Insurance claims

[Tarrant64]

I shouldn't have to contact my insurance if someone else hit me, right?

It was a co-worker that almost took out my front fender at a parking lot at work. He gave all the information that we needed, insurance, polilcy numbers, license, etc. I wasn't able to file an official accident report with the police as it was in a parking lot, and he left his information.

I was not present at the time of the accident. He left his business card telling me what happened. I have no reason to doubt it as he called me the next day to see what steps were to be taken to get it situated.

I told him I had already filed a claim with his insurance the day before, and that as far as I was concerned we really needn't talk anymore as the insurance company should be taking care of the rest. They will contact him with information should they need it and will contact me with whatever they need.

Insurance company was supposed to call me yesterday but they didn't. Gave them another chance and called them back today, and they said they were waiting on the co-worker to get back to them as they haven't talked to him yet. They then suggested I contact my insurance and to get my repairs done and after that they will go from there. I basically told them I don't need to and I will wait for the co-worker to contact them, or remind them to do so.

I really shouldn't have to do anything right? When I called my insurance comany(which is actually who I called first), they told me I didn't have to file anything with them, and to file the incident with the person and insurance company invovled. Only to contact them if I run into any problems on the way(which sounded good to me).

Cliffs:

• Someone hits my bumper in lot. Will need a new bumper period.

• Contacted their insurance and filed a claim.

• Insurance company tells me while they are working it out to go ahead and have my insurance company take care of it.

 

[CptCrunch]

Do NOT contact your insurance company for this. They should provide a rental, and take care of EVERYTHING. If you contact your insurance company it will go down as a claim on your record, and while your insurance company won't raise the rates, if you try and jump ship to another company, they will see the claim on your insurance and will then raise your quote.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: CptCrunch
Do NOT contact your insurance company for this. They should provide a rental, and take care of EVERYTHING. If you contact your insurance company it will go down as a claim on your record, and while your insurance company won't raise the rates, if you try and jump ship to another company, they will see the claim on your insurance and will then raise your quote.

I would go through your own insurance company if the other one tries to hose you, however.

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: CptCrunch
Do NOT contact your insurance company for this. They should provide a rental, and take care of EVERYTHING. If you contact your insurance company it will go down as a claim on your record, and while your insurance company won't raise the rates, if you try and jump ship to another company, they will see the claim on your insurance and will then raise your quote.

Yeah, I was thinking that. When I called my insurance the first time, they said I didn't have to file a claim, and should probably not no matter what. I contacted them to ask a couple questions but it didn't go down as a claim(hell they didn't even ask me anything really, just answered questions).

 

[CptCrunch]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: CptCrunch
Do NOT contact your insurance company for this. They should provide a rental, and take care of EVERYTHING. If you contact your insurance company it will go down as a claim on your record, and while your insurance company won't raise the rates, if you try and jump ship to another company, they will see the claim on your insurance and will then raise your quote.

I would go through your own insurance company if the other one tries to hose you, however.

Good point

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: CptCrunch
Do NOT contact your insurance company for this. They should provide a rental, and take care of EVERYTHING. If you contact your insurance company it will go down as a claim on your record, and while your insurance company won't raise the rates, if you try and jump ship to another company, they will see the claim on your insurance and will then raise your quote.

Is this true for all insurance companies? I've been in two collisions in recent years and both were not my fault - people hit me from behind while I was completely stopped. Both times I called my insurance company and reported it just in case the other party involved would try to screw me over. I shop for insurance quotes every 6 months and haven't noticed an increase at all. The police will also tell you to call and report it to your insurance carrier.

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: DougK62

Originally posted by: CptCrunch
Do NOT contact your insurance company for this. They should provide a rental, and take care of EVERYTHING. If you contact your insurance company it will go down as a claim on your record, and while your insurance company won't raise the rates, if you try and jump ship to another company, they will see the claim on your insurance and will then raise your quote.

Is this true for all insurance companies? I've been in two collisions in recent years and both were not my fault - people hit me from behind while I was completely stopped. Both times I called my insurance company and reported it just in case the other party involved would try to screw me over. I shop for insurance quotes every 6 months and haven't noticed an increase at all. The police will also tell you to call and report it to your insurance carrier.

Thats why I called mine, but they said only file a claim if something doesn't go right with the other person's insurance company.

