Insurance Claim?

Anyone know how long it might take to settle an Insurance claim when it
is not your Insurance Company? If the claim in under $1000 do you think
they would settle it sooner, rather then later? Thanks!

 

Not being an insurance agent, I would say it depends on the insurance
company they have, the impact site of the claim, the driving record of
the drivers, the time and day of the accident, the road conditions,
the story as told to the accident report, the police report of the
accident, the city or state the accident occurred (No fault states).
All of which can be accessed via your own insurance company and agent
other than multiple guesses from posters at this news group.

Elector

 

It will depend on alot of factors other than $$$. Why dont you list what
happend, which state and if you are talking about settling injury/damage to the
car ?

 

If it's pretty straightforward as it appears to be in your case, not
long at all. The delay usually comes when the estimate doesn't appear to
be legit (further investigation required) or if the insured doesn't
report the accident, and they have trouble contacting them for
verification. I've had third party claims that should have been handled
quickly (claimant was stopped at a red light and then rear-ended by our
insured) but because we couldn't get in touch with our insured, we
couldn't pay out. We need to verify our insureds side of the story first.
If you have a police report, that might help expedite things. The other
insurance company can get it, but it usually takes longer for them to
get it because they don't put as much priority on getting it as you do.
It's sometimes hard to get the police to write a report on a minor
accident these days, though.
You'd be surprised how many people move and change their address and
phone number without telling their insurance company (especially if they
move to a higher rate area). Makes it hard to contact them when you need
to, especially if they never report the accident.
JPH

 

But what if the Insured's story does not even match the other persons
story? I am saying the driver hit my back Bumper so hard as to force me
into the next lane, and now the driver is saying they barely taped me!!
How I did not get hit in the front when, I was forced in the next lane
is pure Luck! I do not really think this truck should have been in the
far left lane in the first place, and driving fast on a congested
freeway is never a good idea! So who's story is the Insurance Company
going to believe? There was no Police report because it seemed like a
minor accident at the time. It only became a major thing when the driver
refused to pay up for the Damage they caused. All I really want is my 5
month old Saturn fixed, back to the way it was, before this person hit
me!! Thanks!!

 

I am not a lawyer or Insurance agent, but in most if not all
"Insurance policies" a rear end hit is a chargeable accident to the
person who was the hitter and not the other vehicle.

File a police report and also file an accident report with the DMV
ASAP.

have your insurance pay for the damages and then have them go after
the other guy. If you tell the other insurance company that it will
look real stupid in a court room when they ask how you got rear ended,
what were you doing driving backwards? Etc. It may seem funny but it
has happened.

In New York a driver must have control of their vehicle at all times.
A rear collision under the no fault laws is on the guy that did the
hit. its that simple. Unless there is a question on the validity of
the accident in which case there may be fraud involved.

Elector

 

The fact that he admits he hit you, and you didn't cut him off to cause
him to hit you, and as long as the damage is confirmed to be recent, and
not from another accident that may have happened a few weeks or months
ago, you shouldn't have a problem. If you call the other insurance
company, you'll get an idea of how they'll respond. If they seem to be
dragging their feet, then you can just have your company repair the
damage and let them hash it out with the other company.
JPH

 

Or, as I suggested earlier, talk with an attorney.

But, no, that was ignored.

 

Why bring in an attorney? Report it, let the insurance pay, and then if
the payment is not correct, then you can consider an attorney. Why would
anyone want to give away 25-35% of the insurance company payment to the
attorney before giving the insurance company a chance when they don't
have to?
It's not like the insurance company is dragging their feet, as far as I
can tell from the posts it hasn't even been reported yet. And it has to
be reported before the insurance company will even discuss it with an
attorney.

JPH