update for anyone that's curious:
The neighbor that I spoke with (see thread #16) contacted me this afternoon to let me know that he saw the offending SUV w/ the matching license plate and driver description. He gave the driver my contact info and told her what happened. She admitted to showing up to the same place on Friday evening but didn't recall the incident (yeah right). Anyway, I think this confirms that the notes were real and will build a good case for me.

I also contacted my insurance company and they said my premium will not go up because it wasn't my fault and because my car was parked. Yay. And on a funny note, the agent I spoke with drives an STI...

Man, I think this is about as good as it gets for being in a crappy hit and run situation. Thanks to the kind people that left the notes and the neighbor, my faith in humanity has been restored

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I parked my car in the Richmond district of SF this evening. When I returned to my car a few hours later I found two anonymous notes saying that a black SUV w/ license plate 5ZBJ238 hit the front driver side of my car. See below for pics of the damage.

I filed a report with the police station down the street and they told me to give the case number to my insurance company. The notes were submitted as evidence.

My State Farm insurance card shows that my deductible for Collision is $1000 and I have Uninsured Motor Vehicle and Uninsured Motor Vehicle-PD (Property Damage?) coverage.

Before I contact my insurance about the incident I've got a few questions:

1) Is simply notifying my insurance company of the incident grounds for them to increase my premium? In other words, if they can't find the person that did it and I end up deciding not to fix it, is it possible for them to jack up my premium just because I reported that I was a victim of a hit and run?

2) Should I wait for the police report details before contacting my insurance company? Or is it always in my best interest to contact them given my situation? My thinking is if the guilty driver can't be found and the cost of repair is only slightly more than my deductible, it might be better for me to bypass insurance and pay out of my own pocket to keep my premium from increasing. Actually, even if they find the driver and make his/her insurance pay for everything, won't my premium increase anyway?

Here are the pics:

Damage:




Note 1:


Note 2:


Where it happened (on 6th between Clement and California):

 

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. BUT it's great to see that you had 2 good samaritans that saw what happened and left notes. Wish everyone could be like that.

 

Yeah, that's great the two people went out of their way to try to identify the bastard. Or in this case, the biotch! Unfortunately these two witnesses didn't leave a phone #. I say pursue it b/c what comes around goes around. Just opening a claim won't cause your premiums to increase but when your insurance pays out a claim, it will cause your rates to go up. But if it is no fault and the other persons insurance pays for all damages then your rates shouldn't increase.

 

it depends what insurance you have. I have gecko and had to report a hit-and-run on my car, got $275 (stupid $500 deductible) and my rates didn't go up. When I called to ask if they'd go up before had they were like "umm....someone hit your car, why would your rates go up?"

 

I hate hit and runners, and I've been involved in 2. Usually insurance companies need other witnesses to back up what was done that can't be family. Luckily, the 2nd time I was in a hit and run, the person behind me pulled over, had written down the guy's license plate, and gave me their name and phone number.

I had 21st at the time, and they told me, unless the cops could find the guy, I'd have to pay the deductible. They didn't say anything about raising premiums. However, they did find the guy, and I got $650 and my premiums didn't go up.

 

yea, hope everything would be fine. those 2 people were really kind to leaves notes on the car.

 

The 2 people should have left contact info as well.

 

good luck... and nice to see humanity hasn't totaly gone down the crapper with people leaving notes.

You have the plate number, description of the car, the notes from strangers and a description of someone who knows the person that hit your car.

depending on what you are looking to get out this:
1) criminal charges for the hit and run and no financial penalties
2) or just get your car fixed with no financial penalties on you

If it is #2, I'd leave a notes on the door of the person the person that was picked up. I'll bet you will hear from the driver really fast if she knew you had all this info.

Remember, she does not know you don't contact info for the witnesses

 

Call your insurance agent, and without identifying yourself beyond "I'm a policy holder", ask them what the best course of action is for your situation. I found that (particularly with State Farm) that the agents are just like us and helpful.

And that was really nice that 2 people left notes... maybe there is hope for a small number of humanity after all. And may the lady who hit and run your car drive into the bay and die.

 

first off i just want to say WOW !

thumbs up for the two people you left the notes .

but getting to your questions most of the time you need to contact your insurance during a 24 hour time period when the police report is filed .

and waiting for the cops is gunna be a luck of the draw . the only way those people are going to get caught is if they get pulled over for something else . the cops out in the bay are to busy .

but the damage doesnt look like its gunna be over your deductable so why claim ?

even if the damage was 1200 dollars theres no point if you have 1000 deductable .

sorry if i repated anything that somone already said .

 

amazing. people in CA still care about other people's property!

Good luck dood.

 

Well, I'd go to the house, knock on the door tell the person that you're trying to get a hold of their friend that hit your car. Explain to them that you have two eye witnesses and if she doesnt agree to pay for damages you'll pursue criminal charges. Show them that you have a license plate number and say you've got witnesses that are willing to testify in a court of law. That should scare them straight.

 

Wow, that's so close to where I live.

Here's what I'm thinking:

The notes, while really awesome, do not prove anything unless the witnesses step forward and verify what they saw. The same thing happened to me and the insurance company had the gall to say I had a friend forge the note.

Your insurance will most likely not go up. You are not at fault here, but you never know what weird formula they might apply to their reasoning.

Either way, it was still really cool for people to be nice and step forward.

Good luck getting your car fixed and hope that justice is served.

And to people who drive off after they damage someone else's car, trying to cop out of the blame, a big middle finger up your derriere...

 

$1000 deductible?

 

I just had a thought, maybe the people who left the notes were the ones who hit your car and are just trying to cover themselves.