 

[bruceb]

In most states, by law, you must notify your insurance company of any accident
where there are damages. Your insurance may not be responsible, but I think
it is your responsibility to report it as required by the laws. In NJ this is IF damages
exceed $500 or if there are any injuries or worse. I do not know your state, but it
may be similar.

http://www.lickyourtickets.com...laws/39_4-130%20.shtml

New Jersey Traffic Laws

39:4-130. Immediate notice of accident; written report

39:4-130. The driver of a vehicle or street car involved in an
accident resulting in injury to or death of any person, or damage to
property of any one person in excess of $500.00 shall by the quickest
means of communication give notice of such accident to the local police
department or to the nearest office of the county police of the county
or of the State Police, and in addition shall within 10 days after such
accident forward a written report of such accident to the division on
forms furnished by it. Such written reports shall contain sufficiently
detailed information with reference to a motor vehicle accident,
including the cause, the conditions then existing, the persons and
vehicles involved and such information as may be necessary to enable the
director to determine whether the requirements for the deposit of
security required by law are inapplicable by reason of the existence of
insurance or other circumstances. The director may rely upon the
accuracy of the information contained in any such report, unless he has
reason to believe that the report is erroneous. The division may require
operators involved in accidents to file supplemental reports of
accidents upon forms furnished by it when in the opinion of the
division, the original report is insufficient. The reports shall be
without prejudice, shall be for the information of the division, and
shall not be open to public inspection. The fact that the reports have
been so made shall be admissible in evidence solely to prove a
compliance with this section, but no report or any part thereof or
statement contained therein shall be admissible in evidence for any
other purpose in any proceeding or action arising out of the accident.

Whenever the driver of a vehicle is physically incapable of giving
immediate notice or making a written report of an accident as required
in this section and there was another occupant in the vehicle at the
time of the accident capable of giving notice or making a report, such
occupant shall make or cause to be made said notice or report not made
by the driver.

Whenever the driver is physically incapable of making a written
report of an accident as required by this section and such driver is not
the owner of the vehicle, then the owner of the vehicle involved in such
accident shall make such report not made by the driver.

A written report of an accident shall not be required by this section
if a law enforcement officer submits a written report of the accident to
the division pursuant to R.S.39:4-131.

Any person who knowingly violates this section shall be fined not
less than $30 or more than $100.

The director may revoke or suspend the operator's license privilege
and registration privilege of a person who violates this section.

For purposes of this section, it shall not be a defense that the
operator of the motor vehicle was unaware of the existence or extent of
personal injury or property damage caused by the accident as long as the
operator was aware that he was involved in an accident.

 

[Pacfanweb]

HELL NO, don't call your insurance company. Get your coworker on the stick....your insurance company need never know about this. Only contact them when the faulty party is either uninsured or their company is refusing to fix it.

Your company can raise your rates if you are in an accident that isn't your fault and the other person's company pays for everything. It can, and has happened many, many times.

 

[dud]

Here's a vote for YES ... call your insurance company. The other company will probably take care of it but your company is there to protect you. A few years ago my truck was totalled in an accident caused by the other driver. I contacted both comapnies ... which was a good thing because my company received a claim from a third vehicle that was in the accident. It would not have been wise NOT to notify them.

I believe that most people who are voting NO are concerned that by contacting them you are exposing yourself to having your rates increased. The "accident" was not your fault and should be covered by the other's insurance.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Call them. A company should not raise you're rates based upon non-fault claims. If they do, just changed insurers.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Call them. A company should not raise you're rates based upon non-fault claims. If they do, just changed insurers.

You do know they share records. Changing to someone else will not hide the accidnet.

Just like if your credit rating goes down your insurance can go up even if you have had no accidents, tickets, etc... Insurance companies are always on the lookup to raise your rates. And just because it was not his fault they could raise his rates and say he parks his car in a area that has a higher chance of damage. Why do you think they ask where you park your car, how far do you drive for work, etc...


OP as already stated, do not contact your insurance unless the other one gives you the run around and tries not to pay.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Call them. A company should not raise you're rates based upon non-fault claims. If they do, just changed insurers.

You do know they share records. Changing to someone else will not hide the accidnet.

Just like if your credit rating goes down your insurance can go up even if you have had no accidents, tickets, etc... Insurance companies are always on the lookup to raise your rates. And just because it was not his fault they could raise his rates and say he parks his car in a area that has a higher chance of damage. Why do you think they ask where you park your car, how far do you drive for work, etc...


