Just got into a car accident. However, I was worry about increase insurance premium a
06-17-18, 10:52 AM
#16
So, good advice here. Take photos and names, driver's license number, police report.
Those Statue of Liberty car insurance commercials on TV drive me nuts. The actors sound like they have IQ's in the single digits. Then the tag line says, "If you had Accident Forgiveness then there would be no increase in rates." Well, yeah, but I would assume the company charges an additional premium for that Forgiveness rider.
We've been very fortunate over the years. One time a lady backed her car into my wife's car in a parking lot, then claimed my wife was at fault! We showed her insurance company the photo of the crease in our car in the rear door. Our car was stationary. Hmmm... no way my wife could have caused that. That was the end of it.
Those Statue of Liberty car insurance commercials on TV drive me nuts. The actors sound like they have IQ's in the single digits. Then the tag line says, "If you had Accident Forgiveness then there would be no increase in rates." Well, yeah, but I would assume the company charges an additional premium for that Forgiveness rider.
We've been very fortunate over the years. One time a lady backed her car into my wife's car in a parking lot, then claimed my wife was at fault! We showed her insurance company the photo of the crease in our car in the rear door. Our car was stationary. Hmmm... no way my wife could have caused that. That was the end of it.
06-17-18, 01:25 PM
#17
Lexus Champion
This morning I was involved in a car accident. I was traveling in the left lane and suddenly I felt a bump on my passenger side from the center lane. I met the driver of the other vehicle to assess our damage, the initial damage to my 2013 Lexus RX 350 was the passenger door and rear passenger side door were scratch, slightly bump in on the passenger door. We agreed not to call the police, since I didn't want my insurance premium to go up. I got the accident recorded on my dashcam, but dashcam wasn't able to read the license plate of the other vehicle. I do believed the other driver was at fault since the dashcam shows I was within my lane without swerving and the impact came to the side.
Now I am regretting not reporting the accident, since I heard the painting job on the door are costly from a friend. My concerns are:
1. Leaving the accident scene and report this accident will the police charge me with leaving the scene of an accident?
2. Will my insurance drop my policy due to not reporting damages to the vehicle?
3. I don't have any contact information on the other driver or license plate for that matter.
4. Do I have a case for claim damage with the insurance? Or just absorbs my loss and learn a valuable lesson?
Thanks for any inputs guys.
Now I am regretting not reporting the accident, since I heard the painting job on the door are costly from a friend. My concerns are:
1. Leaving the accident scene and report this accident will the police charge me with leaving the scene of an accident?
2. Will my insurance drop my policy due to not reporting damages to the vehicle?
3. I don't have any contact information on the other driver or license plate for that matter.
4. Do I have a case for claim damage with the insurance? Or just absorbs my loss and learn a valuable lesson?
Thanks for any inputs guys.
You could call the police and just say "Yeah, in the moment, I wasn't thinking and forgot to get down his info" and maybe they can help track the guy down. But they won't really be able to assess fault for you or your ins co.
06-17-18, 01:29 PM
#18
Lexus Champion
I don't know how your exact policy is written, or how your insurance company handles it, but you may (?) be a little too overly-concerned about a rate-increase. Some insurance companies (mine included) will waive the rate-increase for a first-time accident or other chargeable claim. It's called the Driver Forgiveness Program. Ask your company if they have one.
06-17-18, 02:11 PM
#19
1. ALWAYS call the police. They might be grumpy about it "We don't do this for just property damage" blah blah, make them do it anyway...its their job. The other insurance company WILL ask you for a police report so you need to have one.
2. Take pictures at the scene, take pictures of your plate and the other cars plate. ALWAYS get everybody's contact info and insurance info. The other party may ask you for yours even if they are admitting fault. Give it to them.
3. I also would not do anything to try and improve how the car looks until the other party's insurance company sees it. You want it to look awful. I know thats hard, its hard for me to resist too.
Remember that in these situations you have liability to others and they to you, so you have to protect yourself by doing things properly. The way you handled this based on what you said about the accident is why you are dealing with this cost and not the other party and their insurance.
good point about the police.
I don't remember if it was my local police newsletter or somewhere else.... but they said I don't need to call the police for a love tap.
If the other party admits fault, and the police record it in the report, it will have more weight than word of mouth.
If the at-fault party later tells his own insurance company a different story, then you have a mess to deal with.
06-17-18, 02:15 PM
#20
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
First of all thanks for everyone's input. This is my first collision accident that was caught in dash cam (most of other time just got swipe on the street parking) and being naive and lack of experience in this area I also panicked as he persuaded me off with the increase insurance premium. What surprises me the most is the cost of repair for something so minor, (never had repair done in the auto body before). If I known the cost of the damage I would certainly call the police and file a report with them. All in all it was my fault for letting him off the hook, but really my lack of experience sure shot me in the foot as well.
06-17-18, 03:25 PM
#21
Lexus Fanatic
That's where each company may be different. I got into GEICO's Accident Forgiveness program simply by having a relatively good driving record for many years....didn't have to sign up for anything or pay extra. GEICO likes good customers...and careful drivers.
06-17-18, 03:34 PM
#22
Lexus Fanatic
I'm with you on calling the police, but I've seen a number of cases (one of them my own) where they don't (or won't) respond if the accident was on private property (like a mall parking lot), and there are no obvious injuries or deaths involved. And if you try to exaggerate the details enough (or lie) to try and get police involved anyway, you can be charged with filing a false police report. Many police departments, despite the fact that you or I may feel they are simply doing their jobs by responding, still have a policy that they don't mess around with minor incidents on private property.
06-17-18, 09:07 PM
#24
Lexus Fanatic
Dont call 911,call the police.
06-17-18, 09:11 PM
#25
Lexus Test Driver
Originally Posted by SW17LS
Not true, if you have an accident on a public roadway and you call the police, a police officer will come. It’s the only way to make sure the other parties story won’t change after the fact.
Dont call 911,call the police.
Dont call 911,call the police.
06-17-18, 09:30 PM
#27
Lexus Fanatic
You can call the police without calling 911. 911 is for emergencies, police departments have direct non emergency numbers.
I think those of you who get push back on this are calling 911. You’ll get snapped at pretty good if you do that. The times I’ve called the local police they’ve radioed for a squad car to stop by where I am, no problem.
I think those of you who get push back on this are calling 911. You’ll get snapped at pretty good if you do that. The times I’ve called the local police they’ve radioed for a squad car to stop by where I am, no problem.
06-19-18, 10:16 AM
#28
Pole Position
Police do arrive when no one is hurt, it just takes longer.
06-19-18, 11:47 AM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
Keeping it 100, this happened in the great State of New York (from pics)? You are required to report any accident where the damage is $1,001 or greater. It's required, not optional. I never understood that because what if you honestly thought it was $1,099.98? It would seem NYS wants this to appear on your driving record, and to stop the you go your way and I'll go mine. But again, where does the number even come from? You have 10 days....
It would seem FLA is the other way around. My buddy got rear ended and the PD refused to take a report. Every state is different.
https://dmv.ny.gov/dmv-records/motor...cident-reports
It would seem FLA is the other way around. My buddy got rear ended and the PD refused to take a report. Every state is different.
https://dmv.ny.gov/dmv-records/motor...cident-reports
06-19-18, 04:41 PM
#30
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Is there a way for them to find out? If both party does not file an accident report? I am hesitate to file, since I might be penalized more for delaying to report.