Will this look like insurance fraud?

by Guest » Tue Jan 06, 2009 09:27 am
Guest

My car was backed into a few over a year ago and the other guys insurance appraised the damages and wrote me a check that day. I got the car fixed by my own guy for a little cheaper and made about a hundred bucks outta the deal. This week my car was backed into again and the motorist drove away. The damage to the front of my car was exactly the same as the previous incident but this time it pushed my car back against a curb causing damage to the rear body kit as well. My car sits very low which is probably why people in larger vehicles back in to me. I know this was a larger truck or SUV because it scraped the exact same spot on my front bumper and hood. If I submit a claim to my insurance is it going to look like im submitting for the same damages that were paid for over a year ago just to make more money off of the deal. Or can they look back at the other insurance companies photos or something to see that the damages were slightly different, because if they read a description of the damages from before it will match the present damage. Will this even be an issue? I dont know how it works.

Total Comments: 10

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 11:33 am Post Subject:

Hi Spudmunny, IMO you shouldn't face problem with your claim. If you are asked by the adjuster about past claims, answered him/her truthfully. The claim adjusters are skilled to differentiate an old damage from the new one.

Its not a fraud to repair the car at lower cost and pocket the difference. Once the claim has been paid by the insurance company the money belongs to the claimant.

You should go ahead and file the claim with your insurer, the past claim shouldn't affect its proceeding.

~Jeremy

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 02:02 pm Post Subject:

I agree with Jeremy.During the first accident the insurer appraised the damages and you received what was the going market value to get the damages repaired.If you managed to get it repaired at a lesser cost , then you just got a good bargain.It doesn't mean you cheated the guy or the insurance company ,which independently appraised it. You might be asked to explain the previous accident when you submit a claim , but I don't see how it will have any bearing on your claim after you have clarified it.Either way,no harm in trying when your's is a genuine claim.

Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 07:17 pm Post Subject:

Will this even be an issue? I dont know how it works.

There should not be an issue since you said you repaired this prior damage...they (the adjuster/appraiser) can tell the difference (immediately) between new and 'few years old' damage..if they are unsure that you had that damage repaired they only have to contact the shop that fixed it, or the carrier that paid you and pull those photos...now, if you did not fix it....different story...you'll be fine, file your claim

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 11:58 am Post Subject:

Hi Lori!

Unicorn has mentioned some where that the OP would need to explain his first accident while filing for this claim.

Do you have any idea of what kinda explanation it could actually be!

Is there anything else that he'd need to mention?

anonymous00

Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 09:55 pm Post Subject:

Unicorn has mentioned some where that the OP would need to explain his first accident while filing for this claim.

not necessarily unless asked...if his carrier paid for the prior claim, then they already know...they may ask if he's had another accident, if so who paid for it and was the vehicle repaired? that's about it...the OP says it was repair so it's a moot point...unless the repair was substandard and in some was inhibits this new repair..

Do you have any idea of what kinda explanation it could actually be!

Only the truth.

Is there anything else that he'd need to mention?


no not unless there is a question if it really was repaired, when the appraiser looks at it they will know if there is prior damage or not, and if so that would NOT be a good time to lie about it... :wink:

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 06:53 am Post Subject:

Unicorn has mentioned some where that the OP would need to explain his first accident while filing for this claim.



not necessarily unless asked



Hey Lori, why wouldn't the claimant solicit the information before the adjuster asks him about it? Wouldn't it be considered as misrepresentation of facts? or are you fearing that the adjuster might try to lowball the claim by counting some damages as prior ones?

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 12:52 pm Post Subject:

Hey Lori, why wouldn't the claimant solicit the information before the adjuster asks him about it?

Because it does not pertain at all to this accident...

Wouldn't it be considered as misrepresentation of facts?

not unless they ask, 'have you ever had a impact to this area? or has this vehicle been in another accident before and the claimant said ''no'' that would be just plain out lying...

or are you fearing that the adjuster might try to lowball the claim by counting some damages as prior ones?

Well he says he repaired it all before this hit...it that is true no issue, if that is not true and there is still damage there, of any kind, the adjuster should catch that damage on her/his own....and if some prior damage is there then of course they are not entitled to it...I just think you give the information ask and leave it alone, unless by leaving it alone you are lying by ommission.

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 02:12 pm Post Subject:

Spudmunny,

If there is a question, just show them the Bill you recieved from the body shop that did the previous repair.

FK

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 05:42 am Post Subject:

not unless they ask, 'have you ever had a impact to this area? or has this vehicle been in another accident before and the claimant said ''no'' that would be just plain out lying.



Isn't this the most likely question that the adjuster is going to ask you? It would give him/her certain chances to relate some of the damages to the prior accident. I'm not saying that he would do it intentionally to lowball the claim, but it seems obvious that the adjuster will try to find out about the accident history of the vehicle.

Is it possible lori that the adjuster will look into the damages and write a check without even asking a single question about the past damages?

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 05:22 pm Post Subject:

If there is a question, just show them the Bill you recieved from the body shop that did the previous repair

Show them the 'paid in full'...bill :wink: NOT an estimate of repair... :wink:

Isn't this the most likely question that the adjuster is going to ask you? It would give him/her certain chances to relate some of the damages to the prior accident. I'm not saying that he would do it intentionally to lowball the claim, but it seems obvious that the adjuster will try to find out about the accident history of the vehicle.

You'd be surprised, what some adjusters 'don't' ask Jeremy especially on a third party claim...

Is it possible lori that the adjuster will look into the damages and write a check without even asking a single question about the past damages?

You'd better believe it...especially company's that 'phone adjust' (have owner get a couple of pics and a couple of estimates)... :roll: I've seen claims over paid, for years by company's that operate this way...(and there are quite a few actually)..

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