Insurance Claim Help

[passing]

Originally Posted by WishBone33

Well my insurance company is Nationwide. I called their 1-800 # to make my claim because I didn't know that I had the option of not involving my insurance company. Like i said, this is my first accident, I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I just assumed that your supposed to call your insurance company anytime your involved in an accident, whether its your fault or not. Even the police officer told me to contact my insurance company. I still haven't received any calls from my personal insurance agent. I don't even know if she knows that I was involved in an accident. The lady that did contact me was calling from another city about 2 hours away. The guy who hit me, had insurance through Liberty Mutual but he couldn't come up with any valid proof of insurance. He produced an insurance card but it was expired, and he tried to call his insurance company to speak to the officer to prove his insurance was valid but it was after hours on a weekend so no one was answering the call, so the police officer just typed up all his info and gave it to me and told me I was free to leave and he would stay with the guy until everything was figured out so I left. I don't know if he was given a ticket or not. Liberty Mutual has not contacted me either.

So, is it too late to stop the process of going through my insurance?

Should I go to my local Nationwide office and speak to my insurance agent since she hasn't contacted me at all?

When I go to meet with the adjustor, should I bring in estimates from other body shops so they don't try to low ball me?

big time face palm.

if you made a claim, you made a claim.

if the other driver doesn't have insurance, you're not getting any money back.

my suggestions?

1- get a new agent. your agent doesn't give a shit, and thats her job. when my clients have a claim, all they need to do is tell me where when who and what and the rest is handled by me. if you wan't to go visit, thats fine, but don't leave without telling her she hasn't earned your business on renewal.

2- pay your deductible, get your car fixed, and live like you are never going to see that money again.

3- find out of the other driver does have insurance. if so, nationwide will subrogate. im sure they would like to be reimbursed for fixing your car as well. if they recover, you will get your deductible back.

[Templar]

I agree with passing, at this point it's too late to go back.

I also think your agent obviously doesn't care about you. Like I said before, when I had my accident before, I called my insurance company and told them I had a claim. They put me in touch with my agent, and I told her what happened. That was it. Paid my deductible for my truck and that was that.

[passing]

Originally Posted by Templar

I agree with passing, at this point it's too late to go back.

I also think your agent obviously doesn't care about you. Like I said before, when I had my accident before, I called my insurance company and told them I had a claim. They put me in touch with my agent, and I told her what happened. That was it. Paid my deductible for my truck and that was that.

seriously considering starting that thread.

tired of the misconceptions of insurance and agents. bunch of haters!!!!

[Templar]

Originally Posted by passing

seriously considering starting that thread.

tired of the misconceptions of insurance and agents. bunch of haters!!!!

Yep. I mean there are always bad apples out there and unfortunately some of them slip through the cracks (just like in any job), but I've never had an issue with my insurance company. In fact, they've been nothing but extremely helpful.

And you should start up that thread. It could be a great resource. As the E9x series gets a bit older and a younger crowd starts getting into it, you'll have a much larger group of people with very limited experience in dealing with insurance claims.

[passing]

Originally Posted by Templar

Yep. I mean there are always bad apples out there and unfortunately some of them slip through the cracks (just like in any job), but I've never had an issue with my insurance company. In fact, they've been nothing but extremely helpful.

And you should start up that thread. It could be a great resource. As the E9x series gets a bit older and a younger crowd starts getting into it, you'll have a much larger group of people with very limited experience in dealing with insurance claims.

i hear ya. i know so many shitty agents that have brainwashed their clients.

i dont write personal lines insurance by choice, but i have to know about it. commercial lines is where the $$$ is.

[Maestro]

Op, even though you contacted your insurance company you still have the option to go directly with the other guys insurance. There is no requirement that you need to work through your own company. Like is said it is some times way easier to deal with your own agent than the other party, since they do some time attempt to get you to agree to things you do not want to do. However, your damage sound minor in all regard so the other company may choose just to write you a check and be done with it.

