Car accident question

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dja4260

dja4260

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May 16, 2011
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Greenville, SC via Chicago, IL
Good afternoon. Thankfully I'm uninjured and my family wasn't in the car when the collision occurred. I was traveling around 15 mph in the left turn lane to make a left hand turn into a gas station. Traffic was stopped to my right (two lanes) A lady cutting across traffic to make a left, pulled in front of me. I locked up the brakes and hit her driver's side fender/door. She was cited at fault. I was not cited. She has Amica Insurance, I have travelers. My car is drivable and I already popped the bumper damage out. She's not a fortunate as her car had much more damage. Question: Do I contact my insurance to handle everything. Do I contact her directly and bypass my insurance? I have zero experience with this sort of situation. Thanks
 
Contact your insurance,give them all her info,and they will contact her insurance to get it taken care of.
 
Notify your insurance in case something goes wrong in the process. Get things started with Amica. Luckily they have a good reputation and should take care of things. <span style="font-weight: bold">Glad you're OK!</span>
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Contact your insurance,give them all her info,and they will contact her insurance to get it taken care of.
This
 
I had something similar happen recently and am going to offer a contrary opinion. I would not contact insurance unless something goes wrong. A reported accident may cost you a good bit when you sell your vehicle, as well as with your own insurance company, even though you weren't at fault. It's an excuse to hike your rates. When this happened to me, I carefully observed what followed, and never filed a claim or reported , now my vehicle has a clean record and so does my driving record. Insurance is not your friend, they're in it for the money. Caution.
 
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Originally Posted By: dlayman
I had something similar happen recently and am going to offer a contrary opinion. I would not contact insurance unless something goes wrong. A reported accident may cost you a good bit when you sell your vebicle, as well as with your own insurance company, even though you weren't at fault.
I used to think like that but coming back to your own insurance 4-6 weeks down the road telling them, yeah I had an accident a few months ago and would like to get things taken care of may not sound too good. Insurance company: How come you didn't notify us at the time of the accident? Bitoger: Ummm, because I didn't you to find out about it. smile Insurance company: You do realize that your policy states that we are to be informed of any accidents immediately or we may deny your claim. Bitoger: Ummmmm Don't give them any reason to deny claim.
 
Depends on the individual situation. I got rear ended, a clear case of who was at fault. The other party admitted fault and reported it immediately to their insurance. I repaired the minor damage myself, and avoided the hassle and the documented accident. I never divulged information to either insurance, so both my car and I have a clean record. May not be applicable in every case. If one has the fortitude, wait it out a bit before deciding. No more than a week. That won't cause any issues with your own insurance. If there is any doubt,report it,but there will be consequences.
 
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Tell your insurance company. You might have better coverage than they do. I was hit once by a lady and although I contacted AAA, my insurance, I told them she said she would "handle everything" but I would let them know if things went south. As soon as she wanted me to take it to a certain body shop, once that I don't trust since I sell to every shop in town, and she didn't think she had to pay for a rental car, I went right back to AAA and let them cover everything. She was super annoyed, but I pay for a certain level of coverage and she could not provide that same level herself.
 
Did you have uninsured motorist coverage? I know you said she had insurance,but just incase she says she does but really didnt. If you did,and she had no insurance,your insurance will pay you claim for you and go after her for some costs ...if they think she has anything to get. If you dont have uninsured motorist,they wont pay your damage. Its even possible she could get an atty to have you pay her damage hoping for a " go away settelment". That is why a police report is helpful. A witness is helpful to0. To be a witness in a small accident they must be an unbiased witness as defined by the court. Basically neither of you have ever had prior knpwledge of the witness.
 
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Originally Posted By: dlayman
Depends on the individual situation. I got rear ended, a clear case of who was at fault. The other party admitted fault and reported it immediately to their insurance.
I've done it that in the past as well. When I caught an old lady and her friend hit my car in a parking lot and try to flee. Then acted like they didn't do anything. Luckily people were coming forward asking if I needed witnesses. Then an old cop comes rolling through that didn't want anything to do with it since it was on private property. I felt like asking, then why are you patrolling on private property?
 
