Vehicle repair problems

[bicker]

I'm also not clear on why getting your insurance involved would have any impact on your rates if you were not at fault.

Indeed... rear-ended while not moving... short of being parked, I cannot imagine a scenario where you'd be less likely to have your rates affected by making a claim.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I'm also not clear on why getting your insurance involved would have any impact on your rates if you were not at fault.
Maybe it has to do with state laws.

The agent and I discussed a lot of possibilities in the beginning. At one point we discussed getting a rental vehicle through our insurance policy and the different scenarios such as getting reimbursed or not. That's when it came up that our rates could go up. The other party's insurance was prompt and we got the rental through them. So it wasn't an issue.

ETA- I think it had to do with my insurance company having to pay out anything.

 

[undertheradar]

Perhaps some details could be included. How long was your car in the shop? When did you pick it up? When did you return it to the shop? Why haven't you contacted the insurance company you put your claim through? Is this a new vehicle, older, lots or few miles?

 

[golfgal]

It is illegal for an insurance company to raise your rates if you are 100% not at fault and file a claim through them. You MIGHT lose a claim free discount but even that could be disputed quite easily since they did not pay out anything once all is said and done. I wouldn't worry too much about your rates going up unless you were partially at fault-but it certainly doesn't sound like you were at all.

 

[manning]

If you get satisfaction from your insurance company consider having another office of same company write your policy. Why should your present agent get the commission.

 

[tvguy]

If you get satisfaction from your insurance company consider having another office of same company write your policy. Why should your present agent get the commission.

I think the others have brought the point up, an agents job is just to sell you a policy. The claims agents job is to handle claims.
And in this internet era with insurers like Progressive, there are NO agents, everything is done on line.

 

[tlbwriter]

I think the others have brought the point up, an agents job is just to sell you a policy.

True, but this agent could have been more helpful, instead of just saying "good luck with that!"

 

[undertheradar]

True, but this agent could have been more helpful, instead of just saying "good luck with that!"

Unless the OP didn't want to use her coverage, pay her deductible and wait for her company to collect it from the other insurance company involved. If that is the case, her company has no involvement in the accident. Thus the statement she posted from her agent. We don't have the details to know which it is.

 

[tlbwriter]

Unless the OP didn't want to use her coverage, pay her deductible and wait for her company to collect it from the other insurance company involved. If that is the case, her company has no involvement in the accident. Thus the statement she posted from her agent. We don't have the details to know which it is.

Sorry, I still think this was a crappy agent. He's in the business. He knows how things work. He could have told the OP she needed to contact the claims department. He could have spent two minutes talking her through the situation instead of blowing her off.

 

[merekc]

If this has been said, I missed it but....

You should start documenting all conversations/actions etc if you are not already doing so. I would even go back and document everything you can remember up to this point. This is always a good idea when you have an issue which is not going to be resolved easily. It is a benefit to you so you can remember the minute details (such as who you spoke with or how many times you've done something). It is very handy as you plead your case.

 

[undertheradar]

Sorry, I still think this was a crappy agent. He's in the business. He knows how things work. He could have told the OP she needed to contact the claims department. He could have spent two minutes talking her through the situation instead of blowing her off.

If the OP is just having the other driver's insurance handle it, there is nothing her own company will do. Are you suggesting that her agent contact the insurance company handling the claim? If you choose not to have your insurance process the claim, you can't expect your company to represent you to the other company. The system does not work that way and it is a mistake not to use your own insurance. Yes, you might have to pay your deductible and wait for reimbursement, but your own company should take better care of you.

 

[OceanAnnie]

It is illegal for an insurance company to raise your rates if you are 100% not at fault and file a claim through them. You MIGHT lose a claim free discount but even that could be disputed quite easily since they did not pay out anything once all is said and done. I wouldn't worry too much about your rates going up unless you were partially at fault-but it certainly doesn't sound like you were at all.

Good to know.

I think the others have brought the point up, an agents job is just to sell you a policy. The claims agents job is to handle claims.
And in this internet era with insurers like Progressive, there are NO agents, everything is done on line.

