Auto Insurance Claims: Insurance Claim, generic release, release of liability

Question
If you hit a parked car in the state of OK  and no one is around, what are you supposed to do?  Call the police?  Call your insurance company?

Answer
There is no need to call the police unless you desire a ticket.
You should leave your name and phone number on a note.

If the person contacts you and requests that damages be paid, you should then get all of their contact info and file a claim with your insurance company.  I do not generally recommend that you attempt a settlement on your own unless they they are willing to take a very low amount of money and sign a property damage release right then and there.

Recently this happened with my wife.  I went and looked at the other car which had old damage all over, including the panel that she struck.  In that case, I knew what the insurance company would be paying. I offered the same ($300.00) and had him sign a release.  If it were any more than that, or if he had rejected my offer, I would have had insurance handle it.

A generic release of liability for property damage should be easy to find online.  Make sure you put the names of all parties, date of loss and description of the other vehicle, including VIN.

The most important thing is to do this quickly.  If the person wants to drag it out longer than a few days, go ahead and report it to your insurance company for handling.

Good luck!