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Thread: accident insurance claims

  1. #1
    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default accident insurance claims

    the other night when I was on the way to my club I crashed my car, now I'm trying to decide if its worth it to make an insurance claim. I went and got estimates today The damage from the estimate from one place was 4185, from the second place was 3200$...

    So what I'm worried about is how much my insurance rates will go up. I'm a 20 year old female, I don't have any incidents in my driving history. No tickets or anything. I have a $500 deductible for collision coverage..The accident was total freak accident, not my fault in anyway. I wasn't speeding, road conditions weren't bad - four other cars did the exact same thing right after me. I didn't hit any other cars, and none hit me - I just hit the gaurd rail.


    does anyone have any input about this? Neither my brother or I have made any claims, so we have no idea how much our insurance rates would go up...anyone ever been in this situation??


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    God/dess kryssy's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    Make the claim! $500 dollars isn't much compared to $3200. If you have a good driving record, than your rates won't go up very much at all. Probably no more than a couple hundred for the next year. If that!

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    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    i'm just scared it's gonna go up like a grand a yr or something....is that possible?


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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    I don't think it will go up that much if at all really. Do you have any tickets or points on your driving record? If not, make the claim. That's what we pay insurance for!

    I don't ever recall my insurance going up as a result of a claim. If it did it sure wasn't very noticeable.

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    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    Ummm...this girl is only 20 years old...and depending on when she got her drivers license (16?), it only gives her 4 years of driving history.

    When has anyone really made a claim in the insurance and not had it "increase" much? I had a small fender bender when I was 20 and my insurance went up almost $35/month. That may not sound like much, but over the years...it adds up. Pay that money for at least 3 years (providing that you have no other moving violations or accidents) until the incident falls off your record...or at least until you turn 25 and that's a ton of extra money out of your pocket. You need to look at THAT number and not how much out of pocket now.

    If you pay $100/month for insurance NOW...and you get into an accident which causes your insurance to increase to $135 (all hypothetical numbers, BTW) per month, then over the course of at LEAST 3 years, you would pay a total of $1,260--add in the deductible and it's $1760. If you get any kind of moving violation (or already have any), your insurance will increase even more...and will most likely not drop for at least 5 years...

    Don't look at the short term numbers. Look at the LONG term numbers. Does your car absolutely need to be completely repaired? Some high schools and techical schools offer car/engine repair for a fraction of the cost...you may want to check into that.

    Hope that helps a bit...good luck!

    P.S. Do NOT call your insurance company and ask them how much your insurance would go up if you had damage to your car. They, in many cases, make an inquiry that would make your insurance go up anyways because they assume that if you are asking, the accident already happened. So, do your best mathematical guessing...and make the decision from there.

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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    well her question was would it go up a grand a year.

    btw, my first major fender bender was at 18. the cost to repair was over $10,000. There was no choice if we wanted to make the claim. My insurance did not go up a thousand dollars per year. I think it increased about $200 per year.


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    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    initially my parents kept telling me they thought it would go up insane amounts like a grand a year because of the accident, but the more people I keep talking to about this they seem to be saying that it won't go up that much. Like LSM says, more like 200 per year, so that's hopeful I guess.

    p.s. I don't have any other points on my record or tickets or anything. And since the accident I've turned in to "Right lane Jill", and drive like a granny because I'm so paranoid.


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    Veteran Member DJ_WuLf's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    The question is ....Did you get a ticket as a result of this accident? If not, in a single vehicle accident, its doubtful your rates would rise at all. $4000 is a minor claim nowdays. At 20 you are paying a higher rate anyway and after all ...THATS WHY WE HAVE INSURANCE!

    Even if your rates went up $30 a month ($360/year) It would take almost 8 years to equal the cheapest estimate you have ($3200). Makes NO sense not to file this claim.
    14 years working in Strip Clubs. "What a long strange trip it's been"

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    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    nope no ticket from the accident, i wasn't speeding, road conditions were fine - i hit an oil slick or black ice or something on the road and spun out. 4 other cars followed.


