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Insurance: options when hit by uninsured motorist

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Comments

  • cadillacmikecadillacmike Member Posts: 543
    didn't find out ritht away either, otherwise the deputy would have arrested the scuzz. I onlt found out a week later when his claims rep told me that it had been cancelled 3 weeks ago for NON- PAYMENT! :mad:

    No sympathies hre for those who drive w/ o ins.

    Estimates are that 30% of all cars on the road in FL are w/o ins. You can tell them. hey have the six week old dents' scrapes, torn off bumpers, etc.
  • suz7suz7 Member Posts: 3
    I was recently in an accident. I was stopped at a red light when I was rear ended and then pushed into the car in front of me. The guy who hit me did have insurance but he had no-fault insurance and I have normal insurance. Is there anyway I can get the guy who hit me to pay for my rental car? I had to rent a car for over a month! We live in a no-fault insurance state. I would love to take care of this without small claims court (would I even win if we went to court?) Any suggestions on what to say in a letter I write him to ask for the money? THANKS!!!
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    that there are different "classes" if you will, of traffic violations...if you strike my car and you are at fault, and my auto ins is cancelled, I may have violated the law by driving w/o ins, but I keep all my rights to pursue you for causing the accident, and my failure to keep ins does not contribute to my potential fault at all...if you caused the wreck, I am pursuing you and it is as simple as that...

    Now, if it is midnight and my headlights do not work, and you strike me from the side, saying that you could not see me, fault may be split, as I may have had the right of way, but I have a duty to make my car visible at night with working headlights...

    Contributory negligence: worst kind of law to have...if you are 99% at fault, and I am 1% at fault, my 1% will preclude me from pursuing you, since ANY portion of fault attributable to me extinguishes my potential claim againts you completely...

    Comparative negligence: each driver is attributed their percentage of fault...if I am 30% at fault and you are 70% (do not ask how these percentages are assigned, it is an "art" that makes astrology and tarot cards seem like a science, especially when exercised by police officers at the scene... ;);) ), any recovery I receive, for pain and suffering and property damage, will be reduced by my percentage of fault...

    Hybrid Comparative Negligence: in the allocation of fault, the plaintiff (victim) must have LESS THAN 50% of fault, or the claim cannot be pursued...this seems simple enough, if you are 70% at fault, and I am 30%, I can pursue you but you cannot pursue me...when this comes into play is when, say, a situation when both drivers are equally guilty (liable) of failure to yield, and the fault is split 50-50...also called a "true accident"...then neither party can pursue the other as they are both equally at fault...Georgia has this system...I like it because if both parties share equal fault, then the courts are not clogged with cases like these and the folks can only deal with their own insurance companies...which is why I occasionally advocate UM, MedPay/PIP, Rental Car Coverage...but who listens to me anyway???... ;);) :sick:
  • schungschung Member Posts: 2
    Hello there. I have a question... I have just been informed about an accident that I got into 3 years ago. I am not sure if it was my fault, but at the time I had 2 way coverage insurance. We exchanged information, but I did not report it because I thought it would be less than 500.00 since my car had minor damages and the other car slightly more. However, they have been trying to get a hold of me , but I did not get any of their messages since I am away at school.Now their insurance is coming after us with an attorney to pay the damages. What advice can you give me on this... Do you know if my old insurance will cover this, though I did not report it? Please help me and give me all the advice you can. I am lost. Thanks.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    Schung, in my opinion, you didn't do anything wrong. When you had the accident, you gave the other driver your insurance information, didn't you? If they wanted money to cover their damages, they should have contacted your insurance company. That is how it is supposed to work.

    My advice is to ignore the matter. Of course, there is a good chance I don't know what I am talking about.
  • cadillacmikecadillacmike Member Posts: 543
    It's not a good chance but an EXCELLENT chance in this case bob.

    If you have damage to the other partys property, you had BETTER report it to you ins co, so they can get your statements to help them fend off the other party.