OP as already stated, do not contact your insurance unless the other one gives you the run around and tries not to pay.

Oh, yeah, thanks, I've never insured a car before.

A no fault accident should not raise rates, end of. I was not suggesting you go to another company to 'hide' the fact that someone rammed your car. You should do it to simply to get a better deal, but thanks for going off the deep end and just assuming I was a flaming douche.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Call them. A company should not raise you're rates based upon non-fault claims. If they do, just changed insurers.

You do know they share records. Changing to someone else will not hide the accidnet.

Just like if your credit rating goes down your insurance can go up even if you have had no accidents, tickets, etc... Insurance companies are always on the lookup to raise your rates. And just because it was not his fault they could raise his rates and say he parks his car in a area that has a higher chance of damage. Why do you think they ask where you park your car, how far do you drive for work, etc...


OP as already stated, do not contact your insurance unless the other one gives you the run around and tries not to pay.

Oh, yeah, thanks, I've never insured a car before.

A no fault accident should not raise rates, end of. I was not suggesting you go to another company to 'hide' the fact that someone rammed your car. You should do it to simply to get a better deal, but thanks for going off the deep end and just assuming I was a flaming douche.

I agree, but a no-fault accident CAN and HAS cause folks' rates to go up. Might vary by state, but I know for a fact it happens.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Call them. A company should not raise you're rates based upon non-fault claims. If they do, just changed insurers.

You do know they share records. Changing to someone else will not hide the accidnet.

Just like if your credit rating goes down your insurance can go up even if you have had no accidents, tickets, etc... Insurance companies are always on the lookup to raise your rates. And just because it was not his fault they could raise his rates and say he parks his car in a area that has a higher chance of damage. Why do you think they ask where you park your car, how far do you drive for work, etc...


OP as already stated, do not contact your insurance unless the other one gives you the run around and tries not to pay.

Oh, yeah, thanks, I've never insured a car before.

A no fault accident should not raise rates, end of. I was not suggesting you go to another company to 'hide' the fact that someone rammed your car. You should do it to simply to get a better deal, but thanks for going off the deep end and just assuming I was a flaming douche.

I agree, but a no-fault accident CAN and HAS cause folks' rates to go up. Might vary by state, but I know for a fact it happens.

Of course, but this should only be done if an area has a spate of incidents of theft or general driving dip-shittery.

Unfortunately insurance companies, while they act clever, are actually pretty dumb. If the average claim amount raises in an area, your rates will rise regardless of your age, driving history, claim history, etc. The ONLY defence against this is to shop around for car insurance. Blindly accepting the renewal quote each year is FAIL incarnate.

 

[Capt Caveman]

If you're not at fault, I would definitely go thru your insurance company. One, let them do the work with your co-worker's insurance company. Two, your insurance company will want to know as it does unfortunately affect the value of your vehicle. I believe not contacting them would be illegal. They'll want proof that you made the proper repairs. Also, if your repair shop(one that is affiliated with the insurance company) discovers additional damage, the repair shop will work directly with your insurance company who will work with your co-workers insurance company to cover the additional costs.

Of course, this may vary by state.

 

[Tarrant64]

Looks like everything is going to go over smoothly. Their insurance company will send an insepector out to check out the damage. Of course, it's one of 'theirs' and since they are out of state insurance(not available in Nebraska, go figure) they will do it by whoever they choose.

I plan on getting 2-3 estimates, I don't care what the inspector comes up with. If what I have doesn't match up with the inspectors they apparently have to send them out again to look at it. That just doesn't make any sense. Either way, I'm the "take the car to the dealership and get it done right" kinda guy so I'm taking the accord to the Honda dealership to have it done. When it was T-boned couple years ago took it there, came back flawless.

 

[thomsbrain]

You should absolutely contact your insurance company. It will be much easier to deal with them, and your insurance company will be the ones who have to worry about working out payment from the other company. It takes a huge load of worry off your shoulders, and frankly that is part of what you are paying your insurance company for. Just give them the info and let them handle it.

My family is insured with State Farm, and our no-fault 2-car accident claims have never resulted in rate increases. We all get the maximum "safe driver" discounts for "no accidents, no tickets."