Driving & Driving Test Tips: accident without involving police, small claims court, verbal agreement

Question
I was driving down a rural road on my way to work.  I was doing approximately 20 mph, because I was planning on turning on an upcoming side road, when an SUV backed out of a driveway in front of me without hesitating.  I tried to stop in time but the roads had some ice and snow on them.  The other driver was still reversing when we collided.  The front right corner of my car was annihilated by her rear right bumper.  The woman apologized profusely and didn't want to call the police.  She was fine as was my passenger and myself.  I was obviously a bit shook up though and wasn't thinking straight.  She agreed to pay for all my damages and exchanged information with me but nothing relating to insurance companies.  The woman who owned the house, (not the driver), had also come outside and agreed we didn't need to call the police and her friend would take care of everything.  I foolishly believed them and left.  I immediately went to a body shop and got an estimate, realizing it was far more damage than I originally thought.  Now the woman is avoiding my calls and says $800 or $900 dollars is too much, when the estimate I received was for $4,000 dollars.  Do I have any grounds to take her to small claims court now that I did not involve the police immediately?  I had a passenger who witnessed everything, along with the homeowner who witnessed the verbal agreement that this woman would pay for my damages.

Answer
YOu can turn it into your Insurance Company if you have comprehensive coverage, or you can take the other person to court.  You don't need a police report to take someone to small claims court.

If you have her insurance companies information you can still go to them to ask for compensation.