    Otherwise you're gambling with all of your assets.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    you may want to check your statute of limitations...in GA, it is 4 years for property damage, 2 years for bodily injury...it is possible that, at 3 years, the case may exceed the statute...unlikely, but sometimes you can pull a rabbit out of a hat...

    You may also want to contact the insurance you had on the date of the accident, and make a claim, teling them exactly what you told us...

    HOWEVER, do not be surprised if your insurance does not defend you...most policies have a "reporting commitment time" which means that you usually have 30 or 60 days in which to report a wreck, or else the insurance is absolved from paying anything...this is to protec the insurance from situations just like this, where you come back 3 years later, saying, hey, guess what...I had a wreck 3 years ago...

    My guess: be prepared to open your wallet...I hope I am wrong and your ins accepts the case for liability...
  • tnmom2tnmom2 Member Posts: 1
    My daughter had a similar experience in which she was hit in a way that was nearly impossible to imagine could be her fault (the driver's side passenger door, 1/2 block after completing a righthand turn, driving in the right hand lane), my daughter called the police (not at all worried because, after all, the woman drove into her) and after waiting quite a while, the older women told her "Why don't you go on and take your sister to her piano lesson, we've exchanged insurance information and I can talk to the police, honey." Needless to say, the police report favored her cock-eyed version of the events and when we called to protest, we were told "You folks don't realize how lucky you are, we can charge your girl with leaving the scene." A scrape on a driveway gate a few months earlier and an actual accident that was her fault a year later and USAA dropped her from our insurance! (customers for 20 years). We should NEVER have filed the paint scrape and she should never have left the scene (although the police know SHE called THEM). OUR ADVICE: Be very careful about what you choose to file (somethings are not a matter of choice) 2) and on a different note, carefully consider if you can really afford to let your child drive an old family car hand-me down: if the airbags are deployed, it is VERY EXPENSIVE to fix, and this can mean that all the maintenance and upkeep that you do to such a car could make you feel committed to some really heavy-duty unexpected un-covered costs (can exceed the bluebook on the car) : not much of a bargain. (The time when it was her fault, she hit a guardrail late on a dark curvy road, both airbags deployed: mixed blessing since while she wasn't seriously hurt, the airbags blacked her eyes and scraped her nose, and, in this case, we were never really sure that they added much safety over and above her seatbelt. We spent far too much money on repair of a car that was destined to continue to cost us money. (we think she'll get out of the high risk insurance pool this year (three years no violations and no claims) She is NOT a bad driver) :(
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    if the other driver is at fault, GET A POLICE REPORT, GET A POLICE REPOER, GET A POLICE REPORT...if I knew how to put it in bold and 30 point type, I would...

    If YOU are at fault, you may have a different opinion ;););) ...but, knowing the other driver also reads this topic, they, too, will want a police report to protect their interest...

    As far as a scrape on your own driveway in a one car situation, no other driver, only report it to your insurance if you cannot afford repairs...if you can, do not report, there are no "rights" to protect, unless you have been injured and have no health insurance, there is medpay...
  • cutter2cutter2 Member Posts: 1
    I had a similar thing happen, although there was an accident report and an insurance card was provided (unknown to the police it was not good). It turned out the person at fault was driving his girlfriend's car and her insurance had expired. I have not reported to the police that her car was on the highway without insurance or proof of financial responsibility, as that seems to be the only leverage I have. I did not have uninsured motorist coverage on this car. (This car was an older car used for errands to keep milage off my better cars, so I just kept liability on it.) I spoke to her tonight and she thinks because she didn't drive the car, she has no responsibility. She is self employed and doesn't think that I can attach her wages. She feels that because her car was totaled, as was mine, she shouldn't have to pay! I told her that I was willing to work with her in setting up payments but something had to be done soon or I would turn her in. She hung up on me! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    Sure, I would turn her in to the police for driving a car without the insurance required by law.

