What should I do if an insurance company contacted me about a recent accident that involved a car I used to own?

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What should I do if an insurance company contacted me about a recent accident that involved a car I used to own?

I traded in a car to a dealer 4 years ago and transferred the plates onto my new

vehicle. However, I recently received a letter from an insurance company that the car

was in an accident with their client and that I was 50% at fault. They refused to send me the accident report and the license plate that was noted was never owned by me.

Asked on November 16, 2018 under Accident Law, New York

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 5 years ago | Contributor

You have done the right thing: put this in the hands of your insurance company. Follow up with them just to make sure it does not "fall into the cracks"--they probably have many cases going on at any given time, and once in a while, someone's case gets lost or forgotten, the way any busy organization can lose or forget something sometimes. Don't be that case; stay in touch with them to make sure you case stays on their radar and you are kept appraised of its status.
Also: pull together information showing that traded in the car and transferred title to it. Look to your own files, contact the dealership for information, contact the DMV--you want to be able to prove that you were not the owner when the accident occured.  Your insurer or their attorney should also do this, but there is no harm in you helping them.


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