Dumb question about car insurance claim

[CajunShrimp]

If it was a it and run, so you know who she is and have her insurance info?

We were rear ended by a drunk while stopped at a light a few years ago. the police came and arrested her. We called our insurance company, and they handled everything with her insurance. We didn't have to play for anything. A collision center worked with our insurance and they billed it to her insurance.

[VillainV]

If it was a hit-and-run, then how do you know her insurance information?

I'd start by calling my insurance company, and pass along her insurance information if you have it. Let your insurance company deal with it.

[Eagles]

Yours. Do you have her information? Your insurance should not go up if you are not at fault. This happened to me a few years ago, except in my case the driver was about 80, in a Crown Vic, and looking on her passenger seat for her cell phone. While driving.

[VillainV]

Aug 15, 2014 13:48:11 GMT -5 Eagles said:

Yours. Do you have her information? Your insurance should not go up if you are not at fault. This happened to me a few years ago, except in my case the driver was about 80, in a Crown Vic, and looking on her passenger seat for her cell phone. While driving.

In some states it does go up even if it's not your fault...Florida I think?

[emoflamingo]

Aug 15, 2014 13:48:50 GMT -5 letsgetweird said:

She was arrested for DWI and the cops woke me up at 4 am to let me know.

She was visiting my neighbors and hit me and arrested a few minutes later.

I have her name and Insurance info.

I would call hers. Notify yours in case you need to subrogate. An unmanned car hit should nullify any no fault laws that may occur on private property.

[CajunShrimp]

Just calls yours, pass on the information, and let them deal with it. You are paying them big bucks for insurance, so have them work on your behalf.

[Eagles]

Aug 15, 2014 13:48:51 GMT -5 VillainV said:

Aug 15, 2014 13:48:11 GMT -5 Eagles said:

Yours. Do you have her information? Your insurance should not go up if you are not at fault. This happened to me a few years ago, except in my case the driver was about 80, in a Crown Vic, and looking on her passenger seat for her cell phone. While driving.

In some states it does go up even if it's not your fault...Florida I think?

Oh, that really sucks. 

Give all the info to your insurance company, and they'll deal with her carrier. 

[paddywagon]

Aug 15, 2014 13:48:50 GMT -5 letsgetweird said:

She was arrested for DWI and the cops woke me up at 4 am to let me know.

She was visiting my neighbors and hit me and arrested a few minutes later.

I have her name and Insurance info.

You could call her insurance company and file a claim. You'll most likely need a police report, if you didn't receive one with your wake up call.

You can file through your insurance as well. You'll most likely have to pay your deductible, but should be able to reclaim the deductible through the other insurance company.

I've usually just filed the claims with the other person's insurance. I only filed through mine once because the other insurance company was giving me the run around and was taking way too long to take care of the damages and a loaner vehicle.

[juliagoulia]

It's totally up to you, but I always think it's better to go through your policy and let them subrogate if you can handle paying your deductible and waiting to be reimbursed. Your own company will likely be more timely than hers. Your premium will not go up as this is not an at fault loss. They will go back after her company for the cost of repairs and your deductible and any rental expenses or anything.

[berbles]

Aug 15, 2014 13:52:42 GMT -5 CajunShrimp said:

Just calls yours, pass on the information, and let them deal with it. You are paying them big bucks for insurance, so have them work on your behalf.

QFT

Call you insurance.  They will do all the legwork coordinating with her insurance.  That's what you pay them for.  Your premium shouldn't go up at all.

[CajunShrimp]

We didn't have to pay a deductible when we were hit. We called our insurance, sent them the police report, and a few days later they called and approved the local collision place. Easy peasy.

We live in MA, if that helps.

[statlerwaldorf]

For minimal damage, I would work directly through her insurance. If you have any problems, I would go through your insurance and have them deal with it.

You could get it fixed faster if you go through your insurance, but you will have to pay your deductible. Your insurance company would then go after her insurance and one that is settled would send you a check for the amount of your deductible.

Your premium shouldn't go up since the accident was not your fault.

[tigress]

If your vehicle is drivable I would contact her insurance directly assuming you have that info. Then you don't have to pay the deductible. And you can always go back to your insurance and submit a claim if they don't have coverage or won't handle things for you asap (sometimes they have hoops to jump through).

I am a claims adjuster so listen to me lol.

[WOT?*]

I've worked insurance defense and personal injury. If you have her insurance, you call her insurance. (If you have problems with her insurance, you call your insurance to get them to handle her insurance.)

Not that it matters since that's what your insurance company told you to do.

Oh, and don't take the initial settlement offer, don't sign off on anything until your car is fully repaired by a shop that YOU choose (get a recommendation from YOUR insurance or people you know, not her insurance) and make sure that all damages are repaired and the undercarriage/frame also checked for damage and repaired if necessary, not just the pretty outer parts.  And if your car is reasonably new or expensive then also try to collect for diminished value since at trade-in it won't be worth as much as a car that's never been hit.

[Deleted]

The only accidents I've been in have been the other person's fault and I always called their insurance first. Their insurance should handle it.

You can call your insurance to give them a heads up and mine always told me if there were any problems they would handle things, but really, the person who was at fault's insurance should take care of everything in my experience.