car insurance issue

[lulubelle]

So, I got into a fender bender several days ago. It was not my fault at all. When it happened another time, I was told by my insurance company it would be quicker to go through the other person's insurance. I think the other insurance company could come out sooner to look at the damage, so that's what we did. We had no trouble at all with that. So, this time my insurance company told me something similar. Since the other person was 100% at fault, the other person's insurance would pay fully for a rental while my car got fixed and I wouldn't have to pay my $300 deductible. So, I called the other person's insurance and they said that is not how things are done. It was really unpleasant. I had my husband call them too and he spoke to someone who said my insurance was bulls*** and we should switch insurance companies. I was done dealing with it all and I just told my insurance person to process the claim I had already set up (she froze it while I tried to deal with the other person's insurance). Who should I trust? Anyone know? 

[almondbutterandjelly]

My dh has been rear ended twice.  He talked to our insurance company, and they dealt with the other insurance company.  The other people/insurance paid for everything, including a rental.

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

You should never speak to someone else’s insurance company, only your own unless instructed to by your attorney.  Your insurance should be going after the other driver’s insurance company to get your rental covered and car fixed.  

[theelfqueen]

Your insurance company should do all the dealing with the other insurance company. You should only ever talk to your own insurance. 

[rebcoola]

We are talking to the other company but that's after the person and her company accepted fault.  

[catz]

We have had 2 vehicles totaled in the past several years and both times it was fully someone else's fault.  Our insurance company did all the dealing to get the money out of the other insurance company.  At some point, that other insurance company contacted us for coordination but our insurance did all the initial dealings.  

It seems very unlikely to me your insurance company is going to pay without due diligence.

Edited May 11, 2022 by catz

[Bootsie]

We have gone through our insurance company and let them deal with the other insurance company.  I did have one time that I was rear ended and by the time I got to my destination, the insurance company of the person who hit me was calling me to take care of the claim.  I can' remember if I went through my insurance at that point, but I wasn't the one who contacted the other insurance company.  

[Tap]

We used to own and agency. Only talk to your own agency for litigious reasons. Even if she accepted fault, the insurance agency can still try to fight that you were partially or fully to blame. 

[plansrme]

I'll be the dissenting voice here. I had a car that was hit 5 times in 4 years. None were my fault, and I never dealt with my own insurance. I always dealt with the other driver's. I always got a fully-paid rental (and I made them upgrade me to a minivan because that is what I drove and what their insured hit) and 100% coverage of my repairs. I never paid out-of-pocket for anything; I just used rental agencies and a car repair place on their approved list. My then-16 yo was rear-ended by a grandma who was texting while driving, and we did the same for her except that I had to give her my car and I drove the rental because no one would rent to a 16 yo. So 6 accidents, same process.

[Katy]

This depends on what state you are in, but generally it sounds like your agent is lazy and doesn’t want to do it. Call her or call your own insurance claims if you wish, but if the other company won’t handle it the next thing I would do is tell YOUR agent to handle it or you’ll be calling an attorney because her negligence seems to be approaching fraud. 

[Scarlett]

 

4 hours ago, lulubelle said:

So, I got into a fender bender several days ago. It was not my fault at all. When it happened another time, I was told by my insurance company it would be quicker to go through the other person's insurance. I think the other insurance company could come out sooner to look at the damage, so that's what we did. We had no trouble at all with that. So, this time my insurance company told me something similar. Since the other person was 100% at fault, the other person's insurance would pay fully for a rental while my car got fixed and I wouldn't have to pay my $300 deductible. So, I called the other person's insurance and they said that is not how things are done. It was really unpleasant. I had my husband call them too and he spoke to someone who said my insurance was bulls*** and we should switch insurance companies. I was done dealing with it all and I just told my insurance person to process the claim I had already set up (she froze it while I tried to deal with the other person's insurance). Who should I trust? Anyone know? 

Who are the two insurance companies? 
has the at fault company accepted liability ?

