Accident Help Needed

[Disneybuckeye]

Hello fellow budget friends! Sometime this weekend someone backed into DH's car and cracked the bumper, the grill, and put a huge dent in the hood (I believe it was an SUV with a tire in the back based on the dent imprint) of his Accord. His car is five years old and we do own it. We just switced insurance companies last year and have uninsured motorists coverage. My guess is it will be 2-3k out of pocket to fix as they hit it pretty good. Any thoughts as to how badly this will affect our insurance rated? If we turn it in and switch insurance companies again in a year becase our rates jump is that a bad thing? I just hate to out of pocket this expense, but I know DH would be so embarassed driving around with the car like this. What to do, what to do?

 

[IDoDis]

Uninsured motorist damage will not count against you. Your rates should not go up.

 

[micheleq]

Was it a hit and run? Was the car parked and someone hit it? Just need more details as to the circumstances.

If it's a hit and run, your insurance co. may not penalize you for it.

I went grocery shopping one night and came out to the parking lot with a dent in my front fender. It is technically a hit and run and my insurance co. does not hold that against me in my rates. I paid the deductable and they took care of the rest.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

I am assuming it was a hit and run. It may have happened when our son had it out at a restaurant the other night, or it may have happened in front of our house. Either way it happened when the car was parked somewhere. We did not notice it until this afternoon as DH was driving a different car as we have been taking kids back to college. DH is going to call our agent on Monday and see what he says.

 

[ancestry]

Usually your rates only go up if it you were in a moving vehicle accident that was your fault or that is determined to be your fault.

If your car was parked when the accident happened it should not raise your insurance rates.

 

[kellydizfan]

O.k. if it is like NY, your uninsured motorist coverage is not going to cover it. You will need collison coverage on the vehicle in order for the insurance to respond. You are liable for your deductible and it will not be charged as an at fault accident but it will go on you insurance record as a claim paid - the more you have the more likely they will cancel you - especially if you use it like a maintenance policy. Your uninsured motorist coverage is if you are injured in your vehicle and the other party doesn't carry any insurance, and you and your other passengers are severly injured, you can come back and sue your policy - after all other coverages are used, and it should respond. This is how it works in NY.

 

[Leajess99]

So sorry you had to deal with an inconsiderate driver. Your insurance should not go up for you having to make a claim against your uninsured motorist.

As for the driver that hit your vehicle and took off, I hope Karma hits them harder. Today I found the idiot parked next to me at cracker barrell backed out and scratched the side of my car. I just don't understand how these people can be so incosiderate. When my son scratched a car backing out we made him go in and find the driver and explain everything. The driver gave him a break but he knew he should have had to pay. I take responsibility for my actions as well. Ugh, sorry for the rant.

 

[Leajess99]

O.k. if it is like NY, your uninsured motorist coverage is not going to cover it. You will need collison coverage on the vehicle in order for the insurance to respond. You are liable for your deductible and it will not be charged as an at fault accident but it will go on you insurance record as a claim paid - the more you have the more likely they will cancel you - especially if you use it like a maintenance policy. Your uninsured motorist coverage is if you are injured in your vehicle and the other party doesn't carry any insurance, and you and your other passengers are severly injured, you can come back and sue your policy - after all other coverages are used, and it should respond. This is how it works in NY.

Uninsured motorist coverage is to cover all and not just injuries here in Ky. I know we had to use it a couple of years ago due to a drunk idiot who never should have been behind the wheel of the car he was driving as he had no license, insurance, and he had a stolen license plate on the vehicle since it had no registration. PIP had to cover the medical up to the maximum and the uninsured motorist covered repairs, settlement and whatnot.