I hate Insurance Companies, Car Accident Advice Needed

[brett05]

I live in Illinois and mid January I got hit. The guy has Founders Insurance which I find out is one of the worst. I filed a claim online with their site. The office called me on Monday (The accident was on a Friday night and they are not open on the weekends. I called back and got my insurance adjuster's VM. I left a message.
In the meantime I filed an accident report with the Joliet Police Department. I do not think the other guy ever did file.

I contacted my insurance (Allstate) and they said they would handle the claim but I would get it on my record. It wasn't my fault so I wasn't going to take the hit. So I waited. Two weeks and several calls but no return calls, I get a form in the mail to fill out for the accident. I was so upset as I had just done this online weeks ago. I filled it out and mailed it back. Still several weeks and nothing. I eventually get to talk to Founders and they tell me to get two quotes. I get two one for $4700 (they quoted a few minor things not related to the accident) and another for $2700 from a shop I used before. Again I waited like ten days before I could speak with Founders and find out how to submit to them the two quotes. Well, about a week later they come back and tell me that I can go to their shop and get it fixed and they offer me $1200. I was like what about the unseen damage? What about a car rental? She proceeds to tell me that they just cut a check to me and I use that to pay for the damages by using their shop. Unseen damages will result in another assessment. I asked if she could email me the adjuster's info and she said she couldn't but is mailing it to me.

And let's not talk about the depreciation of my car.

I am going to call my Agent at AllState this week and see what they can do. (The first time it was the after hours national number.) I am so unsatisfied with the whole process.

Anyone been thru this? Anyone have to go to like small claims court? Can I get my depreciation value? Can I ge tthem to pay my mechanic?

Thanks for reading. Sorry it's so long.

 

[Run the ball]

Shitty, I rolled my truck 6 years ago and had 35G cheque in my account within a couple of weeks.


My wife is an adjuster and she tells me that the other company would be fully reponsible for your costs with no such thing as a pre assessment. They should pick the shop where your vehicle goes and then they get the bill, it would be that simple up here in Canada.

 

[biscuit_in_the_basket]

Had one car totaled (was stopped and a car hit the car behind be at 55+mph.), but when the people that caused the accident skipped town my insurance company covered the damages. I had Geico at the time.

 

[Monster]

I have USAA. Got hit from behind (insert joke here) (insert additional joke for using the word insert) but made sure I had the cops come and issue a report stating fault. I never called the other insurance. USAA fixed my car the next day and billed the other guys insurance. His adjuster did call me and said I paid to much because I went to a dealership. I told them I didn't pay anything and they should call USAA. Never heard anything more and my rate did not change. I guess it was good to have the cops come because it showed I was not at fault. I've heard of USAA raising rates after a claim if you were liable.

 

[KittiesKorner]

This happened to us last year. We weren't at fault. We paid the deductible with the understanding that our company would pursue the matter in subrogation and take the other company to court if it came to that. It did. We ended up getting our deductible back but in the mean time our company dropped us for filing 4 claims in one year (got hit 3 times that year, 4th was a fender bender where we were at fault). That was Progressive.

Fwiw, we are now also with State Farm

 

[KittiesKorner]

One other thing: the other company waited until the day before the trial and settled. The Progressive attorney said that's common fir sketchtard insurance companies

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Brett,

This is why they preach "defensive driving". The more alert you are while driving, the better chance you can avoid an accident.

I am very sorry to hear this happened and hope everything ends up going well.

Just keep your eyes peeled next time and maybe you can avoid it altogether.

 

[Dogstar]

Can I ge tthem to pay my mechanic?

Yes. I would return that $1200 check and nicely tell them where they can stick it and their mickey mouse body shop.

In Illinois, you have the right to have the car repaired at the shop of your choice.

These crappy insurance companies rely on people who aren't willing to put up a fight. That said, you need to decide how much and how long you're willing to go with the fight.

 

[brett05]

Brett,

This is why they preach "defensive driving". The more alert you are while driving, the better chance you can avoid an accident.

I am very sorry to hear this happened and hope everything ends up going well.

Just keep your eyes peeled next time and maybe you can avoid it altogether.

Thanks. And I know you mean that well, but even defensive actions still can't avoid as was the case with me.

 

[brett05]

Yes. I would return that $1200 check and nicely tell them where they can stick it and their mickey mouse body shop.




In Illinois, you have the right to have the car repaired at the shop of your choice.

These crappy insurance companies rely on people who aren't willing to put up a fight. That said, you need to decide how much and how long you're willing to go with the fight.

But do they have to give the shop the full price or just what their shop would do and then I would have to pay the rest?

 

[Tater]

I have USAA. Got hit from behind (insert joke here) (insert additional joke for using the word insert) but made sure I had the cops come and issue a report stating fault. I never called the other insurance. USAA fixed my car the next day and billed the other guys insurance. His adjuster did call me and said I paid to much because I went to a dealership. I told them I didn't pay anything and they should call USAA. Never heard anything more and my rate did not change. I guess it was good to have the cops come because it showed I was not at fault. I've heard of USAA raising rates after a claim if you were liable.

This^^.
I was in an accident last month (10K in damage) and I just got my truck back last Friday. Luckily I didn't even have to call the cops, one was nearby and saw traffic backing up and knew something was wrong. Why didn't you get a police report to cover yourself if not at fault?

 

[Run the ball]

Don't you have to call the cops if it's anything over 1000$, which is pretty much any fender bender?

 

[brett05]

This^^.
I was in an accident last month (10K in damage) and I just got my truck back last Friday. Luckily I didn't even have to call the cops, one was nearby and saw traffic backing up and knew something was wrong. Why didn't you get a police report to cover yourself if not at fault?

When it happened we were all ok and my damage was minimal. I really thought this wasn't an emergency enough for 911. I know better now.

 

[Monster]

When it happened we were all ok and my damage was minimal. I really thought this wasn't an emergency enough for 911. I know better now.

Don't need 911 I just hit onstar and said I had a minor vehicle accident with no injury and requested an officer on scene. The cop didn't ticket the kid because he was honest and respectful but issued a card to both of us stating fault. Was pretty simple to my surprise.

 

[brett05]

Don't need 911 I just hit onstar and said I had a minor vehicle accident with no injury and requested an officer on scene. The cop didn't ticket the kid because he was honest and respectful but issued a card to both of us stating fault. Was pretty simple to my surprise.

Can't dial onstar from a non gm car.

 

[Sunbiz1]

http://insurance.illinois.gov/Complaints/Understand_Complaint_process.asp

Insurance is regulated in every state, tell your company you will be filing a complaint.

 

[Monster]

Can't dial onstar from a non gm car.

I don't either now. Didn't renew but a cell phone would work fine. If it's their fault you want a cop. If not you don't. Lol

 

[brett05]

I don't either now. Didn't renew but a cell phone would work fine. If it's their fault you want a cop. If not you don't. Lol

Like I said, I didn't know I could dial 911. I tried to see if I could file the night of the accident at the station but unless you dial 911 on a Friday night there is no dispatch to call.

 

[Dogstar]

But do they have to give the shop the full price or just what their shop would do and then I would have to pay the rest?

Probably a question better answered by your Allstate agent.

I didn't get that far with my case, but I'm pretty sure they have to compensate you for the full amount.

 

[brett05]

Probably a question better answered by your Allstate agent.

I didn't get that far with my case, but I'm pretty sure they have to compensate you for the full amount.

Yeah I am going to call her this afternoon