As someone said, try not to make any statement about what happen unless you are force to. Just simple say they other person hit you. which is true and in most states the person who front end hit another vehicle is usually at fault no matter way unless they can prove you broke the law, and going through a blinking yellow is not a violation, but again check the state law. The other good indications is did the officer issue you a ticket if not then you did not break any laws.

[passing]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Op, even though you contacted your insurance company you still have the option to go directly with the other guys insurance.

this is not true.... (depends on situation)

if the OP made a claim, he can close it but can not re open the same claim.

if the OP closes this claim, and can not recover under the other policy, he may not be able to recover damages at all.

check state laws and your policy language for this.

the smart thing to do would have been to put your carrier on notice.

[UncleWede]

I call and let my insurance know I MAY have a claim, but I don't file it initially. Then I call the others' company and open a claim.

Last time, the CAR was insured, but the DRIVER was excluded. My company told me if I filed with them they legally could NOT get my deductible back from the other insurance, I would have to handle that myself in small claims. But since the DRIVER was not insured, my eventual claim with my insurance was covered under un/derinsured clause and I had no deductible. My insurance was going to have to go after the DRIVER to recover.
I did my company (and probably the driver) a favor and decided I could ride my motorcycle for a few days while my tailgate was fixed, so I opted not to get a rental car for 80%.

[WishBone33]

I did not get a ticket. The officer stated the other party was at fault and the other party admitted he was at fault to both the officer and myself.

I will be changing insurance companies after this because I think there is clearly a lack of care on my insurance agent's part by not even checking up with me to see if there is anything she could do.

Like I said, this is my first accident. I didn't know what I should and should not do or what i could and couldn't do. I was never told i could claim from the other party's insurance. I was never told I could put my insurance company "on notice". I just figured I was supposed to call my insurance company and give them the other party's insurance info and they would handle everything for me. I guess this is a good learning experience for me.

[passing]

Originally Posted by WishBone33

I did not get a ticket. The officer stated the other party was at fault and the other party admitted he was at fault to both the officer and myself.

I will be changing insurance companies after this because I think there is clearly a lack of care on my insurance agent's part by not even checking up with me to see if there is anything she could do.

Like I said, this is my first accident. I didn't know what I should and should not do or what i could and couldn't do. I was never told i could claim from the other party's insurance. I was never told I could put my insurance company "on notice". I just figured I was supposed to call my insurance company and give them the other party's insurance info and they would handle everything for me. I guess this is a good learning experience for me.

never be afriad to ask... you didn't really do anything wrong, there are just other ways to handle these things. were you able to verify the standing of the other party's insurance? if so, you don't have much to worry about since your carrier will subrogate.

lesson to be learned:

1- always contact your agent FIRST.

[///Mperative]

Originally Posted by passing

the one point that really gets me going is that most people think insurance companies are around to steal your money and not pay claims.

heres the thing: you get what you pay for. i have no sympathy for those who purchased a named perils policy because they will never pay.

i only sell policies that cover any cause of loss unless specifically excluded.

+1. I'm a P&C agent as well and these threads never cease to amaze.

I love when you sell them the named peril policy because they're too cheap to get anything better. I try to explain why basic sucks compared to special, but they don't care. Then comes the claim and they're complaining about not being covered; then they try to put in an E&O claim against me...lol. I could write a book on all the nonsense I see everyday.

Bottom line: many people I deal with have unrealistic expectations when it comes to insurance. They want everything to be covered but don't want to pay anything for it.

To the OP, call your agent!

[passing]

Originally Posted by ///Mperative

+1. I'm a P&C agent as well and these threads never cease to amaze.

I love when you sell them the named peril policy because they're too cheap to get anything better. I try to explain why basic sucks compared to special, but they don't care. Then comes the claim and they're complaining about not being covered; then they try to put in an E&O claim against me...lol. I could write a book on all the nonsense I see everyday.

Bottom line: many people I deal with have unrealistic expectations when it comes to insurance. They want everything to be covered but don't want to pay anything for it.