    Getting money from her is a different matter. Suppose she had accidentally stepped on your foot at a shopping mall and it took $3000 in medical bills to fix your foot. I guess you would have to sue her to get your $3000, wouldn't you? I think it would be the same thing with her accidentally hitting your car. You have to sue her to get money from her.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    that is available to us here in GA, and may be available where you are...while most attorneys can't be bothered with it, it is a great remedy for you...you will need to sue the driver and take him to magistrate court and get your judgment...you can always file the judgment against his home, if he has one (may take forever to collect, waiting until he re-fi's or sells) and can garnish his checking/savings account if you can find it...BUT, the other remedy here in GA is this...if a driver with a judgment against them, and the judgment is auto accident related, if they do not pay within, I believe, 30 days, then the state will SUSPEND their license...while it may take months/years before he is ever stopped by police, once they see his license is suspended, he will be toast...it may also be possible that the state sends him a letter notifying him of the suspension, so that he is already on notice...may just make him pay up a "little quicker"...may be worth looking up to see if your state has the same provision...

    I would also notify the police about this so they may go back and re-ticket the boyfriend who was driving an uninsured car...why you would not do so escapes me...

    Altho she should have insured her car, here in GA, it is the driver (boyfriend) who is ultimately responsible, and the one who would be sued...also, find out if he owns his own car with insurance...even if he drives her car, his insurance would cover him, if he owns a car...

    Primary coverage would first be her insurance on her car, if she had it...then his insurance, if he has it, would offer him secondary coverage...then, see if he is on his mother's/father's policy as a driver, which would then offer tertiary (third-place... ;);) ) coverage...then sue him and hope you can get his license suspended, and watch him howl like a coyote in the Mojave desert...
  • dobiew2dobiew2 Member Posts: 2
    help anyone! My daughter was hit in the rear end of the car. Three vehicles were involved. Car three was cited for not stopping and pushing car 2 into her. I have not heard one word from car three insurance ( car 2 has none) are they planning not to pay? What are my options> I have about 406 dollars of damage and a 500 deductible thru my own insurance company. tus my insurance company doesn't really care, Any ideas? my daughter was it in Ohio and I live in PA
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    Sadly, it is often the responsibility of the innocent victim to contact the bad guy's insurance and get a claim number and set up an appt for repairs...have the police report in your hand when you call them, as they may need various kinds of data before they locate the claim to give you a claim number...

    I would be surprised if they called you, as you do not even know if the at fault driver even called it in to his own insurance...many times they hope that it will just go away like fairy dust...and, considering that the damages are only $400, the claim will certainly be quite minor...

    Good luck...

    Bob
  • dobiew2dobiew2 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for your reply. There is a claim open pertaining to this accident. I found it and have the persons number also. My daughter also said she felt wobbly wheels when she pulled away. We had it checked and the wheel rims are bent. However my insurance company says most insurance will not pay that( another 300 repair in addition to the 406) I am worried for her safety. I did put a call into the claims adjuster and have yet to hear back. I have left three messages. What else can I do to get Allstate to respond to me?
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    If the collision can be shown to have bent the rims, they should pay for it...the collision must be logical, however...

    Example: a rearended car usually will not suffer broken headlight glass, the damage is not logical with the impact...obviously not a hard and fast rule, as it is possible...also depends on the amount of impact...if the trunk ends up in the back seat, then any damage will be reasonable...but a $400 rear bumper with some body damage may not be reasonable...

    Sometimes you must call the insurance commissioner when the ins ignores you...sometimes, and I hate to sound like I care about ins companies, sometimes the adjusters are quite overworked and just cannot get back to you promptly...that is quite painful when you are the one w/o your car, but it is true...

    Also, some are shorthanded because of the lingering effects of Katrina and the next one that hit Florida (Dennis?)...ins had to send adjusters from all over the country...keep calling...

