Posts Tagged ‘Car Accident’
If you are involved in an auto accident the initial matter of concern would be to get speedy help for everyone who had been seriously injured. The next order of business is to get hold of your insurance agent.
So let’s say you make contact with your agent to inform him you’ve been involved in a car accident, and he appears extremely helpful. He even advocates a body repair shop you could take your car to, and may refer to it as being a “preferred” repair shop.
You may think “Well, that is definitely a good thing.” You don’t have to endure the trouble of selecting a repair shop, nor must you do any “groundwork” looking for body shops to find one that’s reputable and that you can rely on to do good work. After all, you simply want to get your vehicle fixed, right? But let’s imagine you currently know of a quality body shop that performs body repair and would wish to take your vehicle there.
So you tell your agent “I would rather take my car to a different body shop that I’m already familiar with”. But he reacts with something such as “We won’t guarantee the repair when you go there” or “You’ll need to spend extra if you go to the shop of your liking” or some other statement designed to discourage you from going to your shop and motivate (or possibly try to coerce) you to go to the insurance company’s “preferred” shop.
So what to make of all this? Why is he so eager to dissuade you from visiting the body shop of your liking?
To solve this particular question, you need to realize what the final aim of an insurance company is: and that is NOT to “share risk” or “furnish ideal service” … but to make money, and as high a profit as they can! And that can be achieved by lessening how much they have to spend in insurance claims.
So the “preferred” repair shop your representative is directing you to is certainly “preferred” … by the insurance carrier since it will save them money, but it may not work to your best interest. And why is that? Because the shop has signed a contract to pre-negotiate your auto repairs by giving the insurer discounts by using “aftermarket” auto parts. But sadly, some of these parts are substandard in quality and may even result in a dangerous repair job! This might even mean that your car will be unsafe to drive after the fixes are concluded.
But you’ll find additional, and more ominous factors why the fixes may possibly not be carried out in a very safe manner. There’s a method termed “Clipping”, which means cutting off an entire half of your car (either the front or rear half) and affixing the other (undamaged) half of a vehicle that has been wrecked.
This procedure actually involves cutting through the auto’s unibody or frame, and it affects its structural stability. Do you consider that this sounds dangerous? Well it is. But sadly, it isn’t illegal! It’s done on a regular basis.
Obviously the very best remedy is to avoid a car accident altogether, but if you are involved in an auto accident – BEWARE! If your insurance agent tries to steer you towards a suggested auto body repair shop, find out if the body shop makes use of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts, or lesser quality “aftermarket” parts. And if you even suspect the shop will be using “clipping” … then RUN the other way!
If you are one of those people who think auto insurance is a scam, beware. There could be some major payout in your future. Car insurance is extremely valuable, particularly in today`s society as more and more people find themselves involved in accidents that aren`t even their fault. You can literally be the safest driver around and still end up in a car accident. While it may not have been your fault, you may still be liable for some of the damages and this is where it comes in very handy to have auto insurance.
It Could Be Illegal
Depending on where you live, chances are it`s illegal to drive without insurance, so you`ll want to make sure that you have the minimum required, which is liability. Even in areas where you aren`t required to have insurance per se, you ARE required to have the money to cover an accident. You will need to actually prove that you can pay for damages, should they occur. This could be a big problem if you don`t have much money stored up in the bank.
Most drivers without auto insurance end up doing hit and runs, to avoid being caught, which usually results in jail time. It`s not a good idea to drive without auto insurance, but this isn`t the worst that could happen if you avoid it.
Since driving without insurance or the ability to pay for damages can hold some big consequences, you will want to know what they are in your area. Some states only charge a fine (often in the thousands) or impound your car, but many will include jail time.
Bigger Losses, Bigger Payouts
What happens if you are in a car accident and you haven`t purchased car insurance? You will be in big trouble, to say the least, particularly if the accident is deemed to be your fault. You will be responsible for any injuries and damages involved in the accident, which can grow very rapidly.
Not only will you be penalized for not having the appropriate insurance, you will also be required to pay out of your pocket. This can literally bankrupt someone and it can be extremely bad for your record. You could even lose your license, which negates the need to buy auto insurance after the fact.
A major car accident could end up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars, plus fines and jail time. It`s really not worth it when you consider how little you would pay each month for peace of mind with auto insurance. Not to mention, if you are the one injured in an accident and the other driver has no insurance, you are really going to be in trouble. You`ll end up having to pay your own medical bills, which, as we all know, can get very expensive, very fast.
Driving without auto insurance could be the biggest risk you`ve taken in your life. While you will be saving money in the moment, there`s no telling when (not if, but when) you will be in an accident and need that insurance. Rather than paying a minimal amount along the way, you`ll end up being responsible for everything all at once and that`s a hit that most bank accounts just can`t deal with.
Rather than risk your savings, it`s far better to invest in auto insurance and simply pay by the month or year, eliminating the need to lose everything when you have a collision. The minimal amount of insurance will keep jail and fines at bay and doesn`t have to be terribly expensive.
