why do we even pay for car insurance?

Oh good grief...so much bad information here, just like every insurance thread that comes up.

You don't "pay" your deductible to anyone. State Farm takes it out of the settlement check. They will then go after Progressive for everything, including the deductible.

There is something you are misunderstanding or not relaying properly. If you have collision coverage, State Farm will NOT tell you that you must file with Progressive. They can't...the finest they would get from the state would dwarf the value of GF car. If you want to file with them, they will handle it. Period. I'm not saying you're lying, just a miscommunication somewhere.

As for hiring a lawyer...if you really think it will put more money in YOUR pocket...

If you have questions, feel free to email me.

The lady at Fate Starm told my gf, in the best English she could muster, that she had to pay the $500 deductible before they could do anything.. this was at the nationwide weekend number on saturday evening. she called her agent yesterday (monday) and was told the same thing, and that she had to do all the footwork herself.

I told her to tell them to do their berkeleying job that she pays them yo do and get this taken care of so we can find her a different car and get on with life..

There's the missing link I suspected...in both cases you didn't speak to a claims person. First you got an offshore call center, then an agent (they are typically clueless about claims). Have your agent help her file the claim, then you'll get to an actual adjuster. Right now, you're doing the equivalent of asking the receptionist at the dealership to rebuild yor BiTurbo motor.

You'd think that the agent would say that she needs to talk to an adjuster, maybe even take some initiative and get the ball rolling.. but nope.. once this is all done, they are losing at least 6 automotive policies (gf and i each have 3 vehicles insured thru them at the moment) and 2 renters policies. Plus i'm sure a few other people we know might reexamine their choice for insurance carriers, too..

She had a truck get totalled in a similar incident a few years ago, before we were together.. she had American Family at the time. The accident happened on saturday and she had a check in her hand sunday afternoon when the adjuster came to her house to look at it.

I'm going to say her agent sucks. I got rear ended, 100% other guys fault and My agent did everything for me from the instant I contacted her. I also have Fate Starm. Other guys insurer was Regressive. If I hadn't hired a lawyer I would have gotten nearly zero for my injuries (back injuries) that didn't show up for about 5 days. The body is amazing at masking injuries. I'd contact a lawyer anyway. by the way if anyone reads this it is made up and totally fictitious and never happened.

Yeah, any good insurance adjuster will not make you pay E36 M3. Even if it is your fault, they'll have you pay the deductible to the shop and they'll cut a shop the fix it check less the deductible. It sounds like the offshore goober isn't worth her weight in ...whatever. you need a claims rep.

^+1 This, I've never paid a deductible to an insurance company. Always to the body shop. One time I was even able to negotiate a deal where the shop accepted the insurance check as payment in full. Wife got rear ended by a high-school kid a couple of years ago, we didn't pay a dime out of pocket for anything. The kids' parents insurance covered everything including the rental while our car was in the body shop. Funny thing was, our car barely had any damage. The kids mustang was pretty much totaled.

Glad you and your family are okay. Do what klayfish said. You're just talking to the wrong people. I agree that insurance is a huge off rip. Florida now does this thing where they run your tag against an insurance database, if it comes up you don't have insurance on that tag, they suspend your license and then charge you an excess of fees to reinstate your license. Sucks when that car just sits in your garage and if something happened to it sitting in said garage you'd have to file a claim under homeowners insurance vs. vehicle insurance. Sorry to go down a rabbit hole and I hope it all works out.

DirtyBird222 wrote: Sucks when that car just sits in your garage and if something happened to it sitting in said garage you'd have to file a claim under homeowners insurance vs. vehicle insurance.

Just an FYI your homeowners policy isn't going to cover you car...

I got rear ended by a Tacoma about 2.5 years ago in my E36, totaling the poor Bimmer. Other guy admitted 100% fault at the scene, was cited, ect. I had liability coverage only through Regressive and worked pretty much exclusively through the other guy's insurer, Donegal (I don't mind using their actual name because I'm not going to bad mouth them.) Donegal was great to work with, didn't try to fight with me in the slightest (not that they had a leg to stand on anyways), paid for over 3 weeks of a rental car while I shopped for a new one, and ended up giving me probably more than double what the BMW was worth at the time.

Obviously your circumstances are a little bit different and YMMV (and unfortunately probably will because Regressive sucks to deal with in my experience), just sayin these situations don't always wind up being nightmares. File with her insurance co and let them fight it out, they already have a staff full of lawyers to handle such things whereas you will be out of pocket for one fighting it on your own.

Klayfish wrote: Oh good grief...so much bad information here, just like every insurance thread that comes up. You don't "pay" your deductible to anyone. State Farm takes it out of the settlement check. They will then go after Progressive for everything, including the deductible.

I edited my post to clarify the language. In my view, "paying" the deductible meant I was out that amount of money after paying the shop and depositing my check from insurance. Sorry if that confused anyone.

If you go through your insurance, you will pay for the full cost of the repair minus the check the insurance company gives you. If all works out (insurance company agrees with the cost of the repair), the remaining difference will be the amount of the deductible, which your insurance company will recoup from the other insurance company, and send you a check for (eventually).

