When it rains it pours, then again, it could always be worse

[Belle0101]

Last month DH was rear-ended while driving his car. It was totalled out at needing $6200+ worth of repairs. Murphy's Law, our insurance company and the other driver's insurance are both dragging their feet, neither company is willing to compromise, in other words, it's a mess. We've been told that even is we accepted a settlement today that it would be a min. of 4 weeks before we saw any sort of compensation.

DH is in sales, physically calling on customers all day so he can't be without a vehicle. He's been driving my van because both companies have stated they will not reimburse us for a rental.

He just called and told me a piece of the muffler fell off the van. We had a new muffler put on in 2009 and again this past summer. Per the muffler company, this piece that fell off isn't under warrantly. Seriously? 2 mufflers in 2 years and this piece isn't under warranty?

As discouraging as this all is, it could be worse.

Still though

I think we need to find a genie in a bottle for some good luck!

 

[happily single]

I would get on the telephone with the supervisor at the insurance company for the person who rear-ended you. Tell them unless it is resolved within 24 hours, in your favor, that you will be contacting an attorney as well as the Division of Insurance Regulation. Also, the insurance company needs to be responsible for the rental while your car is inoperable. aGood Luck!!

 

[momof1princess]

OP, i agree with the PP. you deserve adequate compensation, and a rental car! call and light a fire under the other person's insurance company, since your insurance isn't doing it themselves (i'd change insurance companies after this, if i were you).

 

[cm8]

Last month DH was rear-ended while driving his car. It was totalled out at needing $6200+ worth of repairs. Murphy's Law, our insurance company and the other driver's insurance are both dragging their feet, neither company is willing to compromise, in other words, it's a mess. We've been told that even is we accepted a settlement today that it would be a min. of 4 weeks before we saw any sort of compensation.

DH is in sales, physically calling on customers all day so he can't be without a vehicle. He's been driving my van because both companies have stated they will not reimburse us for a rental.

He just called and told me a piece of the muffler fell off the van. We had a new muffler put on in 2009 and again this past summer. Per the muffler company, this piece that fell off isn't under warrantly. Seriously? 2 mufflers in 2 years and this piece isn't under warranty?

As discouraging as this all is, it could be worse.

Still though

I think we need to find a genie in a bottle for some good luck!

, I am still confused as to how they are denying you a rental vehicle, that doesn't seem right. Is there anyone you can speak to about that. I am sorry about your muffler too

 

[luvsJack]

I agree with calling the insurance company and demanding that it be settled. DS had a wreck in late November/early December. He has received his money and has already bought a car. It was the other driver's fault. No reason for them to be dragging their feet like this.

 

[Cleocat]

As previously said use the attorney and insurance burea thing. I had a problem with a insurance co running me around. I could not talk to this guy, voicemail after voicemail. Finally left the attorney message, all the sudden phone call about an hour later, check in hand 3 days later. Sometimes you just have to go the pissed off and done with your BS route.

 

[C.Ann]

There's no good reason for the insurance companies to be dragging their feet on this.. I have been rear-ended - as well as hit from the side (driver's door) - and had a check in my hand in a week or so - tops.. I would insist that this be taken care of immediately..

Hope things start looking up for you soon..

 

[rie'smom]

I agree with calling the insurance company and demanding that it be settled. DS had a wreck in late November/early December. He has received his money and has already bought a car. It was the other driver's fault. No reason for them to be dragging their feet like this.

As previously said use the attorney and insurance burea thing. I had a problem with a insurance co running me around. I could not talk to this guy, voicemail after voicemail. Finally left the attorney message, all the sudden phone call about an hour later, check in hand 3 days later. Sometimes you just have to go the pissed off and done with your BS route.

Yes to the above. My housekeeper's husband died and the life insurance company was driving her crazy. I called my dad's office( he's a lawyer) and asked him to send a letter. She had been waiting 4 months. Dad sent the letter and w/in the week, she had the check.

 

[undertheradar]

What are the names of the insurance companies involved? You stated that the car is a total, who determined this and what has been sent to you? If you go through your own insurance, you would be out your deductible and then should receive it once your company collects it from the other company.
Do you own this car or do you still owe a loan on it? If money is owed, then the lender is paid first. As for rental car, do you have rental coverage on your policy? If you do, your claims adjuster should get you one pronto. Since you stated that your husband drives his car for work, do you carry added auto coverage for this? Many standard auto policies do not cover work vehicles/cars used for business. Good luck.

 

[Belle0101]

What are the names of the insurance companies involved? Ours is AAA and the other driver's I can't recall right now. It wasn't one I had heard of. Neither had the police or our agent.

You stated that the car is a total, who determined this AAA
and what has been sent to you? We've received no paperwork from AAA. They want DH to verbally agree to a compensation for the car and then mail the signed title in. From when they receive it it will take 4 weeks to process the paperwork.

If you go through your own insurance, you would be out your deductible and then should receive it once your company collects it from the other company. That's what we're doing. AAA said they are 3+ months behind in claims so it would be a min. of 6 months to a max. of 12 months to get our deductible back.

Do you own this car or do you still owe a loan on it? If money is owed, then the lender is paid first. We own it outright.

As for rental car, do you have rental coverage on your policy? Unfortunately we don't. The other company has stated they will not reimburse for a rental. AAA said we could get one, paying for it ourselves but they couldn't guarantee we'd get reimbursed even going through them. If you do, your claims adjuster should get you one pronto.

Since you stated that your husband drives his car for work, do you carry added auto coverage for this? It costs more for that so to compensate some we dropped rental and towing. Plus we had towing anyhow as AAA members. Many standard auto policies do not cover work vehicles/cars used for business. Good luck.

I didn't know about the Insurance bureau thing so I'll be looking into that tomorrow.