Amy Nutt
http://www.articlesbase.com/cars-articles/the-consequences-of-not-having-auto-insurance-576182.html
I am a safe driver. I’ve never had a car accident or ticket. As a consequence of my choices, I pay very low rates for car insurance. Other people I know have had accidents and many tickets, they pay a lot for car insurance. In this system, each person pays a different rate based on the consequences of their choices and actions. So what is wrong with this system? Why can’t we use the exact same system for health insurance? If I eat right, exercise, and wash my hands then I will rarely get ill and should pay very low insurance rates. My neighbor eats junk food, smokes, and never exercises, has lots of medical issues and will for as long as he lives, shouldn’t he pay a much higher rate for insurance? Why would anybody want a government system in which we will both pay the same rate? That is blatantly unfair to me since I make good choices and wont get sick as often. Furthermore, I have the choice of lots of different car insurance companies (Geico, Allstate, Nationwide, Progressive, etc.), this competition drives lower costs and better service. Why would I want to give up choice in favor of a monopoly? What is wrong with our car insurance system that somebody would not want the exact same system for our health care?
Health issues do not always arise based on the irresponsibility of the individual. A person could still get cancer from any number of factors, or suffer a life-threatening injury that requires immediate treatment, through no fault of their own.
There is one key difference between car insurance and health insurance: car insurance covers virtually everything, while health insurance is highly selective. If your car is significantly damaged in a wreck, one need not worry…even if the car is completely destroyed, you’re still covered. Your premium will rise a great deal, but you’re covered nonetheless. With private health insurance, companies that place financial interests over your health can severely limit your coverage options. They can deny you for treatments that they deem to expensive, unnecessary, or experimental.
The human body is a much more complex machine than any car…problems can occur at microscopic and undetectable levels, and unlike cars, some problems cannot be treated easily or even treated at all. All the diet and exercise in the world will not prevent, say, leukemia. And what about pre-existing conditions? If your car has something wrong with it before you buy it, you can simply return it for another one, free of charge. If there’s something wrong with you at birth, like sickle cell or diabetes, you can’t sue your mother, or your genes…and insurance companies can deny you on the basis of this condition.
But the bottom line is, people are not cars. Cars can be crafted to exact specifications, and their flaws are entirely the fault of the humans who build and operate them…which is not a real issue, as so many cars have such uniform parts that they can be replaced at any time…the entire vehicle can be replaced with an exact replica if necessary. But each of the hundreds of millions of humans in this country is distinct, fragile, and irreplaceable. We cannot simply replace a person’s DNA, or just remove cancer cells and put in healthy cells (yet…but of course those options fall under experimental treatments which insurance companies will not cover).
Car insurance theories cannot ethically be applied to human life. Keeping profits as a priority over vehicular health, another consumer product, is fine. But placing profit over human health is where society should draw the line.
Someone else hit my car while it was parked. It was very cut-and-dry. I got a police report, the officer talked to the driver. It states that my car was legally parked and the other driver is at fault. The damage is minor rear bumper damage, nothing too terrible. I filed with his insurance company, and after a lot of frustrating phone tag, an insurance adjuster came out and wrote me an estimate for $450. I had an adjustment for $734 from the local body shop for my make of car, and I showed it to him. I expressed my dissatisfaction with this estimate, and he said the body shop would settle with the insurance company directly for costs in excess of the estimate. $300 is a little much. Since it’s minor damage, I think the body shop will probably take the money and do a shoddy job on the car. It’s my understanding they are supposed to repair my car to pre-accident conditions. I got another estimate for $745 this weekend. I can’t get it fixed for $450. What are my options? (cont’d)
There is one issue–previous damage on the bumper that I was not responsible for. I’m not asking them to repair that damage, but the adjuster took lots of pictures of it and probably used it as leverage in his adjustment. The paint is flaking at the new spot of damage, there is a clear difference between the two.
Also, I signed nothing when he came out and I haven’t done anything with the check. The letter with the check states, "You will be responsible for any charges that exceed our estimate," so it looks like I’m going to have to pay $300 to get my car fixed and I’m not happy about it. The guy lied to me, probably thinking I’m stupid enough to just go cash the check.
Obviously, this is extremely minor as far as car insurance claims go. I talked to the driver and he said he would make sure my car got fixed.. etc etc. Talking to him might be a last resort. I have nothing in writing from him.
These are the worse type of claims to settle to everyone’s satisfaction, ever! I work in the industry and look at this type of damage numerous times a week. Everyone has old damage on their bumpers, that’s what bumpers are for for heavens sake.
So here it is, you are entitled to be put back to the position you were in prior to this accident happening. If you had old damage on your bumper that is not this person’s responsibility and all you will get is a paint allowance. You didn’t mention how old your car is, that factors into things as well. Paint depreciates just like your car does, it oxidizes and loses luster. Would you be happier with the insurance company repairing that one spot on the bumper and you ending up with mismatched paint? I don’t think so.
Finally, if you are getting quotes in excess of $700 for minor bumper damage only then you are getting hosed unless you are driving a luxury vehicle. You could get a used bumper, have it painted and replaced on your vehicle for less than these quotes. Don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about because I do. The offer is fair, take it and get your bumper repaired.