You're basically fronting the amount of your deductible until your insurance company can recoup that amount from the other insurance company. Depending on the situation, this can take some time.

The car is totalled.. $7k estimate from the body shop on a car that not even the shadiest of shady buy here pay here lots would try to get $4k for in the condition it was in before the crash.. now it's just a matter of waiting for whoever to do whatever they do.. but the gf is kind of feisty, so she will stay on them..

In reply to novaderrik:

I see a "what car" thread in your future

always go through the other guy's insurance first.

Greg Voth wrote:

DirtyBird222 wrote: Sucks when that car just sits in your garage and if something happened to it sitting in said garage you'd have to file a claim under homeowners insurance vs. vehicle insurance.

Just an FYI your homeowners policy isn't going to cover you car...

It is if it is parked inside your house and something happens to the house that damages the car.

That being said, before I sold the Poncho to Curtis73, I had taken the tags off and dropped collision and liability on it. BUT, I kept comprehensive insurance for full value, no-deductible coverage. Altogether, that cost me something like $10 - one zero dollars - a year. As long as it has a VIN, there is no reason not to put comprehensive coverage on every pile of crap parts car you drag home, if there is the possibility it could lose value from any kind of event.

Greg Voth wrote:

DirtyBird222 wrote: Sucks when that car just sits in your garage and if something happened to it sitting in said garage you'd have to file a claim under homeowners insurance vs. vehicle insurance.

Just an FYI your homeowners policy isn't going to cover you car...

Yes it will. Have you ever had damage to a vehicle while it's parked in your driveway or in your garage and tried to file a claim under your auto insurance? They will tell you to go do things to yourself and have to file a claim under your home owners policy. Had a car broken into and they didn't just take things, they molested my interior. State Farm whom I was insured under for both home and auto at the time made me file the claim under homeowners because it wasn't a driving related incident and it was parked on the property that was insured under homeowners. At least that's how it is in Florida. Not sure if it is similar in other states.

If you don't own where you are living, I suggest getting renters insurance for that exact reason and make sure you include the value of your vehicle in that policy.

In reply to Duke and Dirty Bird:

This is from a standard HO3 policy which your standard homeowners policy country wide. I currently handle property claims in Florida and used to work in DC, MD and VA and have never paid for any vehicle damage. Whether it's a house fire, dropped object, tree etc. They will however likely pay for personal property stolen from a vehicle under the homeowners personal property coverage.

1. Property Not Covered We do not cover: a. Articles separately described and specifi- cally insured, regardless of the limit for which they are insured, in this or other in- surance; b. Animals, birds or fish; c. "Motor vehicles". (1) This includes: (a) Their accessories, equipment and parts; or (b) Electronic apparatus and accesso- ries designed to be operated solely by power from the electrical system of the "motor vehicle". Accessories include antennas, tapes, wires, rec- ords, discs or other media that can be used with any apparatus de- scribed above. The exclusion of property described in (a) and (b) above applies only while such property is in or upon the "motor vehicle". (2) We do cover "motor vehicles" not re- quired to be registered for use on public roads or property which are: (a) Used solely to service an "insured's" residence; or (b) Designed to assist the handicapped;

An adjuster has to look at the car before anything can be done. Should be from the hitters insurance company.

Keep in mind that if you settle on your collision it goes on your record and may end costing you more later on. Let the other guys insurance pay and you won't have to worry about deductible.

In reply to iceracer:

Wrong

maschinenbau wrote: In reply to novaderrik: I see a "what car" thread in your future

She wants a 4 door S10 like the one she had before this Impala. She bought it brand new in 2002 and put 270,000 miles on it before getting hit and rolling it in the fall of 2013, so there was an emotional bond and familiarity with it... looking online, they are apparently made of gold based on what people are asking for them.. almost have her convinced that a 10 year old 4 door Silverado K1500 will be more better while costing half as much..

Klayfish wrote: In reply to iceracer: Wrong

How so ? I have had experience from both directions

DirtyBird222 wrote:

Greg Voth wrote:

DirtyBird222 wrote: Sucks when that car just sits in your garage and if something happened to it sitting in said garage you'd have to file a claim under homeowners insurance vs. vehicle insurance.

Just an FYI your homeowners policy isn't going to cover you car...

Yes it will. Have you ever had damage to a vehicle while it's parked in your driveway or in your garage and tried to file a claim under your auto insurance? They will tell you to go do things to yourself and have to file a claim under your home owners policy. Had a car broken into and they didn't just take things, they molested my interior. State Farm whom I was insured under for both home and auto at the time made me file the claim under homeowners because it wasn't a driving related incident and it was parked on the property that was insured under homeowners. At least that's how it is in Florida. Not sure if it is similar in other states. If you don't own where you are living, I suggest getting renters insurance for that exact reason and make sure you include the value of your vehicle in that policy.

Hmm.

Back in 2007 I had my S2000 "molested" while it was parked on my driveway. I called Allstate, which was my car insurer, and they handed me a check for $10.7k.

Yes, thats how much two seats, a soft-top and a gearknob was.

They never even mentioned my home insurance other than to park it in the garage next time.