Insurance companies often just pay out the claimant because it's cheaper than going to trial.

Though your coverage would have readily responded, using the vehicle's insurance as a third party claimant afforded you the ability to not be out of pocket for the repairs.

@Peter Walther How do these exclusions factor into the claim analysis:Defects, liens, encumbrances, adverse claims, or other matters(a) created, suffered, assumed, or agreed to by the Insured Claimant;(b) not Known to the Company, not recorded in the Public Records at Date of Policy, but Known to the Insured Claimant and not disclosed in writing to the Company by the Insured Claimant prior to the date the Insured Claimant became an Insured under this policy;

The claimant is indigent.Probably we will call our personal friend who is a busy local injury lawyer.