    You might try this...call Allstate and ask for the adjuster's supervisor, who may move things forward for you..."Hello, may I please speak to the claim department and the supervisor for your adjuster, Howard Johnson... yeah, he's the guy that wears the orange hats... :shades:
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    "What else can I do to get Allstate to respond to me?"

    Probably nothing. It is not in their best inerest to respond to you.

    Your insurance company should handle it for you. That is what you pay them to do.
  • cadillacmikecadillacmike Member Posts: 543
    FOUR ACCIDENTS (in approx 2 years) and she's NOT A BAD DRIVER ????? :confuse: :confuse:
    go back and re-think that one...
  • anack418anack418 Member Posts: 1
    I was involved in a hit and run collision (i was not at fault). The women was caught because one of the witnesses followed her. I was driving my dad's car and I am excluded from his policy so of course they refuse to pay! I received the police report yesterday and the reason the women ran was because she was driving with a suspended license a vehicle that wasnt hers. anyways the women who owns the car is insured with mercury (ironically it's also my dad's insurance)is her policy (ins) responsible to pay for the damages done to my vehicle? I live in california so i dont know if laws are different in other states...if yes? how would i go on about making them pay?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    I am not sure her insurance would even cover her since the driver was driving on a suspended license. She is subject to criminal charges for leaving the scene of an accident and you may have to litigate a civil case yourself if owner's insurance will not cover her.

    tidester, host
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,142
    I *think* that her insurance will pay as long as she's current on premiums, but will drop her like an anvil as soon as they do.

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  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    if Calif is a no-fault state or not...altho I am not greatly familiar with no-fault (GA is a fault state), I believe that in a no-fault state, each ins pays for their own damages to their respective cars...so, if he was an excluded driver, then, as you said, his policy will not pay, and if it ordinarily would be the responsible policy if no-fault, then the other driver's policy, even tho the same company, is also not responsible...

    Now, the lady with the suspended license should receive massive fines for driving suspended amd leaving the scene of an accident...

    Remember, the designation of "fault" and "no-fault" describes the type of insurance law in the state...when it comes to who caused the wreck, there is always an "at fault" party and the victim...so, obviously, in a "no fault" state you will still have the "at fault" driver...I thought that might need some clarification:):):):):)
  • zx11driverzx11driver Member Posts: 1
    I was hit by a car from the rear while slowing for a stop light on my motorcycle. The car driver turned out not to have a current insurance policy. She was not ticketed at the scene and the officer declared it a non injury accident. Get thrown about 20 feet and see what happens. I have filed a SR1 with Calif DMV, called my insurance company (I didn't have uninsured motorist, nor collision... not good). It appears that the car is being financed or she is not the legal owner. She has no resources, but can I go after the legal owner?? She did call her insurance company. When I final tracked them down they had all the information, but coverage had expired, but were checking with someone else to see if they had coverage. In Calif can I find out who is the legal owner of the car??
  • kevin123kevin123 Member Posts: 2
    marsha7 suggested that we always get a police report when we have a car accidents. Well...that is a ideal world. I was rare-ended yesterday, 2 police officers just happend to be patroling on the same street, came over to help sort things out. Police filled out a collision information card, that's all, no police report were given.....this is in California.
    Now I wonder if I can get a plice report after the accident. The 2 officers did not see the whole accidents, they came over when they heard the collision. But they did see my car was rare-ended. I have these 2 officers badge numbers and last names, and the collision information card they filled out.
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    That's appalling. Go down to the police station and have them complete the report or fill it out yourself (if you're allowed).
  • kevin123kevin123 Member Posts: 2
    sure I can do that, but I wonder how good this police report is when it is done after the fact. Are police department required to check with the 2 officers at the scene and get their statement in the report?
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    you should have demanded an accident report from the two officers there, and, if no compliance, call 911 right in front of them, explain that the officers refused to make a report, and ask that other officers be sent to do the job...you may annoy them, but that is their job...

