I had an accident on the way to work today, so upset and budget buster! UPDATE PG.2

[traces7]

I'm so mad at myself! I got into a car accident on the way to work today and it was all my fault! And we really can't afford this right now.

I'm not even sure what happened. My tires got off into the gravel on the right side, I tried to correct and ended up on the left side of the road, then crossed back over to the right, went back and hit the ditch and ended up in a farm field. The car was still driveable, so I thought everything was ok and drove up the field, got out and looked and the whole front end is totally smashed, fog lights ripped off, undercarriage smashed up. The headlights and blinkers still work, so they let me drive it home. But, now I'm scared that it's not safe to drive. I work 25 miles from home. So, I'm at home now trying to decide what to do, can't get ahold of DH yet. My insurance company wants me to come to a drive in claim center, but they're pretty far from here and I'd have to miss more work, ughhh! Otherwise I could let it sit here at home and they'd come here and inspect it sometime this week, but then how do I get to work?

I'm so upset, I just want to cry! We're having money problems already as it is. Now we have this. I have a $500 deductible, so we'll have to come up with that. I wonder if they might total my car. It's a 2000 Chevy Malibu with 193,500 miles.

But, I suppose it could have been worse. The insurance claim operator told me about her sister who had something similar happened and ended up in ICU for 2 weeks. Yikes! Guess I'm lucky in that regard.

 

[princessnoelly]

I'm sorry this happened but at least you are physically ok.

 

[angierae]

I did the same thing, basically - overcorrected and spun out and slammed into the concrete divider on the freeway, then bounced all the way across to the other side of the free way. Luckily, no one hit me!

My insurance company paid for my rental car until they made a decision to total the car and paid me out my check - then I had 24 hours to find a new car or they wouldn't pay for the rental.

Luckily, the car was worth more than I owed on it, so the deductible didn't hurt - they just deducted it out of what they paid me. Since your car is a 2000, I'm going to assume it's paid off - so you shouldn't have to come up with the $500 OOP if they total it, they'll just give you $500 less.

I'm sorry this happened to you, and I'm glad you're okay. As my husband told me, it's only money, but people aren't replacable at any cost.

 

[traces7]

I did the same thing, basically - overcorrected and spun out and slammed into the concrete divider on the freeway, then bounced all the way across to the other side of the free way. Luckily, no one hit me!

My insurance company paid for my rental car until they made a decision to total the car and paid me out my check - then I had 24 hours to find a new car or they wouldn't pay for the rental.

Luckily, the car was worth more than I owed on it, so the deductible didn't hurt - they just deducted it out of what they paid me. Since your car is a 2000, I'm going to assume it's paid off - so you shouldn't have to come up with the $500 OOP if they total it, they'll just give you $500 less.

I'm sorry this happened to you, and I'm glad you're okay. As my husband told me, it's only money, but people aren't replacable at any cost.

Yes, the car is paid off and that's what they said - they'd just take the $500 deductible off whatever they give me. Did you have rental coverage on your policy? We don't. Also did your insurance rates go up because of the accident? Yes, I'm glad I'm ok. I'm still mad at my stupidness though!!!!

 

[scrapquitler]

So, I'm at home now trying to decide what to do, can't get ahold of DH yet. My insurance company wants me to come to a drive in claim center, but they're pretty far from here and I'd have to miss more work, ughhh! Otherwise I could let it sit here at home and they'd come here and inspect it sometime this week, but then how do I get to work?

I'm so upset, I just want to cry! We're having money problems already as it is. Now we have this. I have a $500 deductible, so we'll have to come up with that. I wonder if they might total my car. It's a 2000 Chevy Malibu with 193,500 miles.

But, I suppose it could have been worse. The insurance claim operator told me about her sister who had something similar happened and ended up in ICU for 2 weeks. Yikes! Guess I'm lucky in that regard.

Before you panic, get out your insurance policy paperwork and find out if you have coverage for a rental vehicle. At least if you have that, a rental will be paid for (or maybe just partly) while your car is repaired. I know that my policy has rental coverage, I thought that it is pretty standard but I'm not positive.

Then go to KBB.com to check out the value of your car. I just went and put in 2000 chevy malibu (I used my zip code, that might make a difference) 193K miles, good condition and it says that the value (private party sale) is about $2k. so that will determine if the damage is enough to 'total' the car.

Good Luck

 

[traces7]

Before you panic, get out your insurance policy paperwork and find out if you have coverage for a rental vehicle. At least if you have that, a rental will be paid for (or maybe just partly) while your car is repaired. I know that my policy has rental coverage, I thought that it is pretty standard but I'm not positive.

