My insurance lapse and I rolled into someone at a stoplight. How long does another party have to file a claim against me after an auto accident?

The plaintiff has three years from the date of the accident to file suit. As far as what to do, if it's just minor property damage involved you can pay the estimate out-of-pocket yourself or not. If you do not pay out-of-pocket the adverse driver will likely make a uninsured motorist claim under their own policy. if the other drivers uninsured motorist coverage pays, the insurance company will likely try to recover, or subrogate, against you for the amount they had to pay due to you not having insurance. Even though you are not charged, you may receive the letter from the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles suspending your license for driving without insurance if they are notified by the uninsured motorist carrier.