To the OP, call your agent!

i refuse to sell a named perils policy (unless i am forced into Citizens and im sure you have heard the nightmares about them)

if someone wants named perils, x wind thats not in the wind pool, i send them elsewhere. i have never had an E&O claim and i dont plan on it.

[Hawkeye]

insurance is a rip off. I like to live dangerously.

[WishBone33]

Originally Posted by passing

i refuse to sell a named perils policy (unless i am forced into Citizens and im sure you have heard the nightmares about them)

if someone wants named perils, x wind thats not in the wind pool, i send them elsewhere. i have never had an E&O claim and i dont plan on it.

English please?? Lol. I have no idea what u two are talking about, but i'm assuming it's the insurance biz lingo? All i know is i have full coverage and i guess that includes rental car too.

I'm going to go to the police station tomorrow afternoon to get a copy of the final police report so I can see what happened to the other party. My insurance company hasn't contacted me except to set up an appointment to meet with their adjuster on Thursday and my agent still hasn't contacted me at all. I'm thinking about paying her a visit tomorrow after I pick up the police report to see if she has anything useful to add.

[passing]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

insurance is a rip off. I like to live dangerously.

is insurance really a rip off? tell me why you feel that way.

Originally Posted by WishBone33

English please?? Lol. I have no idea what u two are talking about, but i'm assuming it's the insurance biz lingo? All i know is i have full coverage and i guess that includes rental car too.

I'm going to go to the police station tomorrow afternoon to get a copy of the final police report so I can see what happened to the other party. My insurance company hasn't contacted me except to set up an appointment to meet with their adjuster on Thursday and my agent still hasn't contacted me at all. I'm thinking about paying her a visit tomorrow after I pick up the police report to see if she has anything useful to add.

dont ever speak with your agent again. tell your agent you would like to see her, and she should come to you. tell her kindly that you are disappointed with the way she has (or has not) handled your claim. thats the reason you have an agent. we are liaisons between you and the carrier.

[amanda hor$t]

Originally Posted by passing

is insurance really a rip off? tell me why you feel that way.

i hardly ever drive, my cars aren't worth that much on paper. i'd rather just insure myself. i'd rather save that $1000+ every year. can't sue me, i don't have that much money anyway.

insurance companies are some of the most successful businesses around.

[passing]

Originally Posted by veloziROTHTOR

i hardly ever drive, my cars aren't worth that much on paper. i'd rather just insure myself. i'd rather save that $1000+ every year. can't sue me, i don't have that much money anyway.

insurance companies are some of the most successful businesses around.

you better have a few hundred million to self insure. (probably a low estimate)

while successful, they suffer their share of hardships.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by passing

is insurance really a rip off? tell me why you feel that way.

No, just wondered what kind of response that would garner. I am an actuary actually, and I am consistently baffled by people who claim that it is all a rip off. They don't understand 1, how closely it is regulated or 2, what it actually takes to turn a profit.

[passing]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

No, just wondered what kind of response that would garner. I am an actuary actually, and I am consistently baffled by people who claim that it is all a rip off. They don't understand 1, how closely it is regulated or 2, what it actually takes to turn a profit.

i respect you, mr actuary. i dont know how you people do it.

i actually took a course on manual rate making. what a pain!!!!

[Baremeg55]

Originally Posted by CliffJumper

my insurance company actually recommended that I keep them out of it, and just deal w/ the other guy's company.

+1....

We just had a car totaled. Was the other party's fault. I only consulted my insurance company a few times. Basically, within an hour of the wreck, we had given our statement to the other party's insurance company. The client admitted fault. Had to wait about a week for all the dust to settle, they made a very considerate offer, we took it.

I would NOT go thru my insurance company, I would deal direct with the at fault party's insurance.

One note on the rental/loaner. You will receive (typically) an allowance per day, which will not equal that of the rental agency. Enterprise worked with us, substantially reduced their rate, we were out of pocket about $8 per day. State laws and coverages differ.