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Originally Posted by Undarc
We're moving and hopefully switching from Allstate to another carrier for our autos. My husband was at a red light last year and was on the receiving end of a hit and run that caused $4k in damage. Against my better judgement we used our Allstate coverage for the claim because they assured us that a hit and run is no fault and it wouldn't affect us. Now we're moving and when the new company is seeing the claim categorized as "Collision." That increases our policy by thousands. My Allstate rep admits that our file says "not at fault." The claims department says the same thing. The new company just wants confirmation of Allstate's notes but every time they generate an experience letter it just says Collision, despite hours on the phone with them. What do I do? I feel like they're keeping the no fault thing to themselves so that we are forced to stay with Allstate.
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The laws and regulations vary by state, but some states (including Georgia, where I live) require 'Hit-and-Run' accidents to be filed under your Collision coverage. I almost had to do that when I was rear-ended by a driver who fled the accident scene. I knew the make, model and color of the car and saw the first three letters of the tag (typically GA tags are three letters followed by four numbers). I know people will think I'm lying about this, but I noticed the tag as they drove away because the letters were "S-O-L" (***** Outta Luck)! Par for the course in my life!
Initially, I filed it under Collision to get my car fixed and so my car rental coverage would kick in. I was insured with AMICA at the time (which I highly recommend, even if they aren't the least expensive). I learned that they have specific internal guidelines that determine which Collision claims result in a surcharge (increase in premium) and which don't. Since it was a documented 'hit-and-run', they assured me that I wouldn't be penalized for it at renewal and I wasn't. The main drawback was that I would have to pay my $500 Collision deductible.
Thankfully, about six weeks after the accident, I got a refund of my $500 deductible and a letter explaining why. They were able to identify the vehicle that hit me and verify that it was not insured. They reclassified my claim under my "Uninsured Motorist" coverage, which had a $0 deductible. Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist claims, as well as Comprehensive claims, typically don't cause an increase in premium.
I'll admit that I am somewhat biased because I work in the insurance industry. I was an independent agent for almost three years (and I'm still licensed) until I became a Premium Auditor for commercial insurance policies in 2012. I've had customers involved in accidents with almost every company that does business in the state of Georgia. The behavior of some companies, ESPECIALLY the two with the largest market share (Allstate and State Farm) has been horrible in most cases and beyond reprehensible and unethical in some cases. I often hear people say that they've never had a problem with either company, but most of them had never filed a claim. You don't really know your insurance company until you file a claim.
Obviously, a lot of the policyholders with those companies have filed claims that were handled well...or they wouldn't have such a substantial chunk of the auto insurance market. I don't mean to sound sanctimonious, but most people involved in an at-fault accident (meaning they were the one responsible for causing the accident) never really think about how their insurance company treated the 'other' guy. It's understandable because they dealt with your claim decently, so one would automatically assume that the other driver(s) involved would receive similar treatment. WRONG! There are very few insurers known for treating 3rd-party claimants (the 'other' guy) well. In my experience, USAA and AMICA are the best national companies in that respect. Auto-Owners, based in Lansing, MI and operating in 26 states (which makes them a 'super-regional' company) is also excellent. Among regional insurers (doing business in a limited number of states, usually under 20 and within one or two geographical regions), Erie and Cincinnati are very good. Clearly, if they treat third parties well, they also treat their own customers very well.
My advice is to contact as many companies as possible for a quote. I highly recommend contacting at least two independent agencies for quotes also, more if possible. Independent agencies represent multiple insurers (anywhere from four to 40+) so they can provide quotes from several different insurers. Explain the circumstances of the accident to the agent(s) you contact and, if they're good at their jobs, they will contact the underwriting department of any companies they represent if they think it could make a difference. Some companies won't care and will quote your rate with a surcharge for an at-fault accident. But other companies might have the flexibility within their underwriting guidelines to classify the accident as 'not chargeable' despite being a Collision claim.
If you have access to USAA (through your military service or your spouse's), start there! AMICA would be my next stop, followed by an independent agent that represents Auto-Owners (if you are in one of the 26 states where they offer policies). Erie Insurance, Cincinnati Insurance (also known as 'Cincinnati Financial') and State Auto are other good insurers available only through independent agents. Other national insurers that are decent, if not exceptional, are Traveler's, GEICO, Mercury Insurance and National General (formerly GMAC Insurance). Honestly, ANY this side of State Farm and bottom-feeder non-standard companies are better than Allstate!
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