Edited May 11, 2022 by Scarlett

[gardenmom5]

4 hours ago, lulubelle said:

So, I got into a fender bender several days ago. It was not my fault at all. When it happened another time, I was told by my insurance company it would be quicker to go through the other person's insurance. I think the other insurance company could come out sooner to look at the damage, so that's what we did. We had no trouble at all with that. So, this time my insurance company told me something similar. Since the other person was 100% at fault, the other person's insurance would pay fully for a rental while my car got fixed and I wouldn't have to pay my $300 deductible. So, I called the other person's insurance and they said that is not how things are done. It was really unpleasant. I had my husband call them too and he spoke to someone who said my insurance was bulls*** and we should switch insurance companies. I was done dealing with it all and I just told my insurance person to process the claim I had already set up (she froze it while I tried to deal with the other person's insurance). Who should I trust? Anyone know? 

were the police called?   file a police report.

It doesn't matter what your insurance company or  other insurance companies do - this person's insurance company is dragging things  out.  They will likely try to minimize their payout.  You pay your insurance company to go to bat for you in situations like this - and they should.

The worst scenario is when both parties have the same insurance company.  I had to sue my insurance company - it's always a good day when their counsel ticks off the judge . . . 

[Scarlett]

3 hours ago, plansrme said:

I'll be the dissenting voice here. I had a car that was hit 5 times in 4 years. None were my fault, and I never dealt with my own insurance. I always dealt with the other driver's. I always got a fully-paid rental (and I made them upgrade me to a minivan because that is what I drove and what their insured hit) and 100% coverage of my repairs. I never paid out-of-pocket for anything; I just used rental agencies and a car repair place on their approved list. My then-16 yo was rear-ended by a grandma who was texting while driving, and we did the same for her except that I had to give her my car and I drove the rental because no one would rent to a 16 yo. So 6 accidents, same process.

In my state they can’t dictate what repair facility you use. 
 

I agree with your post though… should be no reason to speak with your own insurance unless the at fault won’t accept liability. 

[Forget-Me-Not]

4 hours ago, plansrme said:

I'll be the dissenting voice here. I had a car that was hit 5 times in 4 years. None were my fault, and I never dealt with my own insurance. I always dealt with the other driver's. I always got a fully-paid rental (and I made them upgrade me to a minivan because that is what I drove and what their insured hit) and 100% coverage of my repairs. I never paid out-of-pocket for anything; I just used rental agencies and a car repair place on their approved list. My then-16 yo was rear-ended by a grandma who was texting while driving, and we did the same for her except that I had to give her my car and I drove the rental because no one would rent to a 16 yo. So 6 accidents, same process.

I was very mildly rear-ended back in the fall, and my insurance company basically told me the same thing. They looked up the adjuster for the other party’s insurance, gave the info to me, and basically said “good luck” unless I wanted to pay my deductible and hope I got it back at some point. I was not thrilled by this. The last time I’d been involved in an accident (18 yrs ago, and another rear-ending that was not my fault) this same insurance company handled everything for me and even got a reimbursement for a car seat replacement out ASAP. I’m not sure what changed, except time and I’m now in a different state. It irked me enough that I’m considering shopping for new car insurance. 

[AnotherNewName]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

In my state they can’t dictate what repair facility you use. 
 

I agree with your post though… should be no reason to speak with your own insurance unless the at fault won’t accept liability. 

In most states they can't dictate who you use, but they often can provide a list of facilities who do business with them directly.  This can come in handy if additional damage is discovered during the repair process which was not readily obvious to the adjuster, or if there are unforeseen delays which require a longer repair time/use of a rental car.

[cjzimmer1]

I've never heard of contacting the other insurance company.  It's always been "call your own insurance company".  Let them fight it out on your behalf.  Yes we had to pay our deductible up front for repairs but then depending on how "at fault" was determined we got a check back for either half or our whole deductible.  

[Scarlett]

3 hours ago, AnotherNewName said:

In most states they can't dictate who you use, but they often can provide a list of facilities who do business with them directly.  This can come in handy if additional damage is discovered during the repair process which was not readily obvious to the adjuster, or if there are unforeseen delays which require a longer repair time/use of a rental car.

