Yikes! Car accidents, no matter how minor or who's at fault, are upsetting to say the least. I'm glad it was minor.

I personally think people are nuts to tell you to not get insurance involved. What makes them think she's going to pay for the damages? She may not even have insurance herself. What if you have medical issues stemming from the accident that haven't shown up immediately? Is she going to pay for those, too? If she wants to hand you $10,000 cash, then I would consider not getting insurance involved. My guess is she's trying to get away with a hit and run. That's what happened to me when I was rear-ended by a lady who had no insurance and persuaded me not to call the police and that she would pay for damage to my car and any medical expenses. Hah!

It's probably too late to not get insurance involved since the police came out. The insurance company will find out about the accident and it could have an effect on your rates if you ever switch insurance companies.

If you want to let it go and give her a break, that's your choice. But I would gt the cash upfront right away. Don't take her word on anything. She's a complete stranger. You have no idea if she's being honest or scamming you. As we all well know, many people will lie however they need to get themselves out of trouble regardless of the consequences to the other person.

Just my 2 cents.