I need some advice
@lilttownmommie (1473)
United States
December 9, 2006 3:33pm CST
I need some advice/opinions. I was involved in a car wreck back in June, I had just started to buy a car from my mother in law and the car was still in her name so when I went to buy insuance for the car I couldn't because the car was not in my name, any how I still had to drive the car because I did not have any other form of transportation and in June I was going to work (I still worked then) and when I got off the interstate I looked over my shoulder to see if there was any oncoming traffic and had assumed since there wasn't any that the person in front of me had already gone, but he hadn't and I hit the back bumper on his car, going approximately 5mph if that, so his pt cruiser lost like 2 or 3 dime to quarter size flecks of paint, and since I did not have insurance I offered to pay for the bumper to be repainted, but the guy said it was his wifes car and she was not with him, so he would have to discuss the matter with her, well she filed her the claim with her insurance and the estimate ended up being like $1200, and included a new light, new turn signal, new bumper, ect all things that were not damaged, in the police report it said no visible damage to either vehicle. I had made payment arrangements with State Farm to pay for the claim, but I also sent them a copy of the accident report with "no visible damage" hi-lighted and asked them why the estimate included all the new parts, after I recieved the first and second payment notifications I had sent them the agreed amount of $350 for the first payment installation and $100 for the second, and I had asked that they send me a notification or bill every month so I could keep up with the payments, and also have a copy for my personal records, they had agreed but I never recived anything else about, nor have they called me anymore. Yesturday I recieved a notice from the state department of motor vehicles that I needed to send the owner of the pt cruiser $1045 or my license would be suspended. To me the whole thing sounds like they damaged the car further from the initial flecks of paint that were my fault, and I have said this from the time i recieved the estimate. And I belive that these people may have tried to scam the insurance company and the insurance company found out and they are now trying to get more money out of me. Is any one familiar with insurance claims? Can any one give me some insight on this subject? Thanks in advance for your response and help.
6 responses
@tamra2 (259)
• United States
10 Dec 06
Well, I have to point out that you can in fact insure a vehicle regardless of whose name it is in. My daughter's boyfriend insured her car (which was in my name but he drove it) for several years with no problem.
As for your situation, if you signed an agreement with the insurance company to pay what they claimed the damages were, and set up a payment plan, then it may be too late for you to dispute the charges now. You will want to talk with a laywer.
@lilttownmommie (1473)
• United States
11 Dec 06
in the state of Alabama whoever is the owner of the car has to sign the insurance paperwork, with out her signature i couldnt do anything insurance wise
@remaster74 (4063)
• Greece
9 Dec 06
First of all, get a lawyer. You are going to regret the day you even had the accident. I think you have to get a lawyer in order to find what is going ON. I think both the owner of the car and his insurance company are doing the scam. Inform the police afterwards.
@scooter1024 (1243)
• United States
10 Dec 06
I would definately say you need to talk to a lawyer. I would want all the extra help I could get. For one you are easy prey because you didnt have insurance. They think they can do what they want. You seem to have solid proof of the damage on the vehicle since you have the police report. You would be better off if you have proof you paid the insurance company anything too. I wish you good luck.
@rakinitin (685)
• Canada
10 Dec 06
That's really too bad if they have scammed the Insurance Co. Find out from the police department why there were no pictures taken of the damage at the time of the initial report. Perhaps they have guidelines and if the damage did not warrant taking photos, then you could go to the Insurance Company with this info and accusation. I wish you all the best.
