After Velicia Williams Was Rear-Ended By Aviation Commisioner Jamie Rhee, She's Still Waiting To Be Paid For Damage

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Five months and still waiting.

That's how long it's been since a Chicago woman filed an accident claim with the city, after a city commissioner rear-ended her car and offered no proof of insurance.

CBS 2 political investigator Dana Kozlov reports that proof isn't even required.

Velicia Williams points out damage to sensors on her car. It's $900 worth of damage. Still unfixed.

She's been dealing with the city since the August accident, when she was rear-ended by Chicago Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee in her white SUV with municipal plates.

She said the impact was hard, adding, "I was shaken up."

Stopped at Halsted and Taylor, Williams asked for Rhee's insurance.

"After I asked her a second time, she said it was covered. I didn't want to take her word for it," Williams said.

So she called police and got a police report, which showed it was a city vehicle. The report also noted it was not insured.

Williams filed a claim with the city, along with a damage estimate to claims handlers.  But all she's gotten back are letters reminding her there's a one-year statute of limitations on her claim.

She believes the city is stalling.

Mayor Lightfoot told CBS 2 the city vehicle is covered by the City of Chicago's insurance. She said she would look into whether Rhee should have had proof of insurance in the car.

"I've never been asked about the insurance identification," the mayor said. "We'll look into it."

Williams calls it a double standard.

"If you want your citizen to carry insurance, you should also," she said. "And every person driving a vehicle that belongs to the city should have documentation if there in an accident."

The incident also raises questions about how long it takes for accident claims--those not involving a lawsuit--against the city to be processed.  A city spokesperson couldn't yet answer that - but is looking into that as well.

A city spokesperson say, per Illinois code, vehicles owned by the city are not required to produce proof of insurance at the scene of an accident.