    If a report is made BY THE POLICE, not you, after the fact, it would still be valid, since they saw the aftermath of what happened...BTW, they almost ALWAYS only see the aftermath of what happened, they rarely actually witness the wreck...
  • pch101pch101 Member Posts: 582
    The reality is that the police are not going to hurry to do a report for a minor accident. In some states, it's not even required unless there is a certain minimal amount of damage and/or an injury.

    If you are rear-ended, you don't likely need a police report, as it is very difficult for the person who struck the rear of another car to assign blame to the other driver. Unless the struck driver cut off the other car, there really isn't any legal excuse for rear ending the other car. (By definition, if they couldn't stop on time, they were tailgating, and are therefore at fault.)

    One thing I do is to carry a camera in my car, so that in the event of an accident, you will be able to photograph the accident scene, your car, the other cars (including their license plates), and all of the other drivers and passengers of the other cars. (You don't want the other parties to claim that there were extra occupants in their cars who weren't actually there -- yes, it does happen, particularly if you caused the accident and some scammer feels that some extra "whiplash victims" can be added to the tab...) If you have a lot of pics and are able to exchange info, you should be alright without a police report if the situation is minor and it's obvious who is at fault.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    One thing I do is to carry a camera in my car, so that in the event of an accident, you will be able to photograph the accident scene,

    GREAT IDEA!

    Two weeks ago, one of our OTR drivers was driving her rig about 10 miles west of Lincoln, NE, when a Chevy Tahoe went airborne, crossed the median and took out the sleeper compartment.

    Fortunately (and unbelievably) all parties were unhurt.

    The photos of the scene, taken on a cheap disposible camera made the settlement negotiations with the Tahoe driver a lot easier.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    is a good thing to have, assuming that it is not damaged either by the collision or the summer heat when it breaks 100 degrees...while some states may not require the police, with all the liars out there, it still pays to call police for an accident report...

    Oh, and make sure the police see all of the vehicle occupants...I have had passengers who were ambulanced from the scene inadvertently left off the report, and only having the EMS bill justified them at the scene, if no EMS, could never prove someone was sitting in the back seat if not on the report...
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Oh, and make sure the police see all of the vehicle occupants...

    A few years back in St. Louis, I was rearended at maybe 10 mph at a stop light. The guy who hit me was with his girlfriend in a full sized F150. $350 in damage that was quickly reimbursed by State Farm. Fortunately, my wife and I were uninjured in my K-car.

    Fifteen months pass and I get a call from a State Farm adjustor. "I thought that we were done with you, we paid your claim." I told him that I had no clue as to what he was talking about. We were OK. Here, the guy's girlfriend was claiming $10k in whiplash injuries.
  • nortsr1nortsr1 Member Posts: 1,060
    When you take the Senior Driving School (AARP has one and it lowers your insurance rate)(for US OLD FARTS)... they highly recommend carrying a camera in your glove compartment.Most drug stores and Walmarts, K Marts, etc. have them for approx. ten bucks or less (35mm with a flash).
  • pch101pch101 Member Posts: 582
    while some states may not require the police, with all the liars out there, it still pays to call police for an accident report...

    Not necessarily. You could wait for an hour or two for the whole thing to be completed, only to find that the cops completely blow it and find you at fault, even though you weren't. And if you stand around fussing and agitated with the cops because they feel a report is a waste of time, then they might just be inclined to find the fault with you when they do write that report, even though you weren't to blame.

    A rear-end collision is almost always (not always, but almost always) an open-and-shut case, particularly if the striker admits it. I'd want a report if (a) there are injuries, (b) the damages are significant to your vehicle, (c) it is unclear who is at fault or (d) the other party either doesn't have or refuse to provide proof of insurance and/or a license. A minor no-brainer fender bender is sorted out easily enough with photos (and these days, a lot of people are already carrying one by carrying a cell phone.)
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    I wish I could agree with you, but I cannot, as the reality I see with clients is not the common sense approach that you describe, and what you describe SHOULD be the norm but it is not...

