Car insurance

[MillauFr]

I had $1,000 deductible for over 35 years. We bought a new Toyota with zero percent financing and Toyota Motor Credit requires no more a $500 deductible. I was shocked at how little difference it made in my premium. $25 more every 6 months. Insurance rates always baffle me.

Actually a $50 a year difference seems rather high to me. The maximum additional amount the insurance company would have to pay would be $500. Isn't that basically saying there is a 10% chance you will total your car? Unless you have a terrible driving record there is no way their risk is that high.

 

[tvguy]

Actually a $50 a year difference seems rather high to me. The maximum additional amount the insurance company would have to pay would be $500. Isn't that basically saying there is a 10% chance you will total your car? Unless you have a terrible driving record there is no way their risk is that high.

Well, also dropped my comprehensive coverage to zero deductible for the Toyota.

 

[barkley]

Still, we both had State Farm and the adjuster said anytime two people are backing up, it's considered 50/50 fault

interesting. we had an identical situation-we were at a dead stop while shifting from reverse to drive after backing out of a parking space when we were hit by someone backing out of their space. our insurance (farmers) took the position that since our vehicle was not in motion at the time the other driver was 100% at fault-no deductible for us/denied any coverage of other person's damage.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Yes the bank sent me nasty letters saying the deductible was too high but I just ignored them. They never did anything.

You got lucky if they didn't do anything about it. I deal with this kind of thing every day myself.

I cannot speak for all banks obviously, but where I work they really get serious about the insurance stuff. If somebody does not provide acceptable insurance and documentation, we will insure it for them. It all depends on the amount of the loan but they call it "force placed insurance" and it is kind of expensive. They just tack the charges on to the customer's loan. This "force placed insurance" is just to protect the institution's collateral and you don't want it placed upon your loan.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

interesting. we had an identical situation-we were at a dead stop while shifting from reverse to drive after backing out of a parking space when we were hit by someone backing out of their space. our insurance (farmers) took the position that since our vehicle was not in motion at the time the other driver was 100% at fault-no deductible for us/denied any coverage of other person's damage.

Unfortunately, there were no witnesses other than the people in the cars. My son was positive that I was already stopped, had my foot on the brake and was shifting into drive. The other driver's daughter said her mom had done the same. I thought it was interesting that our spaces weren't even that close together. Hers was behind me and down about 4 cars. I was fairly close to my space after I backed out. She came whipping out and backed up pretty far to hit me. Still, no witnesses and basically my recollection against hers. State Farm called it 50/50.

 

[MillauFr]

State Farm called it 50/50.

Isn't it 50/50 most of the time? Doing a real investigation that could accurately determine fault would generally cost more than the company would pay out. I'm not sure witness statements help all that much because there is no way to verify if they are biased in some way.

 

[aprilgail]

Isn't it 50/50 most of the time? Doing a real investigation that could accurately determine fault would generally cost more than the company would pay out. I'm not sure witness statements help all that much because there is no way to verify if they are biased in some way.

Not always- there are sometimes where you dont need an investigation- I was actually sitting in my parked car waiting for me daughter and this knucklehead in his daddys big old pick up truck backed into my car. The kid said he would pay my damages but I called police to get a report regardless and went through insurance since it turned out to be 11,000 in damage just by him backing into my back bumper- had to replace the camera, all the sensors, and a lot of other things- I paid no deductible since it was 100% the other kids fault and his insurance covered my rental car for 3 weeks until my car was fixed.

 

[aprilgail]

I’m posting here at the risk of being scolded for asking such questions on an internet discussion board. I have this fear of having my insurance rates go through the roof if I call and ask questions.



So my questions: Did I wait too long to file a claim? The car is in my name. Since it wasn’t being driven, does that fall under comprehensive?

I would just make a claim and say it just happened.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I would just make a claim and say it just happened.

That's fraud..don't do that. Trust me you don't want investigations on something silly like that.

 

[neverlandsky]

Work is cheaper when you don’t go through insurance. Fixing my cracked windshield and it’s $303 out of pocket total.

 

[mrs. magoo]

I was rear ended in the beginning of February. My car is still waiting to be fixed as they can not get the parts. My rental is up on the 18th. I guess I will be looking at bus schedules or something since the repair place has no idea when the parts will come in.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I was rear ended in the beginning of February. My car is still waiting to be fixed as they can not get the parts. My rental is up on the 18th. I guess I will be looking at bus schedules or something since the repair place has no idea when the parts will come in.

You could look at seeing if they would do an extension assuming your rental car is being handled through your car insurance.

Granted this was like in 2010 but I was in an accident and used rental reimbursement and the company was with Enterprise. In my case it was less than a week to get it repaired but I was working and unable to get my car on the day they called to tell me it was ready, I called my insurance company and they extended the days by a few days without too much fuss. It was well under the 30 days max but they don't want to pay for more days than they have to normally.

I think normally it's a 30 day max on the rental car reimbursement but you could call and discuss if there are any options available to you.

 

[mrs. magoo]

You could look at seeing if they would do an extension assuming your rental car is being handled through your car insurance.

Granted this was like in 2010 but I was in an accident and used rental reimbursement and the company was with Enterprise. In my case it was less than a week to get it repaired but I was working and unable to get my car on the day they called to tell me it was ready, I called my insurance company and they extended the days by a few days without too much fuss. It was well under the 30 days max but they don't want to pay for more days than they have to normally.

I think normally it's a 30 day max on the rental car reimbursement but you could call and discuss if there are any options available to you.

Yeah it is not my insurance company and it is at the 30 day mark so I am either going to be out of pocket or juggling rides for the foreseeable future. Thanks for the advice though. I appreciate it. Parts are so hard to come by

 

[kymom99]

That's fraud..don't do that. Trust me you don't want investigations on something silly like that.

No I won’t

 

[570traveler]

I was rear ended in the beginning of February. My car is still waiting to be fixed as they can not get the parts. My rental is up on the 18th. I guess I will be looking at bus schedules or something since the repair place has no idea when the parts will come in.

Good luck! I hit a deer on December 23…just got my car back on Saturday no extension on my car rental through my insurance. As much as I didn’t want the car to be totaled I was wishing it was…$11k damage on a car that was 7 months old. Thankfully my DH could drive me to work and I could walk home most days.

 

[mrs. magoo]

Good luck! I hit a deer on December 23…just got my car back on Saturday no extension on my car rental through my insurance. As much as I didn’t want the car to be totaled I was wishing it was…$11k damage on a car that was 7 months old. Thankfully my DH could drive me to work and I could walk home most days.

I know it is so frustrating. Part of me wishes it could have been totaled but I guess the insurance companies are paying to fix cars rather than total them. The shops texts me every 3 days with the same message - waiting on parts. They must be frustrated too since I am sure they want to be done with stuff and move it out to the customer. I will probably be taking the bus home from work but I don't know how I will be able to get here since I would need to be on a bus at 4:30 AM to get here by 6. This sucks. The car I hit a deer with was also repaired but it was never the same and it eventually blew the engine - hope you have better luck.

 

[aprilgail]

Good luck! I hit a deer on December 23…just got my car back on Saturday no extension on my car rental through my insurance. As much as I didn’t want the car to be totaled I was wishing it was…$11k damage on a car that was 7 months old. Thankfully my DH could drive me to work and I could walk home most days.

My car was 2 WEEKS old when the moron backed into it so I knew the wouldnt total it for the 11K in damage it did- I wish they would have because now it just felt like damaged goods even after they fixed it- was glad when my lease was up and I could hand it back to them LOL