DH let AAA know today that he was consulting a lawyer next week. Reason being is he called the contact person last Tuesday and got his voicemail, no return call. Same thing with Wednesday and Thursday. He called today and of course got the voicemail again. Only this time he said they'd be hearing from our lawyer. Wonder of wonders, the contact person called back within the hour.

He said they are 3 months behind on claims and since this accident just happened we're a low priority. It was 12/4, nearly a month ago.

We're also shopping for new insurance.

 

[tar heel]

Do you have rental car as part of your insurance policy? We do and got a rental car later that day after a car pulled out in front of DH two weeks ago. The police report deemed the other driver clearly at fault but that didn't play into getting the rental car. We haven't got a settlement offer yet and are fine with that since we have the rental.

The biggest problem we have is that he was driving a great condition 1995 Camry with 140,000 miles on it. We figure we'll be lucky to get $2,500 from the insurance company. Our mechanic thought it could probably get another 100,000 miles at least -- his assessment when we spent $900 to repair the a/c less than two months before the wreck.

Unfortunately, our other vehicle is going to have to be replaced soon, so we're looking at going from no car payments to two. We're comfortable driving old cars we know and maintain but not sure we want to buy someone else's.

 

[momof1princess]

I didn't know about the Insurance bureau thing so I'll be looking into that tomorrow.

DH let AAA know today that he was consulting a lawyer next week. Reason being is he called the contact person last Tuesday and got his voicemail, no return call. Same thing with Wednesday and Thursday. He called today and of course got the voicemail again. Only this time he said they'd be hearing from our lawyer. Wonder of wonders, the contact person called back within the hour.

He said they are 3 months behind on claims and since this accident just happened we're a low priority. It was 12/4, nearly a month ago.

We're also shopping for new insurance.

i seriously doubt AAA is three months behind on their claims. sounds like a line to me. i don't blame you, i'd get new insurance too. we LOVE allstate. whenever we have a problem, we just call them, and it's taken care of without any more contact from us. they handle everything.

 

[shortbun]

I didn't know about the Insurance bureau thing so I'll be looking into that tomorrow.

DH let AAA know today that he was consulting a lawyer next week. Reason being is he called the contact person last Tuesday and got his voicemail, no return call. Same thing with Wednesday and Thursday. He called today and of course got the voicemail again. Only this time he said they'd be hearing from our lawyer. Wonder of wonders, the contact person called back within the hour.

He said they are 3 months behind on claims and since this accident just happened we're a low priority. It was 12/4, nearly a month ago.

We're also shopping for new insurance.

I'd be calling the state insurance bureau in the morning. I think both companies are giving you the runaround and it's time to put a stop to it.

 

[undertheradar]

OP, what state are you in? There is no way they can claim to be behind like that. Most companies make you an offer and you have so many days to accept. Once accepted, they should be getting a check to you within a week, tops. I would be allover the CEO for AAA in your state. The cost of rental car coverage is minimal and provides in instances like this. Does your state require a dmv accident report be filed for losses above set amount( here in CA we have to file if damage is over $600, I believe : this is in addition to any insurance forms or police reports)? This sounds like horrible service from AAA. At this point, where is your car, as the shop may start charging you for storage. Do you have an agent or a local AAA office?

 

[undertheradar]

OP, any update? I looked back and read where you informed your insurance company that you didn't want to go against your own coverage. As for the vehicle being a "total," you stated it was the reporting officer who told your husband this? Before complaining to the insurance board, you need to determine what it is you are doing. If you want your insurance company to handle it, you will receive funds less your deductible. You do not have rental coverage so your insurance company will not provide one. Did the police take an accident report or an incident report(these are very different)? Has the other driver reported the accident to his/her insurance company? Has either driver been ticketed for the accident? Since you contacted your insurance company and told them you didn't want to use them, it is hard to complain that they are not doing anything for you. Have you received a copy of the report and does it fault a specific driver or does it split responsibility?

Sorry for so many questions but we have had our parked cars hit by drunk drivers in 2 different incidents almost a year apart- the first time involving
2 of our cars. We had to pay our ded. on each car and wait to be reimbursed. That is the only time that we are happy about being hit by an uninsured motorist, we didn't have to wait for the funds to be collected from another company.

 

[Belle0101]

Sorry, nothing new to report yet. Still waiting on return phone calls.

 

[undertheradar]

Sorry to hear of all the troubles. I would contact your local AAA office and see who they can contact for you. Something is wrong when the car is moved and you didn't accept an offer on the car. Be cautious about throwing around the attorney stuff, as some companies will only speak to the attorney. You need to get a realistic idea of your vehicles value. Check KBB and local used car prices. The report sounds like an accident report and should have any citations that were issued listed. We had a drunk driver who hit my 18 month old car and stopped, backed up, and then hit my 9 year old minivan. We could only laugh since there was nothing else we could do.

As for jury duty, my 20y.o. son had it this past monday and my wife has it in the morning! What a way to end the year.

Good luck!

 

[disneymarie]

We haven't got a settlement offer yet and are fine with that since we have the rental.

The biggest problem we have is that he was driving a great condition 1995 Camry with 140,000 miles on it. We figure we'll be lucky to get $2,500 from the insurance company. Our mechanic thought it could probably get another 100,000 miles at least -- his assessment when we spent $900 to repair the a/c less than two months before the wreck.
QUOTE]

Check the blue book for the value and get the receipt for the extra $900 put into it, along with any thing else like new tires, sound system, etc.
Get a copy of the PD report and if there any delays on their part get the butts moving.

I hope they resolve soon, don't just settle get every dime you should have and harass them into a rental.

Sometimes a car not driven frequently will have condensation build up causing rust.

 

[undertheradar]

Update?

 

[undertheradar]