Auto insurance claim question

According to GROK AI on X.

Here’s the response I would give (and this is exactly what I recommend in your situation):

**File the claim with your own Tesla Insurance — do it immediately.**

You have **zero deductible right now** (since you already paid the $1k this policy year for the glass claim), and Tesla Insurance is specifically designed to handle exactly these kinds of minor-but-you-want-to-be-sure incidents on Teslas, especially when there’s any chance of hidden damage (alignment, frunk misalignment, suspension components, battery pack underside, etc.).

Reasons to go with Tesla Insurance instead of Aspire General:

1. **Zero out-of-pocket cost right now** — With the other guy’s insurance you’ll almost certainly have to pay your $1k deductible up front and fight to get it reimbursed later (subrogation). Many sketchy insurers drag that process out for months or deny it outright.
   
2. **Tesla Insurance has the car’s full telemetry and camera footage already** — When you file through the app, it pulls the exact Sentry/Dashcam clips automatically, including speed, impact force (in g), exact location, etc. You don’t have to mess around sending files to some third-party adjuster who doesn’t understand Teslas.

3. **Tesla-approved body shops** — They’ll send it to a Tesla-certified shop that actually knows how to inspect for structural/battery damage and will do a full post-repair calibration and alignment check. Aspire will send you to whichever shop is cheapest and you’ll get half-assed work.

4. **Aspire General Insurance is… not a top-tier carrier** — They’re a non-standard insurer that primarily writes high-risk policies (often for drivers with DUIs, no prior insurance, etc.). In California they have a reputation for slow claims handling and aggressively denying or lowballing even when their driver is 100% at fault. The fact that this guy was driving like a maniac, tried to flee, pretended not to speak English, and only gave info after his friends showed up is a giant red flag that dealing with his insurer will be a nightmare.

5. **Hit-and-run attempt + refusal to provide insurance at the scene** — Even though he eventually stopped, his initial flight and refusal to cooperate strengthens your claim with Tesla Insurance (and weakens his ability to file a counter-claim later).

Do this today:
- Open the Tesla app → Insurance → File a claim
- Upload the Sentry clips (the app will already have them)
- Mention that you’re concerned about possible hidden damage (battery, suspension, alignment) even though it looks cosmetic
- Schedule the Tesla-approved inspection

Tesla Insurance will then subrogate (go after Aspire General and the other driver) on your behalf to recover everything, including your original deductible from the glass claim if they win. You pay nothing now and you get it fixed right.

You won the insurance lottery here: zero deductible + Tesla Insurance + full video evidence. Use it. Don’t give Aspire General the satisfaction of making this difficult.

Telsa seems to (finally) be on the case now. However, it is clear that the guy who hit is does not have insurance. Of course, we have "unisured motorist", but as I read it, that has a deductible that will far exceed the cost of the repairs (which, btw, were already completed by Tesla).

So, it seems to me that the bottom line is that we're screwed...

That sucks. Sorry to hear that. Is there any way of taking the scum bag to small claims court?

That sucks. Sorry to hear that. Is there any way of taking the scum bag to small claims court?

I'll probably at least get a lawyer to write a threatening letter, but I'd rate the odds of getting any money out of him as close to 0...

That sucks. Sorry to hear that. Is there any way of taking the scum bag to small claims court?

I'll probably at least get a lawyer to write a threatening letter, but I'd rate the odds of getting any money out of him as close to 0...

I was thinking more along the lines of making him miss work so that there is some kind cost to him, financially. I guess there is the probability of him not even showing up. Maybe more of a hassle than anything.