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Did you have a police report? About 11 years ago, I had a big accident, where a another driver ran the red light and I was making a left turn on green arrow, resulting in a pretty severe accident and damage to the front of my vehicle. Unfortunately, the accident happened when it was late in the evening, almost dark and there were only two cars at that intersections and no other witnesses. Luckily for me, a police officer arrived quickly to take the report and the other driver admitted to running a red light.
Without a police report, it would have been my word against his and likely not covered by the insurance.
Another lesson - at that time, I did not have a full coverage policy and the other driver did not have insurance. Real your auto policy coverage carefully. Uninsured motorist coverage applies to medical costs only. Does not typically cover property damage (your car) unless you add a special rider to it.
Lessons learned? Always file police reports and pay for full coverage auto insurance.
Why isn't your insurance company doing this? It's part of why you pay those premiums. I've never contacted another drivers insurance company.
I dealt directy with the other party's insurance company 2 different times. They were at fault 100% and the entire claim was paid fairly both times. Once they tried to get me to agree that I was partly at fault because I turned the wheel left as a defensive move (to avoid a full T-bone), rather then turning the wheel right (to avoid the T-bone). I debated back that turning right would have been a worse defensive move that would have resulted in more damages. They agreed the other party was at fault 100% once I pressed the issue. I made sure to go to court to make sure the other party's ticket 'stuck'. Sure enough, they showed up in court trying to fight the ticket and I was there to tell what really occurred. The ticket stayed.
Anyway, I didn't report to my insurance company because I didn't want the accident on my record with my insurance company. I read several times that if you are in an accident, even if not your fault, that your insurance company might hold it against you negatively. I figured if I didn't get a fair result from dealing directly with the other party's insurance company, then I would tell my insurance company. But I never had to tell mine.
"Most state laws prohibit insurers from surcharging policyholders or raising their premium rates for accidents in which they weren't at fault.
However, those laws do not preclude your insurer from dumping your policy at renewal time if you've made a couple of recent claims. If you drive in a high-risk area and are subject to being hit, even if you are not at fault, your insurer might find you too high a risk to insure"
Last edited by sware2cod; 11-25-2013 at 01:16 PM..
The worst case scenario is when both drivers are insured by the same company. Then, there is just one adjustor, working for the insurer, and nobody is working for you.
Ain't that the truth. I was riding a motorcycle (the only one I've ever bought new, and I'd only had it 3 months) when I was rear-ended by a guy in a car. The bike was totaled. We both had the same insurance company (Allstate).
It took me 11 months to collect, and then only because I went to their office and told them I wouldn't leave until it was settled. The guy came back with a check that amounted to half the cost of the bike, I looked at it and told him to try again. He started giving me some BS about how the accident was half *my* fault. Huh?
Things took a different turn when I told him I had a witness who heard the driver tell me "Gee, I'm sorry, I was half asleep." 10 minutes later I had a check for the full value.
I dealt directy with the other party's insurance company 2 different times. They were at fault 100% and the entire claim was paid fairly both times. Once they tried to get me to agree that I was partly at fault because I turned the wheel left as a defensive move (to avoid a full T-bone), rather then turning the wheel right (to avoid the T-bone). I debated back that turning right would have been a worse defensive move that would have resulted in more damages. They agreed the other party was at fault 100% once I pressed the issue. I made sure to go to court to make sure the other party's ticket 'stuck'. Sure enough, they showed up in court trying to fight the ticket and I was there to tell what really occurred. The ticket stayed.
Anyway, I didn't report to my insurance company because I didn't want the accident on my record with my insurance company. I read several times that if you are in an accident, even if not your fault, that your insurance company might hold it against you negatively. I figured if I didn't get a fair result from dealing directly with the other party's insurance company, then I would tell my insurance company. But I never had to tell mine.
"Most state laws prohibit insurers from surcharging policyholders or raising their premium rates for accidents in which they weren't at fault.
However, those laws do not preclude your insurer from dumping your policy at renewal time if you've made a couple of recent claims. If you drive in a high-risk area and are subject to being hit, even if you are not at fault, your insurer might find you too high a risk to insure"
OK, because you read something somewhere that stated if you report anything to your insurance company you get higher premiums BUT you did not contact your insurance company to find out if this was true??? Well then I guess you should just be at the mercy of the other insurance company......