Then go to KBB.com to check out the value of your car. I just went and put in 2000 chevy malibu (I used my zip code, that might make a difference) 193K miles, good condition and it says that the value (private party sale) is about $2k. so that will determine if the damage is enough to 'total' the car.

Good Luck

No, I definitely don't have rental coverage on my policy. I'll check out the site for checking the value, thanks!

 

[angierae]

Yes, the car is paid off and that's what they said - they'd just take the $500 deductible off whatever they give me. Did you have rental coverage on your policy? We don't. Also did your insurance rates go up because of the accident? Yes, I'm glad I'm ok. I'm still mad at my stupidness though!!!!

Ah, yes, I did have rental coverage.

My rates also went up - by a LOT. But I wasn't ticketed in the accident, so when they told me my rates were going to go up the next time I had to renew my insurance, I switched companies. Progressive didn't care about the accident because they only asked about accidents in which I was ticketed. Since I wasn't ticketed, instead of having my rates go up to almost $200 a month (what State Farm wanted, after TEN YEARS of no claims), I'm now paying Progressive $85/month.

(And a few months after that when I was rear-ended and not at all at fault, Progressive paid for my rental and for $2000 worth of repairs to my car and our insurance didn't go up at all then, either, since the cops said it was 100% the other guy's fault.)

So my advice would be that if your rates do go up, shop around. A lot of companies won't care that you had a claim so long as you weren't ticketed.

 

[okeydokey]

With almost 200,000 mile son it, they will most likely total it. They will give you a check for the value of the car, minus the $500.

My husband just went through this with his 1999 CRV and they did total it. We just used that money as down payment on a Honda Civic. My DH would have rather had his old car back, but it wasn't up to us.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

So sorry this happened and I understand why you are upset. I know a girl here that happened to and the car ended up flipping and a passenger died, so please consider yourself very lucky and let go of your anger. I know sometimes financially it seems like when it rains it pours, but put your thinking cap on and see what you can come up with. Your car will probably be totaled. Do you have any relatives that have an extra car you can borrow for a while? Can you use bus service to get to work or pay someone to drive you? Good luck and glad you are ok.

 

[traces7]

Thanks everyone! I've been thinking that yes, I was lucky the car didn't flip, it could have easily happened and that would have been much worse! Going to wait til my DH gets home tonight and see what he says about the car. I'm not sure if I should be driving it, it drove home ok though. If it's driveable, I'll know tomorrow if they'll fix it or total it. If it's not driveable, it might be a couple days and I'll probably have to rent a car, we don't have busses, taxis, etc here in small town, southern WI. (I might be able to find someone's car to borrow though.)

 

[Belle0101]

Sorry for your accident. It's really good that you're okay though.

I don't how much you were bounced around but you might wake up stiff tomorrow. Maybe take some ibuprofen before bed just in case.

As far as the car goes, really do your homework. DH was rear ended in December, not his fault. The insurance company determined the car to be a total loss and told him what he would getting for it. It was $1500+ less than what he could buy that same model, make, year and approx. mileage of his wrecked car. He asked the adjuster for paperwork on how they came up with that figure and he could never supply it.

So DH got on Craigslist, CarsDirect, a couple other car buying sites and a local dealer. He printed out the ads for his same car. I think he printed out 10. He sent those to the adjuster and told him he would take the average of those.

Clearly the adjuster was not happy but he was able to get the money he felt was fair. He was able to get his exact car just a couple of weeks later.

I don't know that it would work for everyone but it's worth doing your homework and being persistent.

 

[a1tinkfans]

sorry about the accident but so very glad you are okay!
Hope you can muddle thru this okay with the Xtra car angst!

 

[traces7]

Sorry for your accident. It's really good that you're okay though.

I don't how much you were bounced around but you might wake up stiff tomorrow. Maybe take some ibuprofen before bed just in case.

As far as the car goes, really do your homework. DH was rear ended in December, not his fault. The insurance company determined the car to be a total loss and told him what he would getting for it. It was $1500+ less than what he could buy that same model, make, year and approx. mileage of his wrecked car. He asked the adjuster for paperwork on how they came up with that figure and he could never supply it.

So DH got on Craigslist, CarsDirect, a couple other car buying sites and a local dealer. He printed out the ads for his same car. I think he printed out 10. He sent those to the adjuster and told him he would take the average of those.

Clearly the adjuster was not happy but he was able to get the money he felt was fair. He was able to get his exact car just a couple of weeks later.

I don't know that it would work for everyone but it's worth doing your homework and being persistent.

