Car Accident/Insurance Question

[PrairieAir]

I was involved in a three car accident on June 19th. It was not my fault and the teen driver who was at fault was issued a citation. (It was a very cut and dried situation, too, since I was stopped and the other car, the one behind me that was hit first was slowing down for the stop light.) He was insured and I have spoken with his agent several times, faxed an estimate for the damages, etc. Today I called and the insurance office (agent is on vacation) says that they still have not been able to talk with their insured. They have spoken with his mom, left multiple messages (they say they've called every day) for him to get back with them, and they have never been able to reach him to hear his side of the story. He was not injured, so he isn't in the hospital or anything.

 

How long does this sort of thing usually take? When I asked that, they told me I could have repairs done through my insurance and then they would settle it with my insurance later. I would have to pay a deductible if I went through my insurance and I don't want to do that even if I would get it back later. (Who knows how long it would take to get that back?) The agent in charge of the claim seems nice enough, but the way she said a few things when she talked to me makes me suspicious. I don't think I'm normally a suspicious person, but I wonder if she is just putting me off.

 

I have never been in an accident before. What should I expect?

[Margo out of lurking]

This is what you should be paying your insurance company to handle for you. You shouldn't need to talk to anyone about anything, except for your insurance company. Because it's not your fault, you will not have to pay a deductible.

 

Remember that the other insurance company is working for him, and working (first of all!) to protect itself. It's not going to go out of its way for YOU. I wouldn't even be discussing anything with his insurance company that I wouldn't be required to legally.

 

I've been in one accident that was my fault; dh was in an accident that wasn't his fault. Neither time did we ever have any reason to talk to the other party. I do believe we gave a brief (recorded) telephone statement to the other party's insurance company, but that's it.

 

Really, this is what you pay your insurance company to do for you!

 

:)

[Hillary in KS]

My dh was the middle car in a 3 car accident several years ago. We stopped talking to the insurance company of the "at-fault" driver early on.

 

Call your agent, and have them to all the haggling with the other company. If you get a call from the at-fault driver's company, politely give them your agent's phone number and request that all communication go through them. You have been more than patient.

 

In our situation, we did pay the deductible, and then it was refunded back. Our insurer decided to fix our car, and then go after the at-fault driver's insurance themselves.

 

Be sure to get a copy of the police report!

[JFSinIL]

Yes, let YOUR insurance company handle all this. It is part of what they are paid to do. You will get any deductible back someday - if you have to pay any at all. since a police report would clearly show that YOU are not at fault.

[Lolly]

Just went through the accident thing myself. I notified my insurance about the accident. I had a check within one week for the value of the car. It was totalled. They are dealing with the other insurance company who had oh so politely informed me that they were unable to issue me a check for my car until the investigation was completed. It still hasn't been completed 4 months later.

[PrairieAir]

Thanks ladies. This is what dh said tonight as well. I'll be calling my insurance company tomorrow.

 

I did call my insurance company immediately after the accident, but they told me that they couldn't do anything and that I would have to deal with the other company unless I wanted to go through my insurance and pay the deductible. Our old agent retired a year ago and all of the old staff is gone as well. I'm not sure whether I talked to an agent or a receptionist. The main agent has been wonderful to deal with, but I've dealt with a screwball or two at that office since the change over, too. I wrote a blog post about the guy who suggested I buy life insurance for ds as soon as I told them that ds planned to go into the Marines. I let him off way too easy for that.

[sandellie4]

We went through this, almost the exact same scario, too, with three cars involved and a teen clearly at fault. Our insurance agent (State Farm) wasn't helpful at all. She just gave us numbers to call to the main office who put us off as much or more than the teen's insurance company did. I was really frustrated that it was such a hassle when we had insurance, had never had an accident before, and it wasn't even our fault. Sandy