like it happens often enough in this state for you to know what page on the rule book covers this issue. All of us surely have a copy of the rule book and carry it with you at all times. OK TO LAUGH NOW. I would take pictures. Your car and theirs as well as the other driver.

Many years ago. I was legally parked in the last spot of a row. My door was opened and I was unloading a lot of stuff. Someone decided to squeeze by. Their right mirror caught my door. When a door opens it extends further out. My door was practically ripped off my car. I took pictures. I noticed a guy, from a cable company was on a ladder, saw the whole thing and was laughing. Insurance company. My insurance covered a rental car. ADVENTURE. Insurance company. Had bill for rental car-did it cheaply as possible-rent a wreck Insurance company we'll see what we can do. I called the witness. The insurance company never contacted him. When settled the insurance company raised my rate by ? like 30%. I was tol they had me at a wrong rate. Not sure if other insurance companies are better. But, that is why that company with the Lizard cannot sell me insurance 30 years later.

POINT. You are innocent not even in the car. One who hit your car seems NOW to be honest. It is highly unlikely the accident report says, I was distracted, didn't look AND IT IS MY FAULT. Repairs to your car. It is your choice of where to get your car repairer. You want it done right. NEW QUALITY PARTS. If, you look around a parking lot. You can easily see cars that were hit and repaired. You cannot collect that LOSS to resale value.

[grumpy@turton.us]

Originally Posted by MrFlorida

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.

First a police report is not required but is nice to have. Just take pictures of all vehicles, license and insurance cards.
If you have their insurance information you can file directly with them.
If there is push back you can go through your own insurance and if they determine you are not at fault they will go after the others insurance to get all the money back. Including any deductible you may have had to pay.
I know this as I just went through the whole process start to finish.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

This is like - basic stuff that anyone who has a car should do.
You call 911. You do NOT talk to the driver of the other vehicle other than to tell them to wait for the police.
The police don't answer 911, the emergency services dispatcher does. You tell them there was a car accident at [insert address], with damage to at least one vehicle, and no one appears to be injured. You let them ask questions, answer them simply and truthfully, without adding in information that has nothing to do with the need for police or the situation.
The police will come, because it was sent by 911 services. They might be there within a half hour since there are no known injuries.

They'll take your statement, they'll take the cleaning lady's statement. They'll check insurance cards and ensure that the insurance information has been exchanged. You'll give them your e-mail address. They'll submit the report when they get back to the station and e-mail the report to you. If they don't take the e-mail info you can call the PD's non-emergency number and request the report, which they'll provide to you.

You call THE CLEANING LADY'S insurance company - not yours. To tell them that the cleaning lady drove into your car, and you will have a police report made available to them as soon as you receive it. You do this within 48 hours of the accident so it's on file.

When you send them the report copy (a file, by e-mail or fax), do /not/ let them convince you to do your own appraisal of the damages with your cell phone camera. Tell them you want someone to come out. Insist on it. If you do it yourself they will devalue and offer you a low-ball cash settlement that will NOT cover the cost of repairs. If they tell you to go ahead and just bring it to a repair shop, make sure the repair shop is in touch with the cleaning lady's insurance to get the damage repair cost approved before he starts the work.

If you try to go through your insurance to get this done, YOUR premiums will go up.

Unfortunately a lot of assumptions. First that the other driver has a license AND IS INSURED. Secondly that they will wait for the police to show up because you asked them too. Sounds like some experience.
Best accidents are the ones that don't happen. Once it did happen as in the case of the original poster, it will be a PAIN that all will wish didn't happen under the best of circumstances.

[HIgolfers]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

This is like - basic stuff that anyone who has a car should do.
You call 911. You do NOT talk to the driver of the other vehicle other than to tell them to wait for the police.
The police don't answer 911, the emergency services dispatcher does. You tell them there was a car accident at [insert address], with damage to at least one vehicle, and no one appears to be injured. You let them ask questions, answer them simply and truthfully, without adding in information that has nothing to do with the need for police or the situation.
The police will come, because it was sent by 911 services. They might be there within a half hour since there are no known injuries.

They'll take your statement, they'll take the cleaning lady's statement. They'll check insurance cards and ensure that the insurance information has been exchanged. You'll give them your e-mail address. They'll submit the report when they get back to the station and e-mail the report to you. If they don't take the e-mail info you can call the PD's non-emergency number and request the report, which they'll provide to you.

You call THE CLEANING LADY'S insurance company - not yours. To tell them that the cleaning lady drove into your car, and you will have a police report made available to them as soon as you receive it. You do this within 48 hours of the accident so it's on file.

When you send them the report copy (a file, by e-mail or fax), do /not/ let them convince you to do your own appraisal of the damages with your cell phone camera. Tell them you want someone to come out. Insist on it. If you do it yourself they will devalue and offer you a low-ball cash settlement that will NOT cover the cost of repairs. If they tell you to go ahead and just bring it to a repair shop, make sure the repair shop is in touch with the cleaning lady's insurance to get the damage repair cost approved before he starts the work.

If you try to go through your insurance to get this done, YOUR premiums will go up.

How does this help with the OP’s situation? They called the police and police would not come.

[Spinnaker]

Originally Posted by Drrichross

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?

I had similar experience and body shop handled everything for me with no issues.
Other insurance company paid.

[cucaracha]

A police report is required by my insurance policy and I imagine by most.That shows who’s at fault and determines what would be covered. But

[cucaracha]

Also the officer might be rookie who doesn’t really know about the Villages and the protocols. Call his superiors not to punish him but to get the correct information and the police report for your o durance.

[HappyTraveler]

However, I would let MY insurance company deal with her insurance company, I am not going to deal with them directly.

There is no reason to ever involve (or even notify) your insurance company of damage to an asset they insure unless you will be making a claim. If someone else damages your property - you get their insurance to pay and deal with them directly.

Insurers are not our friends. I can't state that strongly enough.

[HappyTraveler]

If the other driver is clearly at fault why would your insurance go up if you let your insurance company handle the claim?

Perhaps because it cost YOUR insurance company the money. And parking across from a driveway is never a good idea.

I avoid parking directly across from my neighbors driveway for this very reason.

Indeed. Best idea is to not park across the street from any driveway anywhere.

[vintageogauge]

If the other driver later contests it you will be glad to have the police report so that you are not on record as causing the accident, no fault or not it's still on your insurance record if you caused the accident.

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Officer probably wrong.

Agree. Accident is still a civil matter as to who is responsible. Poster needs to see if the cleaning womans insurance company will handle the claim. The driver hit a parked car. If they do not handle the case writer needs to submit claim to his own company and let them subrogate the claim