Inaction Leads to Financial Woes For Another?

[Le_Chiot_Noir]

Last year, my brother and I were in a car accident. It wasn’t bad, our car was just rear-ended, but the other guy’s car was pretty badly banged up. A few minutes after the first accident, another accident happened, and this poor fellow’s car was totalled. No one was hurt, thank God-- I still think it was a miracle, considering the extent of the damage.

The other guy had no insurance, so I ended up paying for our car’s repairs out of my own pocket. Our insurance company kept telling us about trying to get our $500 deductible back from the ‘other party’, but I didn’t really want it, the guy had been through enough already, I felt.

Well, I kept putting off telling the insurance guys to lay off him (at one point, they called to inform me that they tried to get his credit company to pay up, and they reported to me that he had ‘no assets’, which made me feel even worse), until after all this forgetting and procrastination (I hate dealing with insurance people), I got a check in the mail from the insurance for $500.

I made a face when I read it was “Payment of $500 is being made for the return of your deductible out of monies collected from another party or parties responsible for your loss.” (emphasis mine)

So my question is: considering that my intent was to forgive the debt, but my inaction made it so that it was carved off of the other guy anyway, is it my moral responsibility to seek out the other party and reimburse him the money I never wanted?

I will admit that, at this point in my life, $500 would be a great help to my finances, but I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for the other guy by now. But I feel terrible about keeping it.

I know it’s still ethical to keep the money; it’s mine. But is it moral?

 

[Ruthie]

This is a tough question! There are many aspects to it.

If it’s the law in your state that you must have insurance, then he was in the wrong; his insurance would have paid your deductible. In that sense, he owes you the money.

OTOH, you say you had no intention of collecting it from him, because he was in a bad spot. I understand that. In fact, I was in the same position, and didn’t collect either. If you feel like you made a promise to yourself about it, then you want to keep your promise.

Another aspect is “from another party or parties responsible for your loss.”

In your shoes, I would call my insurance agent and ask them to find out who they collected from. If they collected from the “no assets” guy, then you could pay him back. If there was some other insurance that covered him, then you’re not obligated.

Hope this helps,

Ruthie

 

[Le_Chiot_Noir]

Thank you very much for your response, Ruthie! For a moment there, I thought it was a nonsense question, and me just obsessing over nothing.

You gave me a very good answer to boot, and after talking about it with my brother, I think what I will do is call my insurance agent, and then the other fellow. Once my information is complete, then I’ll know how to proceed prudently and charitably. Thanks again!