My fiancee's car insurance won't go up if i tell the insurance company about damage... will it?

[Phokus]

Some jerk dented my fiancee's car (the bumper) while she was at the gym today and he ran off without leaving any information. We filed a police report. We don't intend on having the insurance pay for the damage though... if we tell the insurance company, they won't raiser our premiums, right?

edit: oh yeah and i think the cop told us to call our insurance... is it even necessary?

 

[bctbct]

If you dont plan on filing a claim there is no reason to contact insurance.

 

[wiredspider]

Originally posted by: bctbct
If you dont plan on filing a claim there is no reason to contact insurance.

exactly

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Phokus
Some jerk dented my fiancee's car (the bumper) while she was at the gym today and he ran off without leaving any information. We filed a police report. We don't intend on having the insurance pay for the damage though... if we tell the insurance company, they won't raiser our premiums, right?

edit: oh yeah and i think the cop told us to call our insurance... is it even necessary?

If you don't use it, why do you pay for it? (yeah, I know, it's required) "hit & run SHOULDN'T make her rates go up, unless maybe she has a history of claims...

 

[JS80]

why bother if it's less than deductible

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: JS80
why bother if it's less than deductible

Excellent point...certainly wouldn't make sense to turn it in to the insurance, if the deductible is more than what it will cost to fix anyway...if the car is financed, technically you HAVE to have it fixed...for the companies's interest in the car...but if you don't tell them...

 

[RichieZ]

hit and run is covered by collision unless you have witnesses who can attest it was a hit and run.

i should know since my car was sideswiped on the street sometime between 2am and 8am about 5 months ago, and i had just dropped collision a few months before that!

 

[jemcam]

Several things to consider:

1. Your contract does state that you have to report all accidents to them. Technically, they can cancel you if they find out about this, which is unlikely, but possible and legal.
2. A hit and run is considered a collision claim, regardless of whether it was your fault or not. Surcharges are possible and likely depending on the amount of damage.

 

[Lola]

IF SHE IS NOT AT FAULT in the accident (she was not even in the car) her insurance will NOT go up.

Have her make the claim depending on what type of collision she has and how much her ded. is.

 

[mcvickj]

I just went though something like this recently with my driver side mirror. Received two quotes for what it would cost me to get it repaired. Both of the quotes were under my deductible. the insurance company was never called.

 

[imported_Mike]

When will people realize that if an accident is not your fault, your rates cannot and will not increase.

 

[piasabird]

Insurance companies have a way of finding out about your tickets.

But since it is not your fault, then you could fix the vehicle yourself.

If the damage is less than the deductable then you could fix it yourself. However, if you have an accident later you might need that deductable written down. Keep a copy of your repair bill just in case. It might be claimable as some kind of loss or something on your taxes. Ask the place where it occurred about their insurance or whether they have security cameras. Could be you could figure out who it was if they had a camera and could see who was driving by.

My guess is the cops will do nothing. Is there any paint on the dent showing the color of the offending car? Chances is it is someone who goes to the gym all the time.

Then there is the issue of whether a Fiance is covered by the insurance. However having a police report is a record of the offense occurring.

 

[Mellman]

Originally posted by: Mike
When will people realize that if an accident is not your fault, your rates cannot and will not increase.

when insurance companies stop raising rates when an accident is not your fault...

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: Mellman

Originally posted by: Mike
When will people realize that if an accident is not your fault, your rates cannot and will not increase.

when insurance companies stop raising rates when an accident is not your fault...

lol, sure kid.

 

[j00fek]

Originally posted by: JS80
why bother if it's less than deductible

:thumbsup:

 

[Mellman]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: Mellman

Originally posted by: Mike
When will people realize that if an accident is not your fault, your rates cannot and will not increase.

when insurance companies stop raising rates when an accident is not your fault...

lol, sure kid.

right... so you can tell me that our rates didn't go up when someone hit my dads car while he was stopped at a light?

Hm...I've got a bridge I can sell you...

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Mellman

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: Mellman

Originally posted by: Mike
When will people realize that if an accident is not your fault, your rates cannot and will not increase.

when insurance companies stop raising rates when an accident is not your fault...

lol, sure kid.

right... so you can tell me that our rates didn't go up when someone hit my dads car while he was stopped at a light?

Hm...I've got a bridge I can sell you...

He probably lost an accident-free discount, his rates didn't increase.

 

[woowoo]

Originally posted by: Mike
When will people realize that if an accident is not your fault, your rates cannot and will not increase.

Hogwash!
Rates can change for a variety of reasons.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: woowoo

Originally posted by: Mike
When will people realize that if an accident is not your fault, your rates cannot and will not increase.

Hogwash!
Rates can change for a variety of reasons.