You could easily not get a report because cops dont like to do them and sometimes theyre too busy. So you cant count on one unless you say youre injured. Say you DONT need an ambulance. Key phrases. That gets the report,then later you can just drop the injury part in a day or so . I feel better now.
 
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Go through your insurance and give them her insurance info to bill. It'll be MUCH easier. I was rear-ended in April, I ran it through my insurance and dropped my car off at a body shop less than 2 hours alter and Hertz rental car picked me up from the body shop. That's the accident claimed through the insurance and everything in just a couple hours. Upon picking up my car I had to pay my $250 deductible. Technically how it worked was my car had $2,342 in damage, State Farm deposited $2,092 into my account and I paid the body shop the full $2,342. So I was out $250. Then after a week when they got it all sorted out I was refunded my deductible. If you go through her insurance you probably won't get a rental. I got a rental through my insurance and it was a piece of cake. Her insurance in the end paid my insurance all expenses.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Go through your insurance and give them her insurance info to bill. It'll be MUCH easier. I was rear-ended in April, I ran it through my insurance and dropped my car off at a body shop less than 2 hours alter and Hertz rental car picked me up from the body shop. That's the accident claimed through the insurance and everything in just a couple hours. Upon picking up my car I had to pay my $250 deductible. Technically how it worked was my car had $2,342 in damage, State Farm deposited $2,092 into my account and I paid the body shop the full $2,342. So I was out $250. Then after a week when they got it all sorted out I was refunded my deductible. If you go through her insurance you probably won't get a rental. I got a rental through my insurance and it was a piece of cake. Her insurance in the end paid my insurance all expenses.
When I was hit 2 years ago I had them do the same thing. I filed a claim through my insurance and they went after her for reimbursement I had to pay my deductible then got reimbursed.
 
I'm pretty sure it states in automobile policies to report accidents whether it's your fault or not. Wouldn't be good to report it three weeks or more AFTER THE FACT.
 
Interesting thread; I have Amica and was hit in the echo and it was not my fault; I just got my repair appraised and decided just to pocket the $$ sent to my be the causer's insurance company. It didn't even occur to me to call my insurance company. Might have to review terms of my policy....
 
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Originally Posted By: CKN
I'm pretty sure it states in automobile policies to report accidents whether it's your fault or not. Wouldn't be good to report it three weeks or more AFTER THE FACT.
This. I am fairly sure that you are contractually obligated to notify your insurance company of any accident regardless of fault. I was sideswiped by an elderly gentleman on the interstate about 10 years ago. We both pulled over and called the state police. A witness stopped and gave me her contact information and stated that the elderly driver had been unable to maintain his own lane, and almost caused other accidents. I filed a claim with my insurance company, and they went after his company for reimbursement. I got my car fixed, it cost me nothing, and my insurance rates did not go up because it was not a chargeable accident against me.
 
I called Amica and started the claim. Someone from their end is going to contact me before Monday afternoon. Amica representative clearly stated that just because the police report says their client was at fault and their driver was issued the citation, Amica may not liable for my repairs. I'd like the repairs done swiftly as I have a business trip in two weeks and I'm driving. If Amica refuses the rental, repair at the facility of my choice, etc, I'll start the process with my insurance. I called my insurance to make them aware. They didn't care and said that if Amica doesn't cooperate, call them on my behalf. They didn't require any notice on my part. FYI
 
Originally Posted By: dja4260
I called Amica and started the claim. Someone from their end is going to contact me before Monday afternoon. Amica representative clearly stated that just because the police report says their client was at fault and their driver was issued the citation, Amica may not liable for my repairs. I'd like the repairs done swiftly as I have a business trip in two weeks and I'm driving. If Amica refuses the rental, repair at the facility of my choice, etc, I'll start the process with my insurance. I called my insurance to make them aware. They didn't care and said that if Amica doesn't cooperate, call them on my behalf. They didn't require any notice on my part. FYI
Was this stated by the person you talked to? Or your opinion? What does your policy state? Your policy is gospel with an insurance company.
 
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