Location: California. Liability insurance only parked car badly damaged due to police pursuit. Any advice appreciated.
Location: California. Liability insurance only parked car badly damaged due to police pursuit. Any advice appreciated.
My car was legally parked in a lot in California when a suspect fleeing police crashed into it on Saturday, causing about $8,000 in damage. It still drives but it is a decent car (2013 Hyundai) that now looks like it got T-Boned. Two other cars were also hit. I was not in the vehicle and didn't find out until I returned to my car hours later. I do not know if the cop hit the car, but a witness told me he thinks it was the criminal who did. CHP (California Highway Patrol) left a card with a crash report number. I went in this morning and the police said it's going to take 10-15 business days for me to get the report.
I only have liability coverage. The driver was arrested. I’ve heard that even if the driver has insurance, their insurer may deny the claim because it occurred during a police chase and could be considered an intentional act. If they didn't have insurance I am also probably screwed. I could take them to civil court but who knows how that would go.
I documented everything with photos/video and even though I do not have it yet the police have a detailed report on this. I am not paying 8 grand to fix this because that's what I paid for this car last year. It seems insane to me that I don't get anything out of this but I am starting to think that might be my reality. Does anyone know what my next steps can be to avoid getting screwed?