Auto Insurance Claims: damage is only chipped paint on the bumper, license plate frame, rear view mirror

Question
The other day I was stopped at a red light. Almost simultaneously the light turned green and a siren could be heard and a fire truck could be seen (at least in my rear view mirror) from behind us. The car in front of me started to move forward and I (while trying to pull over allowing the fire truck to pass) pulled forward and to the right. The car in front of me suddenly stopped in the middle of the intersection (he said he was looking down the side streets for the siren) and I hit him. Afterwards when we pulled over he was livid, pointing to his bumper and asking me what I was going to do about this! "What?" I asked. The bumper of his car where I hit him wasn't even dented. The only damage was some slight paint chipping in the pattern of my front license plate frame. He said he is getting ready to sell the car and that will seriously diminish the price he can get for it. His car is a 2004 Ford Taurus with some old damage done to the corner rear bumper.

I told him I thought the damage wasn't worth it, but we could exchange insurance info. The insurance card he provided to me had expired in August, which he said that he just didn't have the current insurance card with him.

By the way, a friend of mine was having dinner in a restaurant across from the intersection. He came out to see if I was ok and if I needed any help. He can witness to the extent of the damage.

Now this gentleman has contacted me, to make me an offer "before we get the insurance companies involved." I don't even know if his guy is currently insured and I certainly don't want to see him get a new bumper or something ridiculous like that on my insurance. I need to call him back

Answer
Hi Mimi,

It does not matter if the other car was insured or not. You hit his car and you owe him for the cost of repairs. You should tell him to contact your insurance comapny to make a claim. Your insurance company will send out a representative to inspect and photograph the damage and will write a repair estimate. They wil then pay him based on that estimate. This way you are not in the middle of all this. Let the insurance company habdle it. Thats why you pay them.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh