Got into a minor wreck about a week ago

[Joemonkey]

I was driving past a T intersection, when a car ignored the stop sign and turned right in front of me, causing my front passenger fender to hit their rear driver's side fender. Here is a horrible MS Paint rendition, I am the red rectangle. Maybe 15mph total, but my fender has a hard crease dent and my bumper is all scuffed up. Police report says he failed to yield and i did nothing wrong. Tried to call my insurance company all week, no answer, and their phone system is messed up so i can't leave a voicemail

i finally get them on the phone today, explain what happened, and they said "do you really want to make a claim with us?"

I thought "um, no, i want you to fix my car and get your money from the other insurance agency." Is that how insurance is supposed to work? Or am I just supposed to do everything myself as far as dealing w/ the other guy's insurance?

Update: So I called his insurance company (Safe Auto) and his policy ran out December 22nd. Big surprise. He apparently reopened his policy the same day of the accident. Yet another big surprise. Sooooooooo, I get to make a claim with my insurance company via uninsured motorist coverage. My question is, WTF did the officer do to the guy for having expired insurance, and why the hell does the police report say "YES" under "Vehicle Insured"

 

[MikeMike]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
I was driving past a T intersection, when a car ignored the stop sign and turned right in front of me, causing my front passenger fender to hit their rear driver's side fender. Here is a horrible MS Paint rendition, I am the red rectangle. Maybe 15mph total, but my fender has a hard crease dent and my bumper is all scuffed up. Police report says he failed to yield and i did nothing wrong. Tried to call my insurance company all week, no answer, and their phone system is messed up so i can't leave a voicemail

i finally get them on the phone today, explain what happened, and they said "do you really want to make a claim with us?"

I thought "um, no, i want you to fix my car and get your money from the other insurance agency." Is that how insurance is supposed to work? Or am I just supposed to do everything myself as far as dealing w/ the other guy's insurance?

i think they are saying that your premiums will be raised, and the cost will not go above your deductible.

 

[God On Alcohol]

nice picture

 

[Joemonkey]

I guess I just don't understand how insurance works. I thought I paid this assload of money to my insurance company so in case I get in a wreck, I get estimates, give them all the info, and they cut me a check, whether it was my fault or not. Then my rates go up accordingly if it was my fault.

 

[mundane]

I think it'd be easiest for them if you made no claim and did nothing to give them more work. So I kinda see where they're coming from.

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
I guess I just don't understand how insurance works. I thought I paid this assload of money to my insurance company so in case I get in a wreck, I get estimates, give them all the info, and they cut me a check, whether it was my fault or not. Then my rates go up accordingly if it was my fault.

that's what you get for using logic

 

[CrackRabbit]

I would say your insurance company sucks and you need to find a new one.

 

[alien42]

the person at fault is whose insurance pays for the damage, not yours.

 

[Reggae4k]

make a claim with the other party's insurance

 

[1sikbITCH]

JoeMonkey you need to call the other dude's insurance company and get them to pay for it. Leave your insurance out of it completely if at all possible.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
I guess I just don't understand how insurance works. I thought I paid this assload of money to my insurance company so in case I get in a wreck, I get estimates, give them all the info, and they cut me a check, whether it was my fault or not. Then my rates go up accordingly if it was my fault.

There's different kinds of insurance. In this case, you want to file a complain with the other person's insurance company since it is their liability policy that will cover this. Some insurance companies will do the legwork for you since they would prefer not to have to cover a claim if they don't have to, but in most cases, you should contact the other driver's insurer.

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: Reggae4k
make a claim with the other party's insurance

QFT


You did get the other party's insurance information, didn't you?

If so, call them and tell them you want your car fixed.

Also, it sounds as though your insurance company isn't worth keeping around. When you called, they should've told you that your best bet is to call the other driver's insurance company and walked you through the process.

BTW-- what state do you live in? Is it a no-fault state?

 

[NoMoMoney]

What I do when it is not my fault (I average getting hit 2x a year, bad luck)

1. Bring it to my insurance approved body shop (that I also approve of)
2. Call my agent and fax a police report that I filled out to her.
3. File police report and ignore requests from opposing insurance company, tell them I already filled out a police report and it has all the information in it and to get it from my insurance company.
4. Wait to hear from the insurance company or body shop that car is ready.

-I guess if it was my fault I would have to pay deductible when I pick up my car, but so far so good The insurance companies fight it out based on your description of the accident in addition to some other things I'm sure. Haven't had to worry about the deductable yet. I also have a good relationship with the body shop, so that helps, they get the insurance company adjuster to come down to thier shop.

