Car accident - other party didnt want to claim insurance (Dallas: crime, cost)

[platon20]

Most police departments abandoned the practice of writing up car accidents many years ago. #1 they dont want to do paperwork; #2 they want to focus on "real" crimes

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by El Chingaso

They will not respond for a non-injury crash. You can also file your own police report (it’s known as a blue form). I’ve been doing this for two decades.

Your advice is incorrect.

So are you a menace on the road or a magnet for menaces on the road?

[El Chingaso]

Originally Posted by escanlan

So are you a menace on the road or a magnet for menaces on the road?

Or a licensed claims professional that has worked for multiple claims and insurance organizations in an executive capacity.

You know, someone who would actually know how the process actually works on a legal and process basis, outside of some fake anecdotal evidence.

Buh bye now.

[escanlan]

Hmmm seems that millions of consumers wronged by the insurance companies don't know what they are talking about. Silly consumers thinking they should should know anything about how the insurance industry operates and instead should trust insurance companies to look out for them!


Maybe we can actually get someone up here on the BB that is truthful about the insurance industry? As a consumer who has seen and experienced the dishonesty of the insurance industry (not just auto insurance) many times over this is a consumers view on this subject.


First and most important to understand about insurance companies is that they are in the business to take your money and avoid claims if at all possible. If they can't then they will either try to reduce your claim or seriously increase your premiums regardless that you were not at fault.



Since Texas is not a "No Fault State" it is very important that when you are not at fault you ensure you have as much documented proof that you were not at fault. That is where a police report for the accident comes in. Otherwise you are at the mercy of some "Claims Investigator" for an insurance company to make a decision whether or not you were at fault even partially. When LEO (Police) are on site at the accident a person who is not dishonest to the core will typically flounder and show their true self when they attempt to lie about an incident. Since you have absolutely no idea of the other driver's character you most certainly take a large risk not having LEO on site for a report. On the other hand a "Claims Investigator" is only sitting behind a desk reading words on paper and if the other, dishonest driver is a better writer than you then you will most likely lose in the mythical "Paper Investigation" world.


If you ever wondered why so many times you hear someone say that blame at an accident was assigned at 50% to each party this is a good blog from an Attorney that helps explain that. Although it was written with the intention of explaining a lawsuit for a significant accident it is still applicable for your non-personal injury accidents. https://baumgartnerlawyers.com/blog/...or-car-wrecks/


I do not doubt that the insurance companies and their "Claims Investigators" most certainly and thoroughly prefer that you just file a claim without an LEO report as it makes their job much easier to react in any way they want. Time is money and insurance companies certainly do not care about YOUR MONEY and YOUR TIME and YOUR DRIVING RECORD regardless of all their nice claims on TV and other advertisements. Insurance is a game even for the providers and as long as insurance company "A" isn't putting in to many claims to insurance company "B" & Vice Versa then it all washes in their books even if you the consumer get the proverbial shaft in the deal. They are not going to bother truly reviewing your smaller claim and instead spend their time, expensive resources (Attorneys, on site investigation, etc.) for the larger claims that result in lawsuits.


As for the crap that local LEO "Will not" respond to an accident it is just that CRAP! All you have to do is demand they respond and wait for their response and they will come. If they refuse just make sure you have the names, numbers , and times you spoke with them. Let them know you will be filing a complaint for their refusal to respond and make sure you follow through with the complaint.



As for the "Blue Form" (Texas Department of Transportation CR-2 form) it has certainly been IMPROPERLY referred to here as "your own police report". The CR-2 is nothing more than a form that Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) uses to track accidents in the State for accidents that cause $1000.00 or more in cumulative damage. If you have had a fender bender in the last 10 years you know that between 2 vehicles $1000.00 can easily be reached. The CR-2 is used in lieu of the LEO generated CR-3 form when they respond to an accident and perform a full report. The insurance companies certainly have no obligation to use either the CR-2 or CR-3 report in making a fault determination but you can certainly bet they do not want to run around calling LEO liars who actually responded to accidents. On top of that you'll have the LEO local report if they generate a separate one. In other words you're in better shape to prevent insurance providers from shafting you if you have the LEO and/or CR-3 report.



So the moral of the story here is never leave the scene of an accident without an LEO report since the other person may well not think twice to not accept responsibility, the insurance company really does not care who pays as long as they can save money, and you may be caused a great deal of grief!

[turf3]

Oh, for crying out loud. The lady that your wife hit probably doesn't have a license or insurance or registration. Give 'em the $75 and be done with it. Get a receipt.

As to your own car, file with insurance only if you really want your rates to go up. I'd just take it to a body shop and pay for the repair out of pocket. Alternately you can just leave it and call it "patina".

[turf3]

Looked at the pictures.


Your car is the white one? Go get some rubbing compound and take that black mark off the plastic. Their car is the red one? All that crap on the front is from hitting someone else's car. Also note no front license plate or bracket, and the grill insert missing.

[turf3]

And good luck in the city of Dallas, calling 911 to report a traffic accident where no one was hurt, both cars remain drivable, and the only damage is marks on the two cars' bumpers. Really, it's cruel to make the dispatchers collapse in hysterical laughter like that.


Welcome to the big city. Almost all advice about "don't ever leave the scene, don't move the cars, get a police report, make sure to report this trivial accident to the insurance company posthaste to give them the maximum possible opportunity to jack your rates, etc., etc., etc." is based on assumptions about life in the big city that were obsolete decades ago.

[escanlan]

Seems another insurance company employee is weighing in? Couldn't possibly be as the State has mandates about filing the CR-2 when damages reach/exceed $1000.00 and common sense dictates never walk away from an accident where another can take advantage of it. Of course life in the Big City must have changed I suppose?

[turf3]

Did you even take a look at the photos? The red car has a litany of damage preceding the bumper scrape (whole car's probably not worth $2000) and the white car has a small black mark on the bumper that most people would ignore and the rest of us would rub out with $10 worth of rubbing compound.


Let's not make more of this than it deserves.

[jiping]

Originally Posted by El Chingaso

They will not respond for a non-injury crash. You can also file your own police report (it’s known as a blue form). I’ve been doing this for two decades.

Your advice is incorrect.

Take photos on your phone of the scene, get the information for witnesses and the other driver and move on.

This is completely BS.
From my own experience, both Richardson and Plano PD arrived within 20 minutes.
By calling the police, you effectively deter the other party from lying and changing the story later on.
This is especially important when the other party is 100% at fault and you plan to pursue diminished value from the accident.

Dallas PD is another story. Wouldn't show up 2-3 hours after a car theft.