yesterday really sucked... - Page 2

Luna Baby · #11 06-11-2012, 01:41 AM

Check your policy (it'll vary depending on 1-where you live and 2-if you actually chose the coverage), but you could have 1 of 2 additional coverages on your policy even with the "basic coverage". Uninsured motorist coverage and Underinsured motorist coverage. Check to see if either of those are available to you and if so, whether you opted for that coverage.

slipknotpsycho · #12 06-11-2012, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Quoth Luna Baby

Check your policy (it'll vary depending on 1-where you live and 2-if you actually chose the coverage), but you could have 1 of 2 additional coverages on your policy even with the "basic coverage". Uninsured motorist coverage and Underinsured motorist coverage. Check to see if either of those are available to you and if so, whether you opted for that coverage.

just checked my policy online, and i have the most bare bones policy. the only "extra" i have is like a 40 dollar limit of towing. gonna definitely shop around when my car is fixed/i get another...

Skeen · #13 06-11-2012, 06:06 PM

Holy crap, the same thing happened at my husband's job a few months ago. I am so sorry about your car, and ::hugs:: for sucky birthday.

slipknotpsycho · #14 06-19-2012, 06:09 AM

well i've got an update. i just checked the insurance website. they'd picked up my car a few days ago to inspect it to see how much it'd cost to fix. they say its a total loss, because the cost to fix it is more than the value of the car. i got that car in february of 2011, and paid a little over 5k for it. they say the damage is 2.3k, so they're really gonna screw us over on this. we won't get enough to get another car. hafta wait until next income tax time, and hope that hubbys grandmas car that we're using at the moment lasts until then.

Geek King · #15 06-19-2012, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Quoth slipknotpsycho

they say the damage is 2.3k, so they're really gonna screw us over on this.

Never blindly accept the insurance company's first offer.

Do some research. Just because the company says something doesn't make it so. Most states also have rules in place so you can contest rulings like that if they seem off.

You may also want to look up your state's laws on insurance companies negotiating in "Good Faith." Make sure the company you're working with are following the law.

slipknotpsycho · #16 06-20-2012, 05:39 AM

yea the general consensus from all my friends online and in person, is to fight them tooth and nail over this, or get screwed. i'm gonna do everything in my power to get this taken care of properly. its just sooo frustrating.

thanks for the advice, everyone ^_^ yall are a big help. i love this site!

slipknotpsycho · #17 06-21-2012, 11:22 PM

Ok, got a good update! They've decided to pay us $4,600 for our car, which isn't far off from what we paid a year ago. ^_^

bainsidhe · #18 06-22-2012, 12:10 AM

I'm so happy for you!

Out of curiosity, is paying for a rental being included as well? Because I'd push for them to pay for a rental until you get another car. A lot of insurers will pay for 30 days, for example.

I certainly question how they're suddenly willing to pay out *gasp* double the amount, especially when we're talking thousands of dollars. I'm glad you didn't accept their first offer. What an asshole of a company.

slipknotpsycho · #19 06-22-2012, 04:53 PM

it wasn't a matter of accepting their first offer. the offer of 4600 was the first we actually got. they're really slow on communicating, so i had looked on their website for my claim info. it listed that the car was a total loss, and then there was a link to the repair estimate, totaling 2311 or so. based on the other info on their site, thats how i figured they were barely going to pay us anything. their site mentions "if it costs more to repair the car than its worth, we will consider it a total loss".

i'm glad i didn't freak out as bad as i normally do, because this is at least a good amount of money. my husband had looked up the blue book value, and in its condition it would only be worth about 3800 at best. this is much better.

about the rental...my current insurance is only liability, and may or may not transfer over to a rental. nobody could tell me for sure. the dude who hit my car's insurance only covers the rental per day, not the insurance on the rental. for me to get full coverage and not be at risk of another freak accident, it would cost me 30 dollars a day, in addition to the one time deposit of 50 dollars.

we really don't have enough to cover that, and aside from that...the car they wanted to loan me (i got it for one day and then took it back) was a Mazda 6, and reaaaally shiny and pretty. i don't live in a shiny/pretty neighborhood, and don't trust the trashy neighbors across from us. they peel out at all hours, and nearly ran up into our yard while doing it once. not gonna risk a rental that i can't afford to pay for if it gets mangled.

oh and the insurance lady said, since the coverage issue is resolved, she could tell me what it was. the reason them accepting fault took so long, is they originally reported the wrong driver. they said the lady's hubby was driving, and she had her ex hubby on her policy still and he was excluded. it was her new hubby driving.

i'm just glad that all this is going to be over soon. now i'm just gonna keep an eye on the disturbance in the gulf, and hope the papers i have to sign/the check for the car, get here before any storm does.

wolfie · #20 06-28-2012, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Quoth slipknotpsycho

about the rental...my current insurance is only liability, and may or may not transfer over to a rental. nobody could tell me for sure. the dude who hit my car's insurance only covers the rental per day, not the insurance on the rental. for me to get full coverage and not be at risk of another freak accident, it would cost me 30 dollars a day, in addition to the one time deposit of 50 dollars.

we really don't have enough to cover that, and aside from that...the car they wanted to loan me (i got it for one day and then took it back) was a Mazda 6, and reaaaally shiny and pretty. i don't live in a shiny/pretty neighborhood, and don't trust the trashy neighbors across from us. they peel out at all hours, and nearly ran up into our yard while doing it once. not gonna risk a rental that i can't afford to pay for if it gets mangled.

Based on what happened when I got a Ford van extracted from the trunk of my previous car, rentals due to wrecks, and paid by insurance, are different from "I need a car on vacation" rentals.

First, insurance companies go to specific rental companies that cater to this market, and therefore specialize in somewhat longer terms. Typical with these companies is that instead of "must return with a full tank", they record the fuel level going out and coming back.

Second, the insurance on the rental car isn't paid separately - the insurance company and the rental company do some paperwork so that the rental car is actually covered under your policy (doesn't help if you have liability only).

As for the "shiny car/bad neighbourhood" issue, would it be possible to, when calling your insurance company to open the claim and get the rental, tell them that you live in a neighbourhood where new cars are targets? Ask if they can get you a rental from some place like Rent-a-Wreck that handles older cars which would blend in with the vehicle population in the neighbourhood.