by chavezcharger » Thu Mar 13, 2008 08:51 pm
Hi ,
My husband was backing out of a driveway and saw a truck coming down the street kind of fast. He decided to go up the driveway again to let the truck go through. Th etruck decided not to wait and squeezed themselves through anyway. He ended up scratching my rear bumper ( about half an inch) and doing some damage to his door. We called the police since he was being so dramatic saying we had hit him. The police said there was not enough damage to file a police report ( it has to be more thank $750 in damage ) We still exchanged info. He ende up reporting the " accident " to his and our insurance. The adjuster came out and took pictures of our vehicle. We tried renewing our insurance a year later and found out my husband was being held responsible for the accident.They paid the guys $1560 for damages. I cant believe they paid him that amount when the cops said it wasn't even 750 worth of damages to either vehicle. No one ever told us we were at fault. Now they are trying to make us pay $150 more a month for car insurance . Can they put you at fault without ever doing a proper investigation ?
My husband was backing out of a driveway and saw a truck coming down the street kind of fast. He decided to go up the driveway again to let the truck go through. Th etruck decided not to wait and squeezed themselves through anyway. He ended up scratching my rear bumper ( about half an inch) and doing some damage to his door. We called the police since he was being so dramatic saying we had hit him. The police said there was not enough damage to file a police report ( it has to be more thank $750 in damage ) We still exchanged info. He ende up reporting the " accident " to his and our insurance. The adjuster came out and took pictures of our vehicle. We tried renewing our insurance a year later and found out my husband was being held responsible for the accident.They paid the guys $1560 for damages. I cant believe they paid him that amount when the cops said it wasn't even 750 worth of damages to either vehicle. No one ever told us we were at fault. Now they are trying to make us pay $150 more a month for car insurance . Can they put you at fault without ever doing a proper investigation ?
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 12:09 am Post Subject:
Good evening chavezcharger, and welcome to the community...Well this sucks a year later huh?
I cant believe they paid him that amount when the cops said it wasn't even 750 worth of damages to either vehicle
First of all the cop is clearly not a body tech or appraiser...You don't say what the actual damage was, but I'm betting it creased his door, requiring a skin replacement then when you do that (most often) you then have to detrim the next door and blend it, if it was a rear door, maybe the 1/4 was blended as well, then requiring removal of the rear bumper cover, tail lamp, maybe even a 1/4 and back glass as well, it could've even been a tri-stage color, sending the cost to the moon...any door repair gets kind of high because of the detriming (you have to take everything off the door to refinish it and then put it back on)....No one ever told us we were at fault.
based on your accident discription your husband was at fault, (techinically he backed into traffic)...However, 'I" consider it inexcuseable that they didn't let you know at the time of the investigation that they were assuming liablity for the accident...all (really many) companies do not do this, (call the insured back and let them know the outcome of their investigation)....I personally find this, well 'chicken' (you know what), it's not a call any adjuster likes to make, but still should be made, my company requires it...and some states do as well..(you didn't mention your state, but you could check on line, or call your states Dept of Ins. consumer assistance to see if your state requires this in their 'fair claims practices law')...Now they are trying to make us pay $150 more a month for car insurance .
WOW 150 more PER MONTH???? Are you sure that's not per six months? and NOTHING else has changed? (meaning different cars/coverages etc?) This sound terribly high. Most 'at fault' accidents will generate a rate increase, but this sounds terribly high...Can they put you at fault without ever doing a proper investigation ?
No of course not, but what makes you think they didn't do a ''proper'' investigation? Honestly if I've understood your discription of the accident there wouldn't have had to be too much to learn...1)was your husband backing out of a drive way on to a thru stree?2) was the other vehicle driving down the street legally?
3) Was you husbands vehicle in the road way AT ALL?
4) Did the other vehicle while driving by get hit by your husbands vehicle?
5) the fact that the damage was to the door and not to the front bumper for instance indicates that the other vehicle got most of their car by your husbands before he backed into them..
I (clearly) agree your carrier should've let you all know at the time...I further think you need to check with your states DOI on this...and I certainly would be shopping for insurance if this 150 per MONTH is correct and only this accident as a reason for this HUGE increase...
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 03:07 am Post Subject:
I love cops, but this guy sounds like he didn't want the paperwork. Ever read the newspaper after a house fire. It'll state damages estimated by the fire department at 40K, when I would get out there I would find that it was over 100K.
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 03:22 am Post Subject: insurance
'Dasfuk'...are u an adjuster, of some kind? 'Lori'..I agree. That is a REALLY high 'jump', on payments. Gosh!! Some states are HORRIBLE, with the 'car insurance' thing. A friend of mine lives in New York and her driving record is spotless!! She is my age...40ish (LOL). Has a used car and pays an 'arm and a leg', just for Liability. I live in Pennsylvania and pay hardly anything, per month. I would be 'fighting' that, " $150.00 more a month" issue.
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 03:29 am Post Subject:
An adjuster in a prior life.
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:35 am Post Subject:
Location has a lot to do with rates...just like a house in my part of the world that sells for 100k is nearly a million in NY or CA....still were I the OP I'd be doin' me some insurance shoppin'! :lol:
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