Tips dealing with car insurance company

[blitz1027]

Hey all. Back in February I was rear ended by a lady. I got the police report that holds her completely at fault. Her insurance company called me and told me to go get a quote from a body shop. I did as asked and the body shop sent in pictures as well as a quote. I also got a paper copy of it which totaled just over 4000.00 dollars.

A few weeks later I got a check in the mail for 2800.00 and a estimate for repairs from them. The body shop quoted 650.00 for a rear hatch for my car and they quoted 125.00. The price they quoted was for an appliqué that goes on the hatch not the hatch which has to be replaced. I then went to 4 other body shops and got estimates from them. Each one was more than the original estimate and said that this company is awful about paying what they owe.

I filed a complaint with the commissioner of insurance and got a letter back yesterday denying my claim saying that they are compliant with the law. Of course judging by all the errors in the the letter from the COI I'm guessing they didn't do much investigating.

So there is my plight. Any tips or advice you guys can help me with? Just so you know the insurance company I'm fighting is US Agencies. They have repeatedly treated me like an idiot on the phone and am so frustrated. I really don't want to talk to a lawyer but it really looks like I may have to.

[AwakenEvil]

I had this issue with a cervinis custom bumper when some old lady hit me. I fought for about 3 months but it got fixed. Don't be afraid to get your insurance rep a call and have them help with some of the leg work. I know they offered me 200.00 for a rear bumper and nearly shit when I was like that doesn't even cover the custom pearl white paint nor the carbon fiber bumper. In the end i got 6k for the bumper and paint work.

[Baby Toni38]

I have no good ideas for dealing with this dilemma other then contacting your insurance company and seeing if they can help.

On a side note you might get more responses to this thread if you include Car Insurance in your thread title. Some may think you are looking for help with a medical insurance company and skip over this thread. Good luck

[AwakenEvil]

Also compare their quotes and see who they are using and ask them for their authorized shops and take it there. See if their repair shops are cheaper. If they are not they need to give you more money to repair your car.

[blitz1027]

Also compare their quotes and see who they are using and ask them for their authorized shops and take it there. See if their repair shops are cheaper. If they are not they need to give you more money to repair your car.

My first estimate was from one of their authorized shops. I would have had 5 estimates but one of the shops I took it to wouldn't even write an estimate because of the company I was getting it for. They said they were the worst company to get to pay.

[Baby Brian]

I'd get your own insurance company involved. Tell them this other company is refusing to pay out which will negatively affect your own car and/or insurance if it doesn't get fixed right. They will often fight on your behalf just to keep you driving and therefore keep you paying for the coverage.

[AwakenEvil]

If you make a complaint on the public pages like Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets that could help you. I did that to Kenwood over a 1500.00 car stereo which they said would take 6 to 8 weeks to fix that wasn't 60 days old. It was amazing how bad reviews in public forums they can't control gets fixed very quickly. I had a new upgraded Kenwood shipped to my house by the end of the week. I'd blow up there social media and I would post pictures and info about your wreck and how they are refusing to help you.

[kevindhca]

Start by reading your policy. Every last word of it.

Look for wording that identifies an error in their interpretation of the benefits you are entitled to.

Start calling the company, ask for supervisors names and phone numbers/ emails.

Be a pest to them, and suggest if your reasonable requests are not fulfilled, you will be forced to go public with your experience with their company, or possibly have to take legal action.

If they think you're serious, they will settle, even if only to make you go away.

[Steveorstephanie]

I had a problem with my insurer in the UK. They settled with the other party's insurer but didn't get the whole work done. I argued that they should sort the problem out, but they refused. I went to The Ombudsman who found in my favour. They disagreed with that judgement, so I went back to the Ombudsman who found in my favour again. This time, by law, they have to pay up, but dragged it out even longer. It took over two years to get paid. The motto of the story is, stick with it if you know you are right

[blitz1027]

Start by reading your policy. Every last word of it.

Look for wording that identifies an error in their interpretation of the benefits you are entitled to.

Start calling the company, ask for supervisors names and phone numbers/ emails.

Be a pest to them, and suggest if your reasonable requests are not fulfilled, you will be forced to go public with your experience with their company, or possibly have to take legal action.

If they think you're serious, they will settle, even if only to make you go away.

Well so far I have talked several supposed supervisors. Each one of them basically told my tough and deal with it. The letter I got back from my state insurance commissioners office basically said that there was nothing they could do due to they were still within the law. Of course there were many errors and things omitted from the stuff I sent in. So I'm figuring they didn't really look into it.