Any shop can do all those things. In my state it is illegal for insurance companies to steer their insured or claimant to a preferred shop.  

[Scarlett]

3 hours ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

I was very mildly rear-ended back in the fall, and my insurance company basically told me the same thing. They looked up the adjuster for the other party’s insurance, gave the info to me, and basically said “good luck” unless I wanted to pay my deductible and hope I got it back at some point. I was not thrilled by this. The last time I’d been involved in an accident (18 yrs ago, and another rear-ending that was not my fault) this same insurance company handled everything for me and even got a reimbursement for a car seat replacement out ASAP. I’m not sure what changed, except time and I’m now in a different state. It irked me enough that I’m considering shopping for new car insurance. 

I am not understanding why it is a problem to deal with the at fault insurance directly. It is much easier to not have to worry about paying your deductible.

[Scarlett]

10 hours ago, lulubelle said:

So, I got into a fender bender several days ago. It was not my fault at all. When it happened another time, I was told by my insurance company it would be quicker to go through the other person's insurance. I think the other insurance company could come out sooner to look at the damage, so that's what we did. We had no trouble at all with that. So, this time my insurance company told me something similar. Since the other person was 100% at fault, the other person's insurance would pay fully for a rental while my car got fixed and I wouldn't have to pay my $300 deductible. So, I called the other person's insurance and they said that is not how things are done. It was really unpleasant. I had my husband call them too and he spoke to someone who said my insurance was bulls*** and we should switch insurance companies. I was done dealing with it all and I just told my insurance person to process the claim I had already set up (she froze it while I tried to deal with the other person's insurance). Who should I trust? Anyone know? 

Several days is not very long in processing a claim.  I am still not clear on what they are telling you.  

[Forget-Me-Not]

39 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I am not understanding why it is a problem to deal with the at fault insurance directly. It is much easier to not have to worry about paying your deductible.

Honestly in this case it wasn’t hard. They were responsive, took responsibility quickly, and paid the for the damage and a rental car with zero problems. I’m just unclear as to why my own insurance company made me do all the calling/handling of things. 

[Scarlett]

9 minutes ago, Forget-Me-Not said:

Honestly in this case it wasn’t hard. They were responsive, took responsibility quickly, and paid the for the damage and a rental car with zero problems. I’m just unclear as to why my own insurance company made me do all the calling/handling of things. 

That is the way it works in my state.  I think the reasoning is your claim is with the at fault insurance not your insurance.  They will step in and help you if the at fault is a terrible insurance or they won’t accept liability.   

[Ellie]

And this is why we always get an attorney. Shouldn't have to, but it is what it is.  In any case, before we learned about getting an attorney, we never spoke to the other insurance company, only our own.

[lulubelle]

I will say my biggest mistake was not calling the police at the time. The woman got out of her car and acted like it was no big deal and I got the impression she was going to just drive away. She did not, but I put all my energy into getting her information. I was so glad she had taken a picture of her license with her phone and then sent it to me right then and there. I was so focused on making sure she gave me her information, I never gave her mine! I sent it to her the next morning. 
 

I can at least make this a learning lesson for me and my teen drivers. I typed up a list of directions to follow in case of an accident to put in the glove box. First thing, call the police!

I still have no idea if she told her insurance that she was 100% at fault. She told me in a text yesterday that she was turning into a side street to turn around for gas (that she saw behind her). I’m just not sure she realized she was turning right into the street from the left lane (it was a 2 lane road in the direction we were going). I was in the right lane. She was completely unfamiliar with the area. She even texted me the next day asking the road and the town that it happened.

Always best to call police!

[JustEm]

With the update, you're going to have to get your insurance involved. Even if she tells her insurance she was completely at fault they likely won't want to accept that since there is no police report. The 2 companies will have to fight it out.