Anyway, I didn't report to my insurance company because I didn't want the accident on my record with my insurance company. I read several times that if you are in an accident, even if not your fault, that your insurance company might hold it against you negatively. I figured if I didn't get a fair result from dealing directly with the other party's insurance company, then I would tell my insurance company. But I never had to tell mine.[/i]
It doesn't matter if you reported it or not to yourinsurance company. They will eventually know. You did report it to a insurance company and all accidents go into a national data base. That is one of the ways insurance companies use to figure out your insurance rate. They all check the national data base, CLUE, so your accident has been reported.
OK, because you read something somewhere that stated if you report anything to your insurance company you get higher premiums BUT you did not contact your insurance company to find out if this was true??? Well then I guess you should just be at the mercy of the other insurance company......
My post also had a link that stated your insurance company can cancel you if you are in accidents that aren't your fault.
In my case, my claims for auto damage were compensated fairly. There were no injuries. Both times the vehicle wasn't totaled and my car was fixed at the body shop of my choice and they paid for a rental car while my car was being fixed. I don't regret going directly to the other insurer. It worked out perfect.
It doesn't matter if you reported it or not to yourinsurance company. They will eventually know. You did report it to a insurance company and all accidents go into a national data base. That is one of the ways insurance companies use to figure out your insurance rate. They all check the national data base, CLUE, so your accident has been reported.
I followed that CLUE link. The loss (aka claim) is tracked based on the person/their insurance policy that paid the claim(at fault party). It's a claims tracking system.
In fact, if you report it to your insurance company, they will open a Claim for you. Then (and only then) will a claim be opened on your policy, and then tracked on CLUE. If you allow the claim to be opened on the at-fault party's policy only, then you stay out of clue.
This backs up my case ...that if you DON"T report it to your own carrier then it will be less likely to count against you. Each loss (claim) is being reporting. I don't want to create a claim off my policy (with my carrier) if unneeded. If I need to, I will. But if the other party simply did minor damage to my vehicle and admitted fault, and if they file a claim with their carrier and their carrier covers everything, then "It's all good".
Last edited by sware2cod; 11-26-2013 at 06:24 AM..
My post also had a link that stated your insurance company can cancel you if you are in accidents that aren't your fault.
In my case, my claims for auto damage were compensated fairly. There were no injuries. Both times the vehicle wasn't totaled and my car was fixed at the body shop of my choice and they paid for a rental car while my car was being fixed. I don't regret going directly to the other insurer. It worked out perfect.
Cod, You are obviously someone who is rational and well spoken enough to handle this, probably without getting very emotional either. I see your logic about not wanting your insurance record to get tarnished, but for most people, letting the insurance companies handle it would be the best course of action...
I have only liability on all 4 of my cars. I had a one year period when I was hit twice in private parking lots and I reported both to my insurance company. The first time a kid backed into me at the Walmart store and did several thousand dollars damage. No police report because of private property. My insurance said that because there was no police report they could not establish responsibility so I would have to pay for own damage. My insurance said that I could file a claim with a judge to determine fault in court. So I did and 9 months later I won my case and the judge ordered that other party to pay 100% of the damage to my car. This didn't cost me anything because all of the statements were over the phone. My insurance adjuster actually acted as the middle man.
The second accident was also in a private parking lot. A guy in a ford work truck backed out of a stall and never looked back and did $1500 damage to the front of my car. He had just got done have lunch at a local bar and grill and I could tell that he had been drinking. I keep a notebook in the car and sketched up how the accident happened, traded info, and got him to sign my notebook page. I was paid 100% for all my damage.
Always carry a camera and take 20-30 pictures before you move the car. also carry a notebook to document and and get a signature from the other driver on what happened, don't let him leave because he will change his mind. If you can get a police report then do that also.
I followed that CLUE link. The loss (aka claim) is tracked based on the person/their insurance policy that paid the claim(at fault party). It's a claims tracking system.
In fact, if you report it to your insurance company, they will open a Claim for you. Then (and only then) will a claim be opened on your policy, and then tracked on CLUE. If you allow the claim to be opened on the at-fault party's policy only, then you stay out of clue.
This backs up my case ...that if you DON"T report it to your own carrier then it will be less likely to count against you. Each loss (claim) is being reporting. I don't want to create a claim off my policy (with my carrier) if unneeded. If I need to, I will. But if the other party simply did minor damage to my vehicle and admitted fault, and if they file a claim with their carrier and their carrier covers everything, then "It's all good".
I can confirm that you are right some of the time. On our last claim (someone rear ended my daughter's car), my insurance told me flat out that If I filed a claim with them, then my rates would go up. We dealt with the other drivers insurance company and all ended well. I was considering going with my own company because the other one was dragging their feet, but in the end they paid up. (I think there is a thread here about this incident.)
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