Time for a new insurance company if it is clearly the other guys fault and they are telling you not to bother filing. You don't pay a cent if it is his fault. In some cases you would have to pay for a rental and get reimbursed after, depending on a few things, but that's it if it is the other guys fault.

 

[Aquila76]

Who's your insurance company, so I know who to avoid? No way should they be raising your premiums if you weren't at fault. The other guy's insurance will have to pay for it, but your insurance co. has to initiate the claim (at least in MA). I would think they would be more than willing to do so as they get a percentage of the claim award.

 

[Joemonkey]

it is in fact a VERY sh!tty insurance company, just a local place named Crawford Insurance. I live in Kentucky btw.

They have raised our rates every 6 months for 2.5 years, even though we've never filed a claim. I do have a speeding ticket on there from about 1.5 years ago, that was for 5mph over the limit. For full coverage on a 99 VW Jetta and a 99 Kia Sportage, we pay something like $240 a month...

 

[The Stigenator]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
it is in fact a VERY sh!tty insurance company, just a local place named Crawford Insurance. I live in Kentucky btw.

They have raised our rates every 6 months for 2.5 years, even though we've never filed a claim. I do have a speeding ticket on there from about 1.5 years ago, that was for 5mph over the limit. For full coverage on a 99 VW Jetta and a 99 Kia Sportage, we pay something like $240 a month...

show around..

and by the way retails stores with words insurance . doesnt mean they insure, they are brokers to other placs.. you can get a better deal than 240/mo..

 

[Aquila76]

Originally posted by: TheGoodGuy

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
it is in fact a VERY sh!tty insurance company, just a local place named Crawford Insurance. I live in Kentucky btw.

They have raised our rates every 6 months for 2.5 years, even though we've never filed a claim. I do have a speeding ticket on there from about 1.5 years ago, that was for 5mph over the limit. For full coverage on a 99 VW Jetta and a 99 Kia Sportage, we pay something like $240 a month...

show around..

and by the way retails stores with words insurance . doesnt mean they insure, they are brokers to other placs.. you can get a better deal than 240/mo..

$240/mo; that's about what I'm paying for a 96 Grand Am and 95 Accord. We both have 0 infractions on our records. MA insurance rates are TEHSUCK! Supposedly they're gonna reform it soon, to allow companies like Progressive and GEICO in.

For KY, that should be far less. Check out Progressive's 'Rate Advisor' or whatever they call it for a start.

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
it is in fact a VERY sh!tty insurance company, just a local place named Crawford Insurance. I live in Kentucky btw.

They have raised our rates every 6 months for 2.5 years, even though we've never filed a claim. I do have a speeding ticket on there from about 1.5 years ago, that was for 5mph over the limit. For full coverage on a 99 VW Jetta and a 99 Kia Sportage, we pay something like $240 a month...

$240 a month???

:Q:Q:Q:Q

That is unreal....

I've had an at-fault accident (about $30k of damages) and a few tickets, and my wife and I pay about $100 a month total for full coverage for both of our vehicles plus homeowner's insurance.

I'm guessing your under 26 and unmarried????

 

[Injury]

Call the other person's insurance company.

Yes, you have to do all the work and it's a horrid inconvience the whole time.

Why would they do the work? I mean, best case for them you get fed up with doing the work and don't make a claim, thus they save money.

Keep on them and don't expect them to call you first.

 

[notfred]

This is why I now have AAA and not Joe's cheapo discount insurance.

 

[Joemonkey]

So I called his insurance company (Safe Auto) and his policy ran out December 22nd. Big surprise. He apparently reopened his policy the same day of the accident. Yet another big surprise. Sooooooooo, I get to make a claim with my insurance company via uninsured motorist coverage. My question is, WTF did the officer do to the guy for having expired insurance, and why the hell does the police report say "YES" under "Vehicle Insured"

 

[DeadByDawn]

Sue him for your deductible

 

[gigapet]

sue sue sue

 

[QED]

That stinks.

I'm guessing the officer took the other driver's word for whether he had insurance or not and never asked for an actual insurance card. I'd call the police officer who wrote the report, and let him know the other drive really did not have insurance at the time of the accident so it gets amended onto the report.

On the bright side, now your insurance company will have to get involved with repairing of your card.

On the down side, you will have to cough up the deductible from your own pocket and hope to recover it from the other jagoff driver somehow.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
So I called his insurance company (Safe Auto) and his policy ran out December 22nd. Big surprise. He apparently reopened his policy the same day of the accident. Yet another big surprise. Sooooooooo, I get to make a claim with my insurance company via uninsured motorist coverage. My question is, WTF did the officer do to the guy for having expired insurance, and why the hell does the police report say "YES" under "Vehicle Insured"

You have enough information on the guy...

Call a lawyer NOW.