Got in a wreck last night! Darn it!

[Baucom]

Wrecks suck, but the most important thing is that ya'll are OK.

When a guy pulled out in front of me this past spring, the body shop that I took my truck to handled all dealings with his insurance. I just dropped my truck off and picked it up when they were done--they did the rest of the work to get their money. They are a large shop and for their customers' convenience they work directly with the major insurance companies (State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, GEICO, etc.).

Best of luck dealing with the other guy's insurance company. I hope it all works out well for you, but as other posters have said, no matter what, since you weren't at fault your rates SHOULD not go up.

 

[Skyco]

25 years ago I had an 18 wheeler turn left in front of me, I hit him. I was in a Ford Van and I wasn't hurt but it messed up the front end of the van. The cops cited him for an improper left turn and said he was at fault. He got irate and started yelling it CAN'T be HIS fault- because he didn't even see me coming. True story. The cop and I just looked at each other and shook our heads.

Then two years ago another 18 wheeler turning left on my left in a two lanes turning left situation hit my car trailer when he came over the line and tore the fender off and damaged a tire. He then tried to leave the scene, I ran across traffic and jumped on his floorboard yelling at him before he stopped. Looking at the relatively minor damage I offered to let him go for $200 cash. He declined so the cops were called and he got tickets for no license in possession and, again, improper turning. He admitted it was his fault on the spot.
Later he changed his story and told his employer and insurance company it was MY fault. I had to go BUY the police report for $25 and fax it to the insurance company to prove it was his fault and get paid.
BTW since he declined my on scene offer his insurance paid around $500 for an estimate from a trailer shop AND the $25 for the police report.
I imagine he may have lost his job too with 2 tickets and lying about it.
I drive a company vehicle and if I was at fault and could get off for $200 and the company never know I'd do it in a heartbeat...what an idiot.

 

[OKnewguy]

Well things are still in a holding pattern. The officer working the accident had thought the accident report was going to be ready today. The clerk at the actual station basically told me the officer should have kept his mouth shut. She is telling me that the earliest it will be available will be Friday or Monday. I am trying to keep my insurance out of this, and his insurance will not do anything at all until they get that darn report. BTW, the insurance for his car was active. When I spoke to his insurance company they had yet to hear from him at all! So I guess we just hurry up and wait.
Thanks gang, Dave

 

[OKnewguy]

Here is my tail of woe, and it points out a danger when you're driving an older vehicle:

Coming back from a fire call in the morning, it's light out but raining. I'm in my 1994 Ford Ranger which has 75,000 miles on it but looks like it's brand new. Lady runs a red light. I caught it out of the corner of my eye, but with the rain couldn't stop in time. At least I caught it- I do the "look both ways when coming up on an intersection, then look again" approach. She hit me in the front driver side tire. If I hand't seen her and tried to brake, it would have been a perfect T-bone which never bodes well for the driver. So above all else, I'm lucky with the understanding that being cautious can improve your luck.

She gets out of the car, and starts yelling at me "I know that light wasn't green for both of us". I ask if she or the kids in the car are hurt, she keeps yelling. Police get there, she's still yelling. I was _very_ lucky- a witness that was behind the lady's car stopped and waited for the police. When the officer came back after talking to the witness, and then was talking with the lady (I staying out of ear shot at this point) the lady then turned at the kids and yelled "See, if you kids would behave I wouldn't have been yelling at you and could have seen the red light." This is the only point where her being an idiot worked for me.

The car was unregistered, it had no insurance. The lady's drivers license had been suspended. She went to court, I didn't need to go because of my statement and the witnesses statement. A few months later, I saw the lady still driving around. BTW, gender is irrelevant here, I'm just telling it like it happened.

So my insurance company correctly totaled the vehicle, and then cut me a check for it's depreciated value which was $5K. Of course, there is no way to find a little Ranger that would be in such good condition for that amount. Anyone who had one (like me) would be using it. So $20K later I'm driving a F-150 and am out $15K because of an idiot who won't own up the the truth. No point in suing her, the only thing in her deep pockets is lint.

So other than a vent about this 3 years after the fact, the fun insurance fact here is that when you drive an older, paid for vehicle an idiot can hit you and you're out a lot of money. Full replacement insurance, if it exist, would be too expensive because people like the lady who hit me would "use it" when they wanted a new car. They would only use it once, but that's enough to drive up rates for full replacement insurance. I don't know if you can insure your tractor when towing for full replacement value or not. 20 year old cars are rare, 20 year old tractors are not.

It would be a great planet if you could remove the right 20% of the population.

Pete

This has always been the case with me, I usually have 10+ old vehicles. I had a couple of incidents with messing up a door or a bumper, and it was nice to run to the junk yard and get things taken care of on the cheap. Fortunately, I never had a need to make a claim in any way with those older cars.
I think about my buddy and his 91 Honda CRX. It has 250,000 miles, but looks like the day it rolled out of the show room. He has run sythetic oil and pampers it. He claims he gets over 50mpg. Now, if he was to get it totaled he would receive maybe $800. Try and find a cherry car that is going to get 50 mpg!
Insurance issues (all kinds of insurance) STINK!
Dave

 

[Gator6x4]

Well things are still in a holding pattern. The officer working the accident had thought the accident report was going to be ready today. The clerk at the actual station basically told me the officer should have kept his mouth shut. She is telling me that the earliest it will be available will be Friday or Monday. I am trying to keep my insurance out of this, and his insurance will not do anything at all until they get that darn report. BTW, the insurance for his car was active. When I spoke to his insurance company they had yet to hear from him at all! So I guess we just hurry up and wait.
Thanks gang, Dave

If the accident happened as you reported, a couple of things to consider:

One: Request/demand a rental vehicle while your vehicle is being repaired.

