My son got into a fenderbender a while back: he backed out of his parking spot at an appartment complex and tapped the car going by him. The car he hit sustained little damage...they weren't either one going very fast. I couldn't even see on our car where it contacted. The officer who showed up estimated about $500.00 worth of damage so they exchanged information and went on their ways. It wasn't until some time later I noticed a change in my insurance premium: they paid out a claim for several thousand dollars. When I contacted my agent, he said that "fee" was to recoup what the insurance company had to pay out. Apparently, the other driver took his car somewhere and had work done and billed my insurance. To my knowledge, my agent never saw the car, as per policy. But for me to have to pay back the insurance company for the claim seems ludicrist, to say the least!! But that's another subject. Don't get me started...
While talking to my agent, he said the best way to protect yourself in a situation like this it to keep a cheap disposable camera in your car. If, God forbid, you get into an accident, take a picture of your car, then a picture of the other car, then a picture of your car again...then another picture of the other car. This creates chronology: this is all the damage to either car. Then you should take pictures of anything and everything around... third party witnesses... the road conditions... you get the idea.

excon

Hello Captain:

If your question is, do I think insurance companies suck, the answer is yes.

excon

shygrneyzs

This almost sounds like fraud on the part of the person your son tapped into. How does $500.00 go to several thousand? Why didn't your insurance dispute this or ask for the police report or require estimates? And, as you say, why wasn't your agenct involved in this? As in, why wasn't he able to view the car and damage?

You are right about the camera - a good lesson.

Fr_Chuck

Yes there are alolt of fraud that happends every day, in many cases the other driver has other drivers who help cause it, I had one in Atlanta, this sweet looking grandma lady just stoped in the street real fast ( said there was a cat) after checking her records, this happens to her about every 3 weeks. But since you hit her in the rear, there is nothing that can be done.

But normally the actual insurance agent never sees any of the damage they use adjusters for that, some companies have thier own, many use contract adjusters.

And the insurance company basicly just raises your rates for having accidents, you agent was "joking" about it actually paying them back, it does not work that way. If you have tickets or accidents your rates just go higher. If he had told you that, you most likely would be shopping for insurance, by telling you that you had to pay it back , you beleive you now owe them the money.

No you don't pay them back, you merely have to pay higher rates due to an accident ( it is all in underwritng)
And yes someone , normally an adjuster will have looked at the car.
But again police officers don't know anything about body work, and if they had to paint part of one side of a car, and do a dent and a few scratches, it can be a couple thousand real easy

But the camer is a good idea, but with todays cell phones ( does anyone have one that is not a camera also?) .

CaptainRich

Like I said, I couldn't see anything on my car. and, yes, the cop couldn't estimate for a car wash... As far as rates are concerned, I live in Florida and ther seems to be some very different rules here for insurance. However, I have a different insurance carrier now.

CaptainRich

P.S. : see my posts about illegals and their lack of insurance needs....

CaptainRich

Define the difference between raising my insurance rates and paying them back?!?!?!?!
That's like my wife loaning me twenty bucks!!