I got rear ended once while waiting to turn right. My car was absolutely fine but the other car had a smashed in headlight. He was so convincing that he knew it was 100% his fault and that he'd take responsibility so there was no need to call the police. He gave me all his info. But I still called the police. The next day I get a call from my insurance company telling me he was claiming it was my fault but his company already sided with me because of the police report

[Scarlett]

26 minutes ago, lulubelle said:

I will say my biggest mistake was not calling the police at the time. The woman got out of her car and acted like it was no big deal and I got the impression she was going to just drive away. She did not, but I put all my energy into getting her information. I was so glad she had taken a picture of her license with her phone and then sent it to me right then and there. I was so focused on making sure she gave me her information, I never gave her mine! I sent it to her the next morning. 
 

I can at least make this a learning lesson for me and my teen drivers. I typed up a list of directions to follow in case of an accident to put in the glove box. First thing, call the police!

I still have no idea if she told her insurance that she was 100% at fault. She told me in a text yesterday that she was turning into a side street to turn around for gas (that she saw behind her). I’m just not sure she realized she was turning right into the street from the left lane (it was a 2 lane road in the direction we were going). I was in the right lane. She was completely unfamiliar with the area. She even texted me the next day asking the road and the town that it happened.

Always best to call police!

I have asked several times and if you don’t want to answer that is fine……but has her insurance accepted liability?  What is her insurance company telling you ? What two insurance companies are involved. I deal with this stuff very day at work.  

[Scarlett]

21 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

With the update, you're going to have to get your insurance involved. Even if she tells her insurance she was completely at fault they likely won't want to accept that since there is no police report. The 2 companies will have to fight it out.

I got rear ended once while waiting to turn right. My car was absolutely fine but the other car had a smashed in headlight. He was so convincing that he knew it was 100% his fault and that he'd take responsibility so there was no need to call the police. He gave me all his info. But I still called the police. The next day I get a call from my insurance company telling me he was claiming it was my fault but his company already sided with me because of the police report

Well, the police report and the fact that it as a rear end accident.  

[JustEm]

36 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Well, the police report and the fact that it as a rear end accident.  

Well because it was at a turn it wasn't apparent that the damage was from a rear end because he hit me with the front side of his car. He tried to claim that the accident was else where and I merged into him.

[lulubelle]

Right, my damage was at the driver's side front corner and front side. Her damage is her passenger side (I believe both doors). She actually denied fault to me in text today. I'm almost positive she didn't know there were 2 lanes. There is absolutely no room to the right of the right lane. I could not have been anywhere else. Logistically, she had to have been coming from the left lane. If I was directly behind her, I would have had damage to my mid front or passenger front corner. 

Sorry Scarlett, her insurance has not contacted me. I have heard nothing from them. She has not gotten back to my insurance. My insurance company said that alone speaks volumes. My insurance is Liberty Mutual. Hers is called Hanover Insurance, which may be a small local shop in MA.

 

[JFSinIL]

On 5/11/2022 at 10:56 AM, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

You should never speak to someone else’s insurance company, only your own unless instructed to by your attorney.  Your insurance should be going after the other driver’s insurance company to get your rental covered and car fixed.  

This. It is part of what you re paying them to do - handle the claims etc when someone hits you!

[Scarlett]

10 hours ago, lulubelle said:

Right, my damage was at the driver's side front corner and front side. Her damage is her passenger side (I believe both doors). She actually denied fault to me in text today. I'm almost positive she didn't know there were 2 lanes. There is absolutely no room to the right of the right lane. I could not have been anywhere else. Logistically, she had to have been coming from the left lane. If I was directly behind her, I would have had damage to my mid front or passenger front corner. 

Sorry Scarlett, her insurance has not contacted me. I have heard nothing from them. She has not gotten back to my insurance. My insurance company said that alone speaks volumes. My insurance is Liberty Mutual. Hers is called Hanover Insurance, which may be a small local shop in MA.

 

You said you have her insurance info.  Call her insurance.  Start a claim. If you have a police report which states the other party was at fault send it to her insurance.