Car Insurance Question / Help Needed

[brownsfan019 17]

Hopefully someone out there on TL can help me w/ this one...

 

In April 2009 I was involved in a minor car accident. Other party was at fault (young girl just got her license), they took all fault, their insurance paid, etc. Quick and easy.

 

So I thought...

 

My car insurance renewal from esurance came today w/ an increase of 45%!

 

 

I called them and was told that b/c I have an accident on my OH BMV record, I was getting rated. Huh?

 

I then call the BMV and was told that my record does say 'accident' but does not show who is at fault. And that's how they do it.

 

I have to guess that this showed up at the BMV after the police report I filed after State Farm requested this when doing the claim.

 

Anyone have any ideas here? Are there insurance companies that do not penalize you for being in an accident that was not your fault?

 

 

In summary...

I get hit

Other party takes all blame/fault

The total bill wasn't that much (around $1000)

And now my insurance goes up 45%

 

I shoulda just told the kid no biggie that you hit me, I'll pay for it myself b/c that is going to be cheaper over the next 3 years that this 'accident' is on my record...

 

Any suggestions?

[zdo 20]

bf, Maybe check to see if Allstate will work with you on this... like if they will grandfather you in on 'accident forgiveness', etc...

[brownsfan019 17]

So far I've been told to sue the BMV and/or get the accident report and then get a lawyer.

 

What a pain.

 

Moral of story - don't follow a police report unless absolutely 100% necessary. Nice system they have in place there - reward those that don't file the appropriate reports.

 

Lesson learned.

[diablo272 10]

I thought the very purpose of auto insurance was that if someone hit you, you don't have to pay???

[Tams 20]

this is a desperate time...

they will use any excuse to get your money

[TIKITRADER 10]

BF I have had the exact experience with an accident my wife was involved in. She was dropping off our children in front of the school. A woman drove into her drivers side door and left the accident. We had the police go directly to her house and retrieve necessary information and she was issued a summons on her part of leaving the scene.

 

Plenty of proof we were not at fault. Our insurance raised our rates even though it was clearly anothers fault.

It appears this is the trend for auto insurance. You may want to shop around and go someplace else. There is a problem with that also as the insurance companies may have access to your driving records and are then aware of past diver/ accident history. Shopping around may not provide great results, but it does give some options.

[brownsfan019 17]

I thought the very purpose of auto insurance was that if someone hit you, you don't have to pay???

 

You would think. I thought so too.

 

Now my rates are up 45%.

 

 

BF I have had the exact experience with an accident my wife was involved in. She was dropping off our children in front of the school. A woman drove into her drivers side door and left the accident. We had the police go directly to her house and retrieve necessary information and she was issued a summons on her part of leaving the scene.

 

Plenty of proof we were not at fault. Our insurance raised our rates even though it was clearly anothers fault.

It appears this is the trend for auto insurance. You may want to shop around and go someplace else. There is a problem with that also as the insurance companies may have access to your driving records and are then aware of past diver/ accident history. Shopping around may not provide great results, but it does give some options.

 

That's amazing. How this is allowed to happen is beyond me.

 

What a racket. And here I thought the stock market had some shady people working in it... The car ins industry makes these guys look like saints.

[BrianNC 10]

I used to work in car insurance from the agent side and the underwriter side. Did you tell the person at your insurance company that you were not at fault and that the other company paid everything? There is no way your insurance company should be holding this against you and from what I see, no reason it should be on your BMV.

 

As an underwriter, if there was a dispute like this, the person would have to send me proof of what they were saying, and if they did, we would take it off. Or I may have had them get it removed from the BMV and then get proof of that. It's been a long time. I'm also trying to figure out it being on your record when you weren't at fault and weren't charged. It's been a long time since I did that kind of work, but if you care to go through it in a little more detail, I may be able to think my way through it more clearly and possibly help you.

 

But the first place I would start is explaining it to my agent or whoever and ask them what I needed to do, and do the same thing with the OH BMV and see what they say, and get a clearer understanding of how they post accidents when one is not at fault, etc.

[brownsfan019 17]

Brian - esurance knows I wasn't at fault b/c no claims were made! And their rep told me that too... BUT their policy is that if something is on your BMV, you are rated.

 

So my Ohio BMV shows 'accident' doesn't show fault or anything, just that I was in an accident. And esurance says - too bad, you are now rated.

 

I've since found out that each company handles this differently. Some do what esurance does and others do not penalize you if you were not at fault.

 

I will continue the shopping around next week. I just can't believe this is even a possibility.

[BrianNC 10]

Brian - esurance knows I wasn't at fault b/c no claims were made! And their rep told me that too... BUT their policy is that if something is on your BMV, you are rated.

 

So my Ohio BMV shows 'accident' doesn't show fault or anything, just that I was in an accident. And esurance says - too bad, you are now rated.

 

I've since found out that each company handles this differently. Some do what esurance does and others do not penalize you if you were not at fault.

 

I will continue the shopping around next week. I just can't believe this is even a possibility.