It's weird. He didn't come across as "just" a salesman during this process. He was knowledgeable in the beginning and helpful. I didn't get the sense that he wouldn't help me or couldn't. But that changed when things got complicated.

Unless the OP didn't want to use her coverage, pay her deductible and wait for her company to collect it from the other insurance company involved. If that is the case, her company has no involvement in the accident. Thus the statement she posted from her agent. We don't have the details to know which it is.

My agent from the beginning did tell me to call if I had any questions or concerns.

Sorry, I still think this was a crappy agent. He's in the business. He knows how things work. He could have told the OP she needed to contact the claims department. He could have spent two minutes talking her through the situation instead of blowing her off.

I did expect more. I thought the agent would help me with options, especially when things got complicated.

If this has been said, I missed it but....

You should start documenting all conversations/actions etc if you are not already doing so. I would even go back and document everything you can remember up to this point. This is always a good idea when you have an issue which is not going to be resolved easily. It is a benefit to you so you can remember the minute details (such as who you spoke with or how many times you've done something). It is very handy as you plead your case.

Thank you. I have a paper trail. I should document the rest.

If the OP is just having the other driver's insurance handle it, there is nothing her own company will do. Are you suggesting that her agent contact the insurance company handling the claim? If you choose not to have your insurance process the claim, you can't expect your company to represent you to the other company. The system does not work that way and it is a mistake not to use your own insurance. Yes, you might have to pay your deductible and wait for reimbursement, but your own company should take better care of you.

That is not true. My agent did offer to call the insurance agent for the other party, but he said they were doing everything they should do. He saw no need for it and after he explained it, neither did I.

The other party's insurance has been timely up to now. And they have taken care of the expenses as we expected them to, up till now. I can't say they haven't been responsive. There was a new development before the weekend. It may be they will continue to be accommodating. I don't know.

I am concerned that the expense wasn't monitored more closely and that it wasn't determined to be a loss. If it can be repaired and the integrity restored we will be fine. In a nutshell, I am very skeptical. The issues are complex and have been ongoing for about 2 months.

I'm worried the insurance company has spent almost the full value of the vehicle trying to get it repaired and at some point they will say, we have spent all we will spend. Leaving us with nothing to drive and nothing to recoup. They are heavily invested in the vehicle. I don't think we can go the totaled route now, even though it isn't fixed.

It's the not knowing and the dragging out that's so stressful. I carry precious cargo in our vehicle and I want it done right or not at all. I can't accept the vehicle if I can't rely on it.

I hope for a good outcome.

 

[undertheradar]

So, did you go against the other insurance company and not use your coverage? In that scenario, your insurance company is not involved. If you used your own coverage, then your company should be very involved. Has your vehicle been in the shop for 2 months and you just picked it up this past friday? Your partial quotes from different posters avoids giving any true details for anyone to offer specific help.

 

[OceanAnnie]

So, did you go against the other insurance company and not use your coverage? In that scenario, your insurance company is not involved. If you used your own coverage, then your company should be very involved. Has your vehicle been in the shop for 2 months and you just picked it up this past friday? Your partial quotes from different posters avoids giving any true details for anyone to offer specific help.

Our insurance agent was involved in giving advice but not involved as far as payments. Anyway it's not as cut and dry as you describe. It is subject to change. I was told we could use our coverage in conjunction with theirs if theirs did not cover our expenses (rental, etc.). Fortunately we have haven't had to use our insurance thus far.

Yes. We picked up the vehicle and found it still had problems and returned it.

I'm mainly venting and asking for any similar experiences. I'm not going to give a lot of details. It's ongoing.

 

[tvguy]

True, but this agent could have been more helpful, instead of just saying "good luck with that!"

I get what you are saying. My agent retired and turned over his accounts to another agency. I have my home owners and auto insurance through this company. Only time I hear from them is if they want to sell me life insurance, or umbrella coverage.
My old agent used to check in every 6 months. When my kids started driving he would review the rates every 6 months, and make sure each kid was on the car that had the lowest premium. When they went away to college, he also would check to see which city had the lowest rates, home or the city they were going to college in.
I called my new agent and asked her to do that, and she said they don't do that......and that my old agent was "kind of old school", and agents don't do that anymore. Thanks for the help!

