car accident and insurance

[ER_Hopeful]

One of my close relatives got reared-ended recently, he doesn't speak English and has liability insurance only on his car(with Farmers Ins.) So my mom called Farmers for him, she was told that they wouldn't be dealing with the other insurance company to get his car repaired at all since the policy is liability only. Is this standard industry practice? I thought they'd help you get your car fixed if the other party is at fault? what're his options now? go to a lawyer?

 

[calmloki]

exactly the line i've received from my liability only insurers after not-my-fault accidents. your relative gets to deal with the at fault parties insurer.

 

[ziggy29]

Often if you have collision/comp on your policy and someone else at fault hits you, your insurer will pay out to you and then (through "subrogation") they'll seek reimbursement from the at-fault party's insurer.

If you don't have collision and comp, your insurer has no obligation to facilitate the repair or replacement of your vehicle in case of an accident, even if the other party is at fault.

 

[ER_Hopeful]

Often if you have collision/comp on your policy and someone else at fault hits you, your insurer will pay out to you and then (through "subrogation") they'll seek reimbursement from the at-fault party's insurer.

If you don't have collision and comp, your insurer has no obligation to facilitate the repair or replacement of your vehicle in case of an accident, even if the other party is at fault.

right, I understand that without coll. and comp, my ins. won't pay for my car repair but I thought they'd at least 'fight' with the other ins. to get my car fixed. Actually, now I think about it, it's just the same difference.

 

[ziggy29]

right, I understand that without coll. and comp, my ins. won't pay for my car repair but I thought they'd at least 'fight' with the other ins. to get my car fixed. Actually, now I think about it, it's just the same difference.

The reason they usually "fight" for you is subrogation -- getting reimbursed for what they paid out. But if you have no collision or comp policies with them, they won't pay anything out to you and thus no incentive to send their people and their lawyers after the other driver's insurer.

 

[youbet]

ER_Hopeful

Your close relative's insurance company is following normal procedures. They would only be involved if the accident was the fault of your close relative. That's why they call it "liability" insurance and your close relative has no liability in this case.

 

[Sue J]

Shouldn't this all be handled by the other party's insurance company? When we've been hit and it's not our fault I haven't even contacted our insurance, it's all handled through the insurance of the party at fault.

The last time DH was hit (minor damage) and I got a call from the other driver's insurance company within a few hours. DH hadn't even told me about it yet and I got a message on my phone from a car insurance company asking me for information on our car accident earlier in the day. Quite scary! He just needed basic info and then told me get an estimate and gave me a claim number. It was all very easy from there.

 

[ziggy29]

The last time DH was hit (minor damage) and I got a call from the other driver's insurance company within a few hours. DH hadn't even told me told me about it yet and I got a message on my phone from a car insurance company asking me for information on our car accident earlier in the day. Quite scary! He just needed basic info and then told me get an estimate and gave me a claim number. It was all very easy from there.

Ideally the OP's relative may have someone trustworthy available who also speaks decent English and could serve as an interpreter (if necessary) for dealing with the other driver's insurer.

 

[Walt34]

Try dealing with the other driver's insurance company. Sometimes (gasp!) they're even fair. But if they try to lowball him, and the amount of damage makes it worthwhile, it might be worth a couple hundred dollars to have an attorney write a nastygram to the insurance company.

 

[mathjak107]

problem alot of times is stories change, suddenly the i was rear ended by your insured turns into you accidently put the car in reverse and hit them......


you stand a good chance of collecting from their company if both your stories match as to the events, i wouldnt even get your company involved ....

talk about stories changing we had an episode where a guy admitted he was at fault on the police report then changed his story..... we went to court and found out that police reports arent admissable as evidence... the judge said she couldnt even read it .....

if the officer didnt see the accident then you telling him it wasnt your fault carrys no more weight then telling him it was your fault....you talk , he writes....

since the accident report cant be cross examined as officers cant go to court for routine traffic accidents in most states the judge couldnt accept it..... live and learn