 

Did you ask them if it was removed from your record that they would put you back to where you should be? You've got to get it off your record. Most insurance companies are that way. People would come in for insurance and tell me they had no tickets, then it would come back rated, and they would say "That was dismissed!" And I would have to tell them, it may have been, but they didn't remove it from your record so the company is going to rate for it. But if they could get it removed from the record, then I could talk to an underwriter (when I was an agent) and normally get it handled. Or when I was an underwriter I could re-rate it. You may have this problem with most insurance companies. So I would start working from the getting it removed end and talk to DMV about what you need to do if you haven't asked them yet.

[brownsfan019 17]

Did you ask them if it was removed from your record that they would put you back to where you should be? You've got to get it off your record. Most insurance companies are that way. People would come in for insurance and tell me they had no tickets, then it would come back rated, and they would say "That was dismissed!" And I would have to tell them, it may have been, but they didn't remove it from your record so the company is going to rate for it. But if they could get it removed from the record, then I could talk to an underwriter (when I was an agent) and normally get it handled. Or when I was an underwriter I could re-rate it. You may have this problem with most insurance companies. So I would start working from the getting it removed end and talk to DMV about what you need to do if you haven't asked them yet.

 

I have talked to the BMV and here's the circle I am in:

 

BMV says you were in an 'accident' and that's what we show. We do not show you at fault, just that you were in an accident.

 

Ins. company says you were in an 'accident' and now you are rated. Get that removed and we will rerate you.

 

BMV says nothing to remove b/c they just list 'accidents'.

 

+ :doh:

 

If this isn't the biggest scam, I don't know what is. And I'm finding out that this is just how it's done. Luckily some ins companies will actually research to see if you were at fault before rating you. So far I've found that State Farm does this.

 

But I guess it's just common - when I went to geico's site to get a quote, it specifically asked me if I was in an accident in the last 5 years even if I was not at fault. It was clear as day what they were asking...

 

So I get bent over b/c some 16 yr old girl that had barely been driving much hits my car. My record is pristine other than this 'accident'. And now it's going to sit there for 3 years. I will be calling my attorney just to see if there's a legal way to push this.

[BrianNC 10]

In looking for another company, I would call an agent and tell them the situation and see if their company will actually do reasearch or let you provide the proof and not rate for it. If your record is clean other than that, then you should be with a standard company like Stater Farm, Allstate, etc. I'm not sure who you are with since you said einsurance. I assume they are just a broker. You mentioned State Farm. That is who mine is with.

[brownsfan019 17]

In looking for another company, I would call an agent and tell them the situation and see if their company will actually do reasearch or let you provide the proof and not rate for it. If your record is clean other than that, then you should be with a standard company like Stater Farm, Allstate, etc. I'm not sure who you are with since you said einsurance. I assume they are just a broker. You mentioned State Farm. That is who mine is with.

 

esurance is the company. It's an online only gig.

 

Thanks for the help, it's appreciated.

[brownsfan019 17]

I can't believe it - after emailing esurance customer service and 5 days later, somehow they re-rated me w/o the accident. My renewal is actually cheaper than last year's renewal. Looks like I am staying put assuming the bill reflects this properly.

 

I had given up hope w/ them but thought I would send an email and see. After receiving the standard 'sorry, we can't do anything' and being persistent the rep did some 'research' and it's been lifted from my record with them.

 

I'm still going to shop around to see but last time I did this no company could come close to esurance. I know it's nice to have an agent you can call but I rarely use this stuff, so email/online is fine for me. Actually, I prefer it.

[BrianNC 10]

I can't believe it - after emailing esurance customer service and 5 days later, somehow they re-rated me w/o the accident. My renewal is actually cheaper than last year's renewal. Looks like I am staying put assuming the bill reflects this properly.

 

I had given up hope w/ them but thought I would send an email and see. After receiving the standard 'sorry, we can't do anything' and being persistent the rep did some 'research' and it's been lifted from my record with them.

 

I'm still going to shop around to see but last time I did this no company could come close to esurance. I know it's nice to have an agent you can call but I rarely use this stuff, so email/online is fine for me. Actually, I prefer it.

 

That's great!

 

I would check some more if you've never had an accident or any recent tickets. Who is your actual insurance company? Esurance just seems to be a clearinghouse or broker for many companies.

[brownsfan019 17]

That's great!

 

I would check some more if you've never had an accident or any recent tickets. Who is your actual insurance company? Esurance just seems to be a clearinghouse or broker for many companies.

 

I just pay esurance - [url=]http://www.esurance.com[/url]

It appears it is from them too, I don't see any other company names on my documents.

 

I am going to shop around still but good news is that I can remain here if the rates are good.

[Superskate 10]

Talk to your agent about it. He/she is probably the only help. Now you understand that ICs only collect premiums. (Agt gets a %age of the premiums . . .) Think about making the extra premium up with a couple good trades.

 

Also look at USAA and figure out how to join. Great rates and I get back a chunk every year as a "dividend".

 

Good luck, Superskate