[AwakenEvil]

Where are you from? I know in missouri they have to repair the car back to working order or better condition unless its a total loss. Also thats a good question too... whats the value of your car and make n model?

[blitz1027]

Where are you from? I know in missouri they have to repair the car back to working order or better condition unless its a total loss. Also thats a good question too... whats the value of your car and make n model?

The value on my car is a 2009 Chevy HHR and the value was around 6500.00. At least it was before this happened. As for my location I live in louisiana. That also the law here but if they refuse to pay any supplement payments to the shop for anything beyond the initial check I'm responsible for it. From what I've been told about this company they won't pay any additional payments and stuck me with the bill

[AwakenEvil]

Are they considering it a total loss?

[AwakenEvil]

Also you could sue the person that hit your car in small claims court. That my get the person to contact her insurance since they paid for it and it isn't doing what it should do... repair the car

[blitz1027]

Are they considering it a total loss?

No they are not. They keep saying take it to the shop and cash the two checks they sent. Only problem is as soon as I cask or deposit those checks it's the same thing as me signing off that we are done. Then they have their out and I'm stuck with the bill.

[AwakenEvil]

I would stay the course and get back on the phone. Refuse to get off the line and continue to escalate it up the chain of command until you get to someone that can and will help you. If they begin to sound like they are starting to screw you over i would ask them to shut up, and transfer you to a manager. Once that manager fails I would ask for his boss and if you have to talk to the CEO so be it.

[blitz1027]

I'm currently looking at possibly taking them to small claims court. It's a hassle but it's getting to the point of being about the principle of the matter. They think they can just railroad me but I'm going to keep fighting

[AwakenEvil]

I would think you would have a good case in small claims. If you can show there is no difference from what their authorized repair shops and your independent ones claim the repair would cost you should win for sure. I would also sue for time and further add that additional cost of repair such as rust and other issues such as loss of value for the vehicle since now it will show that it was damaged in a wreck 9n any future sale. Make them pay for screwing with yoy

[DiapermanAl]

Her insurance co is quoting used parts prices.

[blitz1027]

Her insurance co is quoting used parts prices.

Oh I know they are. the body shops did the same thing in their estimates. One of the problems with the insurance companys estimate is that I cut out parts paint and labor. They just dropped parts off completely that have to be replaced.

[id0ntknow]

I had a somewhat similar experience a couple of years ago. My mom and I were shopping, and getting ready to go to the checkouts, when we see a fire truck in the parking lot. We asked a clerk what was up, and she said that there had been a pile up in the parking lot. My mom told me to wait for a second, and I thought maybe she was getting the stamps she needed. She wasn't, and had gone outside to look at the wreck. She came back inside in tears almost, and said "Your car is destroyed". Turns out that an old lady had, in some order, hit a pedestrian, hit a cart return, then hit my car, which slammed into the car parked behind it, which then hit another car coming down the driving lane. Apparently she thought she hit the brake, but hit the gas instead. The officer estimated the impact to be about 50mph. The scary part for me was that if mom and I had finished shopping a little quicker, and were putting groceries in the trunk, we'd both be dead probably. The trunk of my little Kia Rio was on the engine of the Toyota Corolla behind it. I was told that the woman had great insurance. It turns out that Allstate sucks. Those POSs really tried to low ball me on how much they would pay, and were very rude to me and my family to boot. Their first offer was barely enough to pay off the rest of my loan on the car, and I basically laughed in their ear, as they had done to me when I told them how much my insurance adjuster told me my payment should be.

[blitz1027]

Dude that sucks. Hope you were able to work it out in the end. One concern I still have is since I've already filed a complaint with the commissioner of insurance and they found them fine will that be grounds enough for the court to side with them and not me?

[babyleanna75]

Take them to Judge Judy or one of the tv courts it will hurt their bussness, but first threaten them to do that.

[blitz1027]

Take them to Judge Judy or one of the tv courts it will hurt their bussness, but first threaten them to do that.

Yeah already threatened a lawyer last time I spoke with them. They weren't what I would say shaking in their boots. More like they didn't care.

[babyleanna75]

Yeah already threatened a lawyer last time I spoke with them. They weren't what I would say shaking in their boots. More like they didn't care.

Well if you threatened them with telivised court they may do something for you.