I was bounced around a little I think, my glasses even flew off! My chest hurt at first where the seatbelt was, but now that's fine. My neck feels a little stiff already, I've been taking ibuprofen already. Hope it's not worse tomorrow! Thanks for the tip on watching what the insurance co. will give if the car is totaled. I'll do some research.

 

[ORDisneyfans]

Glad you are ok! Also if you have recently done any work on your car, you can submit those receipts too. My friend's car was totaled and she had recently put new tires and brakes on and they credited her for those too. Good Luck hope everything works out!

 

[scottmel]

I am so sorry that happened to you and know that gut sinking feeling of regret. This has nothing to do with the accident but maybe something to consider going forward.

To show you how naive I am, I thought when you had an accident with your car and it was totaled you got a new car just like the one you had! When I got my new car last year I paid a 50.00 a year policy that if I total my new car or it is stolen, whatever, I can have the car replaced at full value. I have a Volvo S80 so if something happens I get that car again - in the new model year. Now knock on wood I have never had an accident before but this gave me such peace of mind as a good friend of mine totaled a relatively new car in a year and got about 1/4 of what she paid for it....so I think this policy is awesome but is only good for the first 3 years you own your car. So something to think about!

 

[kathie859]

I am so sorry about the accident! These things always seem to happen when we can least afford them. OTOH, I am glad you weren't injured.

 

[iluveeyore]

I am so glad you are all right! I understand about things happening when we can't afford them - our 2008 car needs new brakes and we just planned a short trip to WDW with my sis and her hubbie, and then my son borrowed the car and ended up going too fast over a speed bump at his high school (it's really too high as I've avoided it before), and he bent the radiator and it had to be replaced. It cost $540, so no point going through insurance with a $800 deductible. And he doesn't have a job to help with the bill! No fun at all. But we're still going, just buying groceries now instead of eating out!

 

[disneybound31]

I am so sorry that happened to you and know that gut sinking feeling of regret. This has nothing to do with the accident but maybe something to consider going forward.

To show you how naive I am, I thought when you had an accident with your car and it was totaled you got a new car just like the one you had! When I got my new car last year I paid a 50.00 a year policy that if I total my new car or it is stolen, whatever, I can have the car replaced at full value. I have a Volvo S80 so if something happens I get that car again - in the new model year. Now knock on wood I have never had an accident before but this gave me such peace of mind as a good friend of mine totaled a relatively new car in a year and got about 1/4 of what she paid for it....so I think this policy is awesome but is only good for the first 3 years you own your car. So something to think about!

That's pretty cool- I also have an S80 and even tho she's almost 10 years old (2002) I still love her! I looked the other day to see what a newer S80 would be if this one bites the dust (she has 130k and is getting pretty banged up on the inside)...I can't even get into a 2007 S80 for less than $24k!!! A used 2010 is more than $42k!!!! Shocking.

Sure hope mine goes another 100k...

 

[traces7]

Another question for everyone:
How long does it usually take after you've had an accident for your insurance company to inspect your car and let you know what will happen next?

We have Allstate and I could either let the car sit here all week and they'll show up sometime and look at it (in the meantime I'd have to find another car to drive). Or I could drive 35 miles to the nearest drive in claim center and get it inspected today (the day after my accident). I chose this option because it seemed faster.

But, now I'm a little worried about driving it that far. I didn't go to work again today, because I work 25 miles away and in the opposite direction.

Do most insurance companies work this way? How fast do they normally come and check out your vehicle? Maybe someday we'll consider switching insurance companies if some other company has a better claim history.

Thanks again!

 

[angierae]

Another question for everyone:
How long does it usually take after you've had an accident for your insurance company to inspect your car and let you know what will happen next?

We have Allstate and I could either let the car sit here all week and they'll show up sometime and look at it (in the meantime I'd have to find another car to drive). Or I could drive 35 miles to the nearest drive in claim center and get it inspected today (the day after my accident). I chose this option because it seemed faster.

But, now I'm a little worried about driving it that far. I didn't go to work again today, because I work 25 miles away and in the opposite direction.

Do most insurance companies work this way? How fast do they normally come and check out your vehicle? Maybe someday we'll consider switching insurance companies if some other company has a better claim history.

Thanks again!

When I totalled my car it had to be towed. State Farm gave me a list of authorized repair places, and I picked one. I dno't remember how long it took for them to go look at it, but I know the accident was on a Sunday and I had a check in my hands the following Monday (8 days).

The second accident was with Progressive, and I took it to their drive-in claim center and I had it back in about ten days or so. So even when they had to go out and look at it, it took less than a week - I knew by Friday they were going to total it.