i go to school with this kid, and see him every day....if it was a 'nice guy' i diddnt know so well i would 100% not be so lenient. i could track him down very easily if i really wanted to. my parents also have something in writing from his that he will pay even though they are not going through insurance (left out from previous details).
I have insurance because i have to, but i have to disagree on the point 'if you have it you might as well use it, because that is what its for.'
Sure it is what it is for, and sure it will take care of it:
you will pay FAR more than what it cost them in the long run when your premiums shoot up for the next 7 years.
you will have the potential for them to dis-continue the coverage you have because they see you as an unfit driver (these are directed towards his insurance)
they always try to give out the minimum possible amount of money, and take the maximum amount of money (past the understandable point) i.e. you have to haggle them alot to get the amount that you will really need for some things (maybe not this claim, but for bigger ones), and they will continue to charge you far past the amount they paid.
a few basic points, there are probably more.
also, if they inspect my car and see the glorified scratch that my dad says is worth $5000 in damage, see that the car itself is worth about $6500, with my luck they will wanna total it out, which is a HUGE headache.
i may be incorrect with all of this, but i have never had to deal with insurance...this is just what i have heard.