 

[bicker]

We don't have the details to know which it is.

Yes, very true. It is always a bad idea to make any value judgments about someone based on only hearing one side of the story, anyway.

 

[golfgal]

Sorry, I still think this was a crappy agent. He's in the business. He knows how things work. He could have told the OP she needed to contact the claims department. He could have spent two minutes talking her through the situation instead of blowing her off.

No, I would say that MOST agents do not know what all is involved in the claims process other than filing the claims. They are not usually involved in that because they are not claims experts by any means that the company doesn't WANT them handling claims. You may get lucky and have an agent that does more than direct you to their 800 number (which they are trained to do) but not all that often.

I get what you are saying. My agent retired and turned over his accounts to another agency. I have my home owners and auto insurance through this company. Only time I hear from them is if they want to sell me life insurance, or umbrella coverage.
My old agent used to check in every 6 months. When my kids started driving he would review the rates every 6 months, and make sure each kid was on the car that had the lowest premium. When they went away to college, he also would check to see which city had the lowest rates, home or the city they were going to college in.
I called my new agent and asked her to do that, and she said they don't do that......and that my old agent was "kind of old school", and agents don't do that anymore. Thanks for the help!

You SHOULD have an umbrella policy

 

[Luv2Roam]

And I was fortunate enough on any accident the other insurance company handled everything well. (One time I was lucky that I have Allstate, and so did the person who hit me.)

One accident my vehicle was totalled. I was told by their insurance company that once the air bags have been deployed, and the seat belts are locked up (from the wreck), they automatically total the vehicle. Which was in my case, and my vehicle was not quite 4 years old then.

I also asked my agent if my rates would go up if I filed through them and not the other insurance company. He said basically what your said.
Of course the rates have gone up anyway. And although I have had Allstate for decades, and never had issues with them, I am insurance shopping anyway.

The ironic thing with my last wreck (that totaled my vehicle) Allstate agent said I had to file with the other insurance company for them to pay.
Okay, I did.
Then that insurance company, in addition to their claim, had me file one with Allstate.
I think it was all basically paperwork. But I found it ironic the other insurance company would not handle the claim I made with them without me filing through Allstate too.

 

[OceanAnnie]

And I was fortunate enough on any accident the other insurance company handled everything well. (One time I was lucky that I have Allstate, and so did the person who hit me.)

One accident my vehicle was totalled. I was told by their insurance company that once the air bags have been deployed, and the seat belts are locked up (from the wreck), they automatically total the vehicle. Which was in my case, and my vehicle was not quite 4 years old then.

I also asked my agent if my rates would go up if I filed through them and not the other insurance company. He said basically what your said.
Of course the rates have gone up anyway. And although I have had Allstate for decades, and never had issues with them, I am insurance shopping anyway.

The ironic thing with my last wreck (that totaled my vehicle) Allstate agent said I had to file with the other insurance company for them to pay.
Okay, I did.
Then that insurance company, in addition to their claim, had me file one with Allstate.
I think it was all basically paperwork. But I found it ironic the other insurance company would not handle the claim I made with them without me filing through Allstate too.

It's interesting the different routes these things can go, isn't it? Sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason.

The most frustrating thing to me is it seems like no one was watching the rising cost of the repairs. After it reaches 80% I think it is, it's supposed to be totaled. They exceeded that figure. It seems like they could've seen it coming and it would've been better for them (less costly) and for us for a number of reasons.

 

[golfgal]

It's interesting the different routes these things can go, isn't it? Sometimes it seems there is no rhyme or reason.

The most frustrating thing to me is it seems like no one was watching the rising cost of the repairs. After it reaches 80% I think it is, it's supposed to be totaled. They exceeded that figure. It seems like they could've seen it coming and it would've been better for them (less costly) and for us for a number of reasons.

Basically someone, somewhere messed up and now the insurance company is trying to figure out the best way to get out of this without paying any more money. It does happen.