OT: geico claims question?

[snoopy5386]

So today I got into a stupid accident - backed into someone else's parked car while backing out of a parking space. Believe it or not I did the same thing last year! I'm trying to figure out if it is "worth it" to report the accident to my insurance company Geico or just pay for the damages out of pocket. Last time I did report and my insurance went up by 20% (it was my first accident with them). I want to know if I report again, will my insurance go up by 20% again or more? Anyone know? Anyone work for Geico or another insurance company?
Can I call and ask them without reporting the claim?

 

[Luvchefmic]

So today I got into a stupid accident - backed into someone else's parked car while backing out of a parking space. Believe it or not I did the same thing last year! I'm trying to figure out if it is "worth it" to report the accident to my insurance company Geico or just pay for the damages out of pocket. Last time I did report and my insurance went up by 20% (it was my first accident with them). I want to know if I report again, will my insurance go up by 20% again or more? Anyone know? Anyone work for Geico or another insurance company?
Can I call and ask them without reporting the claim?

I don't work for an insurance co & don't have Geico but are you asking about the repairs to be made to the parked car you hit or your car or both ?

 

[snoopy5386]

just the car I hit. My car has a broken taillight cover - a new one will cost $60 so wayyyy under my $500 deductible.

 

[bumbershoot]

I imagine this is a question best answered by the other person's mechanic...so you know what the cost might be.

Though, wait...I always think of this situation from my own past, where I had geico and the lady that hit me (backed her ancient Suburban out right into my parked Beetle) had geico, so when I reported it to my insurance, it got reported to hers as well.

If you guys have different companies...but no, when she reports it to her insurance company, they might help her, but then they are going after your insurance company anyway...so even if you don't report YOUR damage, they'll find out about the other person's...


Since this is the second time you've done this...can I recommend a really good set of extra side and back mirrors? Or a backup sensor with alarm?

When I had a couple single car accidents (animals kept running out in front of me and I kept swerving) I stopped what I was doing to cause them (I will now hit whatever won't destroy my car so that I don't have an accident by swerving...pretty much anything lighter than a small deer, I imagine), so please know that that is being said with the nicest of intentions! It cannot be fun to do that; I know the lady that hit me with the Suburban was VERY upset that it had happened! (and I was VERY glad she came into the restaurant to find the owner of the car!)

 

[Luvchefmic]

I think like pp stated need to find out costs to repair her car AND that she won't be going to her insurance co to report it///how did you leave it with the owner of the car?

 

[snoopy5386]

Thanks, I told the owner we'd most likely pay out of pocket, but....I calculated last night, if our insurance goes up again by 20%, it will cost us an extra $420 for the next 3 years, so if the damage to the other guy's car is less than $420 I would pay out of pocket and if it is more than $420 I would report it to the insurance company. But that scenario only works IF my insurance only goes up again by 20%.

Why it happened again - in both cases the cars were parked illegally along the curb (unfortunately this makes no difference in it being my fault). I hit the cars because I wasn't looking for them - I was looking to the right and left for traffic, not behind me where no one was supposed to be parked. Stupid, yes. In yesterday's case I was in a hurry, saying goodbye to a friend, my baby was screaming in the car, so I was distracted too.

 

[Luvchefmic]

That's why they call it accidents, the important thing of course no one in your car was hurt..my concern is the longer times goes on the better chance your insurance company will find out about it but not from you. Honestly if you had hit my parked car & then you said you "may" pay out of pocket, while I'm not saying I wouldn't trust you, I'm sayng I would have to have some guarantee of you paying..through your insurance or from pocket..just stay on top of it. I wouldn't let too many days go by.

 

[a1tinkfans]

You buy insurance to take the risk from you and give it to the carrier to deal with. While I understand your not wanting to get hit with a surcharge %, I would tread lightly here. Depending on actual cost of damages, it is required in certain states to be reported to the state DMV office. And damage that looks "Minor" many times isn't
What is NJ law?
If the other car was parked and UNoccupied, I "might" for a passing sec consider this but if anyone was in/on/near that car...No way...you're a good person, many people aren't.....the minor dent/dink turns into an OH, my back hurts two weeks later.OH, theres more damage...are you getting an estimate form someone You know? Getting a release??..why chance the risk? To rely on other party not to report it is also "risky" for both her and you actually. If she reports it for "record purposes only" your carrier Will get notified. You have a certain amount of time per your policy of insurance to report accidents (its part of the contract you took with them) so, what if she changes her mind....a few weeks from now, not happy with her repair...needs more work....are you also willing to take that chance?
I don't know....maybe because I am a NY'er but there are too may "ifs" for me............ Just glad to hear you and your baby were unhurt! Its an accident...it happens.....and that car should NOT have been parked there..."good" carriers DO take that into consideration actually
Good Luck!

