Hit a car, do I have to pay

Well if you don't pay then he will either report you to the police or charge your insurance.
Your choice really.

If you agree it's your fault. You should pay him or file a claim with your insurance company. If you don't he'll make a claim to his insurance company and they'll come after you.

So you think he should pay his own repair bill, so as to avoid your death? You have peculiar ethics.

And what's to keep him from "finding" and claiming more damage, or even having physical problems, in the future? If you pay this without getting your insurance company involved, you are setting yourself up for possible problems in the future.

A properly worded release and hold-harmless agreement, assuming you get him to sign it. And don't pay him anything unless he does.

I wish this was not in the legal area, since you need a long lecture on moral values and being responsible.

1. yes of course you are liable.
2. yes you have to pay it.
3. you can turn it over to your insurance and allow them to pay it, if you prefer.

He can sue you if you don't pay, and then you can add legal fees to what you have to pay.

Okay, I'm a liability investigator. Am I correct that someone appeared to be close to hitting you and so to avoid being hit you backed into a van that was "really close"?

You hit him. You are responsible (in my State, NY). You can always sue the person who forced you to back into the van but I don't think that defense is going to work. You'll get into all sorts of "would have, could have, should have" discussions.

You were able to avoid death by hitting a car that was "too close." How does "too close" enter into things? You backed into another vehicle.

Your choices are to pay willingly, pay after a Court orders you to do so, turn it over to your insurnace company (if they'll still accept the claim). Get a release when you hand over the money - if that's your choice.

If this was a life and death situation, as you state, then the driver you backed into was undoubtedly injured because this wasn't a slow, backing out situation. In view of that, I'd report it to my insurance company.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it still make a sound? Of course you are liable for damages. Just because there was no police report or insurance claim doesn't change that fact. Since he has your insurance info, if you refuse to pay he can file a claim with your insurer. If he does that, without you informing them, they are more likely to raise your rates or cancel your insurance.

However, you are not required to blindly accept his estimate. Find your own body shop and have him bring the car there for another estimate.

"Backed up into a van " as soon as I read this I knew who was at fault. Scott is correct, you are liable but you can get your own estinates. Laws vary from state to state but in Illinois you are free to pick where the repairs are done. He does not have to get the repairs done at all and you can just offer him a settlement. As AK suggests a waiver may be a good idea.