    Too often, liability companies will not pay unless they see a report that shows their insured at fault...even rear end collisions can be disputed, and often are w/o a report...

    Do as you wish, as you are thinking with common sense, which I appreciate...however your common sense does not seem to prevail as often as I would like it to...

    So, the ins refuses to pay, the client comes to me, an atty...oddly, we do not perform our services for nothing...:):):):):)...without a report, I am not going to do battle with the ins, as I want some kind of documentation as proof...

    So, you show me the pictures you took with your sweet little camera...now, if I am going to do battle with the ins, and all I have is photos w/o a report (don't forget, the report also lists just who the at fault party is and who their ins is...with all these illiterates out there, I am not quite trusting that their info is accurate)...

    So, with less evidence than normal, you want me to pursue the ins to pay for your vehicle repair...I WILL NOT TAKE IT ON CONTINGENCY JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PHOTO, I WANT TO BE PAID FOR WHAT I DO...and just how often do you think they want to pay me when they were the victim???

    I repeat, you should do what you feel is right and proper, but from my standpoint, not getting a police report places you at a great disadvantage...but, please do it your way and you will be happy...

    BTW, by calling police, they will ofetn find out that a driver was driving on a suspended license, or has an outstanding bench warrant for arrest, something you could never do...still, do it your way, but I do recommend to others that they do not follow in your footsteps...
  • pch101pch101 Member Posts: 582
    I WILL NOT TAKE IT ON CONTINGENCY JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PHOTO

    And you're not going to take a case involving a $300 fender bender without injuries on contigency, either. (You surely aren't going to go to court to fight for your one-third share of $300.)

    Please note my caveats above in respect to damage amounts, disputes about fault, and injuries. If anyone has a case serious enough that it is going to involve an attorney, then yes, by all means, get a police report.

    I'm talking about there not being a need to make a federal case out of a 5 mph ping at an intersection. In minor situations such as that, getting a police report is nice (assuming that it doesn't point blame in the wrong direction, as they sometimes do), but it isn't critical.
  • bcooper1bcooper1 Member Posts: 1
    Ok, yesterday I was driving on a 4-way. The other driver, while making a left turn, drove through the intersection hitting the left side of my car. The police showed up and and didn't asign blame for the accident. He said that since we moved both of our cars to the shoulder, he couldn't tell who was at fault, and would not investigate further. He basically filled out a form with both of our insurance information, and then went on his way. I called my insurance agent and they plan to investigate. What I want to know is, how they will go about asigning blame since the other guy won't admit that he ran the light? Do I have any chance of his insurance company paying for my repairs?
  • ea1420ea1420 Member Posts: 22
    I couldn't agree more with Marsha. I'm not a lawyer, but when I was high school I was in a car accident (and I was at fault), and it was because of the police report that I didn't get sued. The other drive was a very sizable lady, and she told the officer on the scene that she was pregnant and the police called the EMT's. Suddenly when there were healthcare professionals at the scene the woman suddenly wasn't pregnant.

    A few weeks later, I got a visit from the supervising officer letting me know that they'd just arrested the woman for purposely running into another person's car and then claiming that she had a miscarriage a few days later. So not only did the police report save me from being sued it also saved the other person she hit from being sued, because there was a record of her admitting that she was pregnant.

    It was a very very bizarre situation, but it taught me early to always file a police report, because while most of the time, the other person will be honest, there are those occasions when people are sue happy.
  • pch101pch101 Member Posts: 582
    What I want to know is, how they will go about asigning blame since the other guy won't admit that he ran the light?

    Unfortunately, unless you have an eyewitness, you have a classic he-said/she-said problem.