 

[tmarquez]

I wonder how they (Geico) decide who's insurance goes up. We have them too and DH had a fender bender (his fault) last year. No damage to his truck but the person he hit filed a small claim. Our insurance actually went down a little.

 

[here757]

I wonder how they (Geico) decide who's insurance goes up. We have them too and DH had a fender bender (his fault) last year. No damage to his truck but the person he hit filed a small claim. Our insurance actually went down a little.

i used to work for USAA.
the insurance is calculated yearly based on driving record. accidents, and cost of insurance in your area. insurance costs are regulated by each state.
if the company wants to raise the rates they have to submit a purposal to the state. if its approved everyones goes up. but other factors can offset the increase.
if you get married. turn a certain age. remove a vehicle. trade a sports car for a small sedan.
insurance rates are not calculated by humans anymore. i havent seen to many cases where anyone was able to talk down the cost of the policy..(there are exceptions) i wont get into those

lets say in the case of your husband... no tickets. one small accident. ( should go up logically right?) but perhaps the cost of insurance went down more then percentage of the increase because of the accident.

i know with USAA ur auto policy states you have to report the accident, but honestly most people will not.. im not flaming.

but to answer the op orginal question.. there is no way to call and inquire. the agent is taking notes on your file. and the file is reviewed yearly.
and two not a fault accidents can often be just as bad as an at fault accident.

have you considered calling the NON emergcy phone for the police about the parking? after a few tickets im sure it will stop LOL

 

[snoopy5386]

wow, ok. We actually live in MD now, not NJ, but when we did live in NJ it was really common not to report minor accidents to your insurance company because the surcharge would literally be thousands of dollars for 3 years.
In this case, the car was unoccupied, and it was the car belonging to the lifeguard at our small swim club - someone I see several times a week, so I don't think he'd try and "mess with me". I haven't heard from him yet about the damages so we'll see. At this point I don't think I could even report it to my insurance, all the info I have is the guy's name and phone #.

 

[bettymae1121]

A few years a go a guy hit me from behind (I stoped for someone in front of me who had stoped to make a left, the guy behind me wasn't paying attention). Totally his fault, and he begged me not to report to insurance, that he'd pay out of pocket. I told him I wanted his info just to be safe, but if he paid for the repair in full (and the check didn't bounce) then I wouldn't report it. He paid, the check cleared. All I cared about was getting my car fixed, and had he tried to pull a fast one I could still report it to both my insurance and his.

So, it really boils down to how the person you hit wants to handle it, if they are cool with you just paying them directly that's fine, but if they insist on reporting it, I don't think there is much you can do, Geico will learn of it somehow or another.

 

[*Emily*]

I work at an insurance agency and I have people call me all the time asking what would happen to their rates if they were to report an accident. You're probably dealing with Geico as a direct writer but I don't see why you couldn't call them to have them quote your policy to see what would happen in a hypothetical situation.

The state I work in is completely out of whack with the rest of the country insurance wise but in MA the surcharge category/percentage is dependant upon the dollar amount of damage that was done. If the damage that was done last year which caused the 20% increase was more than what occured this incident then the surcharge could be less.

If you do decide to settle out of pocket be sure to get some kind of written agreement between the parties, maybe even have it notorized, stating that you have an agreement and that the other party cannot come after you for anymore damages.

Good luck! Worst case scenario you could always shop your policy around, especially if your state has competitive auto rating.

 

[Mom2m&k]

Whatever you decide to do....do not call them until you know if you want to report the claim. If you give them any info on yourself they will go ahead and report the claim. Technically your insurance contract says you must report all accidents.
Your rates will go up if the damages exceed a certain dollar amount. Given you had an accident last year they probably will anyways. I used to work for GEICO. If the damages to the other car are reasonable...less then $800 I would just pay for them out of pocket.
Just remember if you did give the other car your insurance information you have lost all choice in the matter and they can go ahead and report the claim and go through GEICO.