The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Accrorn on March 21, 2018, 09:13:23 AM
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My sister was in a car accident where she was rear ended and pushed into the car in front of her. Her car is probably totaled, she originally got a rental so that she would have a car before the claim was paid.
The police report puts all fault with the driver who rear ended her but the insurance company (USAA) won't evaluate her car or pay out until the talk to the driver. It has been a month now.
She called USAA today and they said they won't pay for the rental. What should she do?
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Does she has specific rental car insurance? I know it's an add-on item for USAA (I don't have it).
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USAA is the driver at faults insurance - and I'm pretty sure my sister does not have rental car insurance.
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Sounds like it's time to lawyer up.
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That is weird. Like what if this was a hit and run, USAA won't do anything because the other person didn't talk to their insurance company?
What should happen is that USAA takes care of everything for you, minus your deductible (and rental costs, if you don't have rental coverage), and IF they get in touch with the other insurance company and resolve it - they send you a check back to cover it.
This has always been what happened with my multiple (ugh) accidents. Farmer's comes out, checks my car, asks for the deductible, I get everything fixed, and 6 months (or more, since they're slow) later I get a check in the mail because they found the other driver at fault. I had ONE instance of them not being able to contact the other driver/insurance... in that case, I was out the deductible, but they still fixed my car and did everything else. It's kind of blowing my mind that USAA isn't doing that - isn't this the bare minimum that an insurance company needs to do?
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If it's their driver who won't talk, that isn't your sister's problem. They're obligated to pay when their driver is at fault. The cops cited their driver, and it's not even one of those grey zones (rear-ended, come on). Try escalating to a supervisor on the phone, otherwise get a lawyer.
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There's a lot going on here. First, what state are you in?
Now, regarding the OP:
She called USAA today and they said they won't pay for the rental. What should she do?
USAA is the driver at faults insurance - and I'm pretty sure my sister does not have rental car insurance.
Rental car insurance is on your policy - if your sister doesn't have it, why does she think the other driver should cover it?
Sounds like it's time to lawyer up.
That is weird. Like what if this was a hit and run, USAA won't do anything because the other person didn't talk to their insurance company?
What should happen is that USAA takes care of everything for you, minus your deductible (and rental costs, if you don't have rental coverage), and IF they get in touch with the other insurance company and resolve it - they send you a check back to cover it.
This has always been what happened with my multiple (ugh) accidents. Farmer's comes out, checks my car, asks for the deductible, I get everything fixed, and 6 months (or more, since they're slow) later I get a check in the mail because they found the other driver at fault. I had ONE instance of them not being able to contact the other driver/insurance... in that case, I was out the deductible, but they still fixed my car and did everything else. It's kind of blowing my mind that USAA isn't doing that - isn't this the bare minimum that an insurance company needs to do?
Wow what a crappy insurance company. So their driver hit your sister and now is hiding? WTF?
Ask to speak with a supervisor immediately. If the supervisor gives you the same BS, ask to speak to his boss. Keep asking until someone who gives a shit answers. If not, get a lawyer asap.
I will be looking into their social media accounts and planning a good smearing campaign. Fuck I'm angry just reading about it.
USAA is not the sister's insurance company. It seems like they should have been the sister's point of contact, and then they can contact USAA.
Accrorn, has your sister contacted her insurance company?
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Yes your sister's insurance will handle this.
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Yes your sister's insurance will handle this.
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This. I don't understand why people talk to the other driver's insurance company at all. Your insurance company does that - that's part of why you pay them!
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There's a lot going on here. First, what state are you in?
Now, regarding the OP:
She called USAA today and they said they won't pay for the rental. What should she do?
USAA is the driver at faults insurance - and I'm pretty sure my sister does not have rental car insurance.
Rental car insurance is on your policy - if your sister doesn't have it, why does she think the other driver should cover it?
Is this an a no-fault state?
In my at fault state, the at fault party pays the expenses of the innocent party including a rental. We got a really nice tahoe when my wife was rear ended.
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Yes your sister's insurance will handle this.
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This. I don't understand why people talk to the other driver's insurance company at all. Your insurance company does that - that's part of why you pay them!
When I had my accident my insurance did not communicate with the other insurance company at all.
What they did was pay my expenses until I got reimbursement. But it was up to me to get the reimbursement (including paying my insurance company back.)
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Yes your sister's insurance will handle this.
^^
This. I don't understand why people talk to the other driver's insurance company at all. Your insurance company does that - that's part of why you pay them!
When I had my accident my insurance did not communicate with the other insurance company at all.
What they did was pay my expenses until I got reimbursement. But it was up to me to get the reimbursement (including paying my insurance company back.)
Really? I'd be changing companies, then. That's absurd.
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We went through the same thing (not our fault, other driver wouldn't make contact, etc). If she wants to see some money now, she'll have to submit a claim through her own insurance company. They will pay out the claim (presumably since she's not at fault) and then go after the other driver's insurance company for reimbursement. Our company paid out our claim minus the deductible, but we got the deductible back about a month later. FYI, We had to hound them for updates to get anything accomplished on the claim.