    Can you find a witness? (Passengers in the cars involved probably don't count.) Since it's hard to prove who had the right of way at an intersection, these situations are begging for situations like yours to occur.

    It's these sorts of accidents when having a camera really helps. And if there is any room for doubt about blame and/or if the accident is at all serious, then don't move the cars until you have photographed the scene and the police arrive. This is one of those times that you ignore the gridlock created by the accident, and just leave everything how you found it.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    that folks break the law, but a number of states have laws that tell you to remove the vehicles off the road if injuries aren't serious, so that traffic will continue to flow...

    The underlying assumption is that the officer can still figure out what happened and assign fault for the wreck...

    NOT TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Stop assuming that cops either have that ability or care to learn how to do it...

    bcooper is the exact reason why I feel that way...

    I have recommended to my wife that if she is ever in a wreck, do not move the vehicles under ANY circumstances, including earthquake, tsunami, nuclear war, and plane crashes...wait for the police to arrive so they see the EXACT aftermath and can make their decision...

    Traffic flow can go to h*ll, the mistakes the officer WILL make when you move the vehicle will cost you thousands if you are not at fault...if the other guy is let off the hook you will have to pay your deductible on collision, assume 50% fault which could raise your rates, pay for your own medical care for any injuries and the injuries to your passengers, and never receive any pain and suffering compensation because the other guy was not assigned fault...

    I told her to accept any ticket for "not moving the vehicles as ordered by law" as the cost is minimal compared to the alternative described above...

    People are simply not honest these days when it comes to accident fault, and cops are, simply, not as "competent" or "caring" when the evidence has been moved...why do you think they are ENRAGED when crime scene evidence is altered before they get there???...well, this may be less important then a crime, but when the bills come to you for an accident that you did not cause, tell me then how you feel about obeying the law and moving the vehicles before the cops arrived...

    You know what I tell my wife and why...now make your own decision...
  • eaglejoelieaglejoeli Member Posts: 3
    Hi,

    I was driving my 1998 chrysler concorde straight on a highway this morning and an oldsmobile minivan slammed the right side of my vehicle and caused pretty serious damages. That minivan then lost control and hit a telephone pole. I wanted to talk to that driver, but he just left his vehicle and ran away. I don't know if he was driving a stolen vehicle or if he was drunk. The police came, wrote a report but they told me that the VIN and plate number of that vehicle didn't match, and they need further investigation to figure out who was really in that vehicle.

    My insurance policy only includes the compulsory things and doesn't include collision. What can I do if the other party is uninsured or even unidentified?
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    Cry because you are SOL.
  • eaglejoelieaglejoeli Member Posts: 3
    What is SOL?
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Surely Out of Luck!

    OK, the 's word' isn't correct, but the correct word would get this message deleted and a nasty-o-gram to me from the moderator!

    You probably were hit by either an illegal immigant with no drivers license or a thief driving a stolen vehicle.

    On of the reasons to carry collision.
  • eaglejoelieaglejoeli Member Posts: 3
    That stinks! I couldn't believe my own eyes. why would anyone escape the accident scene and abandone his own minimvan
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    collision and also uninsured motorists insurance, in the event you were injured...apparently, you were not injured, so you could argue that all you needed was collision...

    I guess what bothers me is to read all these posts by people who, in my mind, innocently dropped certain insurance coverages (or never had them to begin with) thinking they are saving money on premiums...you know the coverages I recommend: medpay ($50K minimum), uninsured motorists, rental car insurance...if your car is worth over $4K then you should have comp and collision if paying for the damages would be financially difficult and the premiums are reasonable...