Two: Consider the amount of damage. If damage exceeds a value greater than fifty percent of the retail cost of the vehicle, diminished value comes into play in most states.

Three: Most states require the owner to sign a form when selling or trading attesting to the fact the vehicle has never been involved in an accident.

Four: If the other driver received a citation his insurance company is "Jerking" you around. They are the ones that should be getting the accident report, not you.

Five: Tell the Insurance Company, NOT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY, you need to be reimbursed for lost wages since this was your primary means of transportation and they do not seem in a hurry to insure you are able to get too and from work.

Six: Tell the Insurance Company, NOT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY that if you have not heard from them by a certain date you are obtaining an Attorney.

 

[medicshawn]

I would go back to the police station and ask to speak to his supervisor. A basic accident report take 30 minutes to an hour to fill out including diagrams. If this involved multiple vehicles and fatalities that would be different but for a basic 2 car accident waiting a week is ridiculous.

 

[Diamondpilot]

As for the rental car goes I am a jerk about it. I had a F-150 Lightning that was hit by a city dump truck on a 8 lane road when he decided to go from the far left lane and turn into the mall on the right side. I was in the second to the right lane. Anyway he about ripped the bed off it. We called the police and his supervisor and they both came out and did a investigation and admitted it was the drivers fault.

I took it strait to the biggest/best body shop in town and got a estimate. The shop manager told me not to drive it because it had not tail lights from the damage. I called the supervisor and told him the situation and he put me in contact with the insurance company. The guy drove right over and looked at it himself and even gave me a ride back to work. He said he would have a car there in a hour or so. I thought all was good until they showed up with a Geo Metro. I told the rental car guy to take it back and bring me a truck of full size SUV. He left and 10 minutes later I got a call from the insurance agent. He said that was all he could give me. I said no, his client damaged my truck and there was no way in _____ I was driving a Metro. I said if I would have been in it when they hit me with a dump truck I would have been dead.

Anyway a few words were exchanged. He said I could not talk to him like that over the phone. I said fine, I would call a cab and be there in his office face to face in 20 minutes. I hung up and called a cab but before it showed he called back and said he was sending me a truck. They showed up with a S-10. I said no way again. Long story short I had a truck from Uhaul for 3 days until they could get me a Expedition for the nearly 3 weeks it was in the shop.

Moral is do not settle for something you do not want. You do not have too. I bought a full size truck and have driven nothing but since 1997 for a reason with the exception of the Saturn beater we have had for ever. I feel much safer in a large vehicle and where I live its a must to have 4 wheel drive and some times thats not enough.

Chris

 

[mojoinco]

1. Your insurance company is going to know you were in an accident sooner or later. The ban of the internet and open records laws. That's part of what makes Carfax work - and hungry credit reporting agencies (in reality, they mostly work on compiling and distributing public records, we mostly familiar with the marketing of consumer credit scores).

2. Get the accident report. It may suck that the insurance company isn't doing it -- wait, that's the other guys insurance company -- what are you thinking? That they are doing you a favor? Whose side are they on -- oh, the money side! Anyhow, having a copy of the accident report helps you when you make your claim (you know what is happening and can work on getting any errors corrected, or make sure you clear up any foggy bits in your report).

3. Many states require a separate accident report be filed within 10 days by each of the drivers in an accident. Usually available at most/any police station, they ask all the info that was in the original report made by the officer, plus your input.

4. Any suggestion by the kids dad that his car was 'stolen' -- make sure the kid pays for it in arrest and court costs. Might just make it go away and
back to car insurance.

5. If your insurance company charges you for the violation -- walk to another. Too many fish out there.

6. All of the above -- part of having a good & personal relationship with your insurance guy. I have mine on my cell. And other than speeding tickets (too dumb I guess) I don't have any claims (famous last words).

Good luck, no one is hurt (what really matters). Good time to buy a replacement SUV ($ wise).

 

[radioman]

again- why are YOU doing all the work? CALL your insurance company. they will handle A to Z of filing the claim, getting police report and giving you the money to get the car back on road or pay off the loan so you can go out and get another one. Let your insurance company handle the lawsuit. they will go after the other driver and get the money from them. They don't jerk each other off when it comes to documents and stuff. If YOUR insurance company wants the police report, they can get it and 25 bucks is cheap insurance for them to protect who they are covering and themselves. IF you try to handle everything yourself and keep your insurance out of it, chances are they gonna find out and DROP you!! Then the next thing you know you will be driving along on the road and police pull you over and you wonder why did they pull you over. The police will tell you you have no registration due to no insurance and they will get your car towed and pull the plates away from you and you will have to do everything from scratch by getting new plates, get insurance at a possibly higher rate due to higher risk, pay registrations fees again, and court fees for tickets for no insurance and registration and the towing fees.

IMHO- It's much cheaper to call your insurance company and tell them what happened and let thier adjustor come by and handle the paperwork. chances are your insurance will not go up due to its not your fault along with you still have coverage.

 

[dodge man]

I hate to say this, but if you get to a point you don't think you are being treated fairly, play hardball. I was rear ended once pretty bad and actually had some whip lash that bothered me for several weeks. I basically let the other persons insurance company know if they didn't give the high end of the fair value for my car, I would be seeking a personal injury lawyer. They will also want you to sign off on any injuries so you can't make any further claims. Make sure you are 100% sure you and your daughther are O.K. before you do this. I used to think the whip lash thing was a ploy until I experienced it, and you never know how long this stuff will bother you after the wreck. I actually got a few hundered dollars for "pain and suffering" after my wreck, and regreted taking it so early. I should have waited several months to make sure that I was goint to heal well.