Rental Car Drivers BEWARE!!

Vacation of a lifetime became the most expensive vacation I've ever taken!  Rental car drivers BEWARE, always get the rental car unsurance, unless you have FULL COVERAGE, collision insurance for your own vehicle.  Sadly for me, a teacher, this lesson was learned the hard way on the last day of a week-long spring break vacation. I love the water, it's my ZEN, when I am surrounded by water I find clarity, tranquility and peace.  I love how it looks, how it feels and how it sounds. 

Long Story Short!

Some guy, slammed into my rental car as I was leaving a coffee shop,  he did not even apologize.  We exchanged insurance information, called police to register an accident, came home, made a claim with my insurance.  Found out that other driver was not covered, nor would he respond to any inquiries about the accident.  Police found him liable for the accident, in hindsight I should have made him stay at the accident location, instead, he left after we exchanged information.  I thought I was covered with my insurance, becasue I had coverage on my vehicle, I had no fault in addition to liability.  Needless to say, I rented the car, I was driving, I did not purchase additional insurance coverage, I signed the paper work.  Now I'm screwed paying $3000 for repairs made to the rental car.  The rental car company would not even take a settlement, they are playing hard ball, and not even working with me to settle this accident.  I'm screwed, and the sad thing is that a friend who I went with, who shared all expenses with me including the rental car, hasn't even called me after the vacation.