    Then, they are involved in a wreck with someone else at fault who:
    a. does not have insurance
    b. does not have ENOUGH insurance for the 7 people they injured (like minimum limits of $25K/$50K)
    c. has an liability insurance that takes 3 weeks to accept liability, so they lose their job because, w/o rental car insurance, they cannot get to work
    d. is seriously injured but, w/o medpay, can't get anyone to pay their bills

    I hate to tell the absolute truth, but for MOST folks (not those with an extra $10K in cash just sitting around to replace the beater when it is wrecked), you should plan on spending the remainder of your driving life with maximum coverage of ALL the coverages available to you...stop planning on cutting corners and dropping coverages because the folks who post here of often the result of someone buying minimum coverage and thinking they are beating the system...

    You ARE beating the system, until you suffere injury or damages with ANOTHER driver who is beating the system, and now you are victimized twice...

    Carry all the coverage you can, as only those with $$$ can "afford" to drop coverages, as, by definition, they have the $$$ to absorb other types of losses...

    For the person who has less than a few thousand $$$ in the bank, carry all coverages possible, and stop trying to cut your coverages, as the posters on these topics are what happens when you do not have the coverage and cannot afford the out-of-pocket cost...

    Merry Christmas to all...
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    I agree with you completely.

    The problem that I have is that under the current system, those with marginal financial means are ENCOURAGED to carry the lowest legal minimum insurance. If they have an at-fault accident, they are judgment-proof. Ever sue a person with no resources? If you are successful, the file bankruptcy almost immediately.

    Personally, I carry full collision/comprehensive on my beater as I rent cars fairly often and need the coverage on the rental vehicle (without paying the ridiculous CDW fees).
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    in essence, the worthless are encouraged to carry minimum coverage to remain worthless if they injure someone...the only poetic justice for that is when one of "them" injures another one of "them" so they egt a dose of their own worthlessness...

    I had a client recently who suffered $29K in meds and she complained loudly how rotten it was that the liable party only carried the minimum $25K in insurance...

    When I asked for her insurance, she also only carried the $25K minimum, and when I brought this to her attention and asked how would it be if the shoe was on the other foot, she clammed up rather quickly...:):):):):)

    That is the only karma one can hope for, is that the minimally insured deadbeat encounters the same situation...

    I had a case a number of years ago, $250K in meds (yes, a quarter of a million dollars, fractured bones, burst spleen and in a coma for 30 days)...coulda been the big one, but the at-fault party only had $25K in insurance and lived in a 20 year old trailer...that is the case that convinced me to purchase an additional umbrella policy to raise my own uninsured/underinsured motorists policy to 1 million dollars, as any one of us can be seriously injured, possibly crippled (and, obviously, killed) and that UM policy of 1 mil would adequate compensate the injured and pay the med bills, too...
  • gogiboygogiboy Member Posts: 732
    marsha7--

    I apologize if you have already addressed this earlier in this forum, but I was wondering what/how much insurance you recommend the average middle class couple (no kids, no accidents) should carry? We currently carry the typical 100/300 coverage for comp/collision/medical as well as something for uninsured motorists on our 02 Rav4. I'm carrying liability and uninsured only on my 94 Civic and 92 MR2. What is your best guess as to cost for a $1M umbrella UM Policy? Is there something that can be carried on our house that can be used also for UM? We've been with the same mainstream insurer for about 20 years and have our house insured with the same company. I would definitely like to be as prudent as possible as well as protect our assets. As the old axiom goes. "it's the cheap man that pays the most."

    Gogiboy
  • cccompsoncccompson Member Posts: 2,382
    My two cents on this is that if you have any assets or a good income, 100/300 is too low. You'd be surprised how fast a hospital bill can hit 100K. In addition to protecting myself, I want to be sure that if I hurt someone, they are properly compenstated - figure a minimum of 500/500.

    Call your agent for a quote an umbrella. You'll likely be surprised at how inexpensive it is.
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Gogiboy,

    That depends on your situation - how many vehicles and houses and the state you live in.

    I have a $2M excess liability coverage for about $250-300/ year billed annually. YMMV.

    Just remember one thing? If you kill someone with your vehicle, what's it going to cost you? A lot more tahn the state-mandated 25/50/25 coverage.
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