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    Veteran Member DJ_WuLf's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    Honestly, if there was a police report, the Insurance company may be notified anyway or they can pick it up on a record check so even if you choose not to file a claim your rates could still go up due to this incident.
    14 years working in Strip Clubs. "What a long strange trip it's been"

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    Veteran Member Cranky's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    My uncle is an auto damage appraiser for a major Auto Insurance Agency and I asked him what he thought. He said your premiums shouldnt go up if it was non-ticketed and if this was your first incidence. He said they expect younger people to have accidents as they learn to drive and unless it was some major accident with lots of additional expenses they normally dont try to up the rates.

    In my personal experience with car insurance and rates, even if it does go up there are things you can do to offset the increase. For one, take a safe drivers course, insurance agencies love to see that you are willing to take the extra step to be a safe driver and will reward you with lower rates. My insurance is only 220 a year and I tend to drive vehicles with higher insurance rates listings, but when they start deducting for the driving courses I have taken it keeps it way low.

    Luckily for me, I have been able to take some highly specialized driving courses throughout the years including the course that the Secret Service Drivers take and this has aided me in keeping my rates low and my money in my pocket so I have more money to tip the ladies when I go out.

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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    please don't take your car to the local high school to be repaired. If you're paying full coverage, you must have a relatively newer car. Let an expert repair it, not somebody in training. I mean, that's fine and all if the car is paid off and is somewhat older but a newer car? I just don't think that would be a good idea.


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    Veteran Member slutty's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    I kew a girl who was in a dui accident and her insurance is now 1300 every 6 months, the accident was completely her fault.
    the slutty one

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    God/dess Bunny's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    I would say claim it. That is a lot of damage out of pocket. I claimed when somebody sideswiped my car and got over $1000 but I also am 32 years old and been with a good insurance company since I was 15 with no claims. A lot might depend on the state you live in too. Still, you aren't at fault. I'd claim it.

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    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    well its official, the insurance co dicked around for three weeks until they decided what the hell we'll just total her car. they are giving me shit for it too. There is NO WAY I'll be able to get a car that is semi comprable to what I had for the money they are giving me. I've been shopping around and for the money I'm getting, I can get a car same year as mine, same model, but WITH 20k extra miles, and NONE of the following: power windows, locks, no moonroof at all (let alone power), no cd player, and not automatic. THE INSURANCE COMPANY STOLE MY CAR.


    this is the pic of my car I took yesterday at the body shop when I went to pick up my plates. The snow is covering up some of it, and they had already taken off one of the tail lights so....but this was where the majority of the damage was.


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    God/dess kryssy's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    Did you know that you have the option of buying the car back, using the moeny you get to fix it?

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    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    I looked into it, buying it back and then paying to fix it minimally, however however it just doesn't seem do/able or worth it for me to buy it back and then pay to fix it, especially because they are giving me so little for it. I looked on auto trader.com and the cars like mine with all the same options were selling for over 2k more than they are giving me.


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    Veteran Member Cranky's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    Did your car have airbags? If so did they go off during your accident?


    Groovin'

  19. #19
    tampafldancer
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    umm hello, you do have the option of NOT EXCEPTING WHAT THEY GIVE YOU!

    a lot of times they up the amount of the settlement PROVIDED you have valid proof.

    edmunds.com

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    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    airbags didn't go off, even though i hit front end first. They took the car from the body shop as soon as I collected the plates. It's now two hours away .

    I got lucky, one of my friends back home knows someone selling a car exactly like my old one, except a year older, with half the miles I had, and a couple more options, they are willing to sell to me for like 350 more than insurance co is giving me. My parents will go check it out tomorow and let me know if I should come home to get it. I'm a lucky lil girl! Thank god for connections!


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  21. #21
    tampafldancer
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    id check into recieving more $$ from your insurance.

    I have a friend in the biz and he says LOTS of times settlement's are negotiated.

  22. #22
    Veteran Member Jillian's Avatar
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    Default Re: accident insurance claims

    Ooooh good to know! I will definitly try this!


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