Not in CA if the accident is not your fault. You might be confusing rate increases with monthly dues increases. As the wiz pointed out, there is a difference.

 

[Zorro]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
IF SHE IS NOT AT FAULT in the accident (she was not even in the car) her insurance will NOT go up.

Have her make the claim depending on what type of collision she has and how much her ded. is.

Yes her rates can go up. If she makes a claim and they pay. hit and run is considered a collision claim with a ded. Best bet is don't ask anyone on ATOT and call your agent. If the damage is more then you ded.


end/

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: Zorro

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
IF SHE IS NOT AT FAULT in the accident (she was not even in the car) her insurance will NOT go up.

Have her make the claim depending on what type of collision she has and how much her ded. is.

Yes her rates can go up. If she makes a claim and they pay. hit and run is considered a collision claim with a ded. Best bet is don't ask anyone on ATOT and call your agent. If the damage is more then you ded.


end/

so... what do you do for a living?
Me? I am an insurance agent. :roll:

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
IF SHE IS NOT AT FAULT in the accident (she was not even in the car) her insurance will NOT go up.

Have her make the claim depending on what type of collision she has and how much her ded. is.

Not true. It doesn't matter who is at fault. If a collision claim is made, and if the amount of the claim exceeds a certain amount, the insurance company may surcharge. How long have you been in the Insurance business and what do you base this statement on?

It depends on WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN AND WHAT YOUR POLICY SAYS. The states I have worked in, it can and does cause an increase.

I can't tell you how many vehicles I've seen with damage down the side of the vehicle with lots of yellow paint that is claimed to have been a hit and run.

Yeah, those yellow cars hit a lot of people and take off. Obviously, the insured hit a yellow pole like at McDonalds and they're lying about what happened. Lying doesn't help them in any way, and it's still a collision claim regardless of whether it's a hit and run or not.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
so... what do you do for a living?
Me? I am an insurance agent. :roll:

Lola, do you realize that insurance policies, companies, and laws vary from place to place? For me, there was a hit and run on my car (rear bumper was dented and scratched in my apartment lot - I was not in the car). I contacted my insurance company. I asked in general terms about the damage and what to do. Part way through filing the claim, they said the damage was small and that they WILL significantly raise rates if I continue filing the claim. Their reasoning: I had one other claim in a 3-year period (my only other claim in my life) and that two claims (even if I'm not at fault) automatically puts me into the higher risk category. I stopped filling out the claim and left the office on their advice.

I use State Farm Insurance under Nebraska laws.

 

[jemcam]

so... what do you do for a living? Me? I am an insurance agent.

BFD, I know lots of agents that don't know jack sh!t, that doesn't mean you're right.

FWIW, I've been in the collision repair and Insurance business for over 20 years. I've seen firsthand countless times of people being surcharged for so called "hit and run accidents". In the eyes of an Insurance company, it's a collision.

Lola, care to tell me what company you're an agent for?

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: jemcam

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
IF SHE IS NOT AT FAULT in the accident (she was not even in the car) her insurance will NOT go up.

Have her make the claim depending on what type of collision she has and how much her ded. is.

Not true. It doesn't matter who is at fault. If a collision claim is made, and if the amount of the claim exceeds a certain amount, the insurance company may surcharge. How long have you been in the Insurance business and what do you base this statement on?

It depends on WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN AND WHAT YOUR POLICY SAYS. The states I have worked in, it can and does cause an increase.

I can't tell you how many vehicles I've seen with damage down the side of the vehicle with lots of yellow paint that is claimed to have been a hit and run.

Yeah, those yellow cars hit a lot of people and take off. Obviously, the insured hit a yellow pole like at McDonalds and they're lying about what happened. Lying doesn't help them in any way, and it's still a collision claim regardless of whether it's a hit and run or not.

Completely different scenario. If the insurance co. investigates it and it's obvious (such as your example) that it was not a hit and run, then your rates will increase.

From Geico's site:

In general, GEICO will not increase your policy premium as the result of an accident for which you are not at-fault. GEICO investigates each claim completely to determine the cause of each accident.

If you are truely not at fault and it's obvious (to the insurance company) your rates won't increase.

A CT laywer, since Phokus is there, according to his profile, that is all that matters: http://www.smith-lawfirm.com/accident.html

If the accident is not your fault, your insurance carrier cannot "rate your policy" for fault. Be aware, however, that you can be rated on a "frequency of claims" basis and therefore even if not your fault, a property damage claim can have rating consequences. Also be aware that the allocation of fault is a business judgment the insurance company makes, sometimes in the context of a negotiated subrogation process. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to contest the carrier's assessment of fault.

So you are wrong, it's not a given that rates will increase because it's a claim.