warning don't buy auto insurance from 20th century, need help

[bigslammer]

well here is my rant. and advice for anybody considering 20th century or currently have them for auto insurance. well here is the incident; my car was PARKED and some guy just rammed into my car. tried to take off but a witness made him leave a number and partly remembered the license number. The guy left a scribled number that the police had to try 20 different combinations before it worked. anyways the guy was bonded through his dad's company so I thought my car would get fixed. no surprise when they didn't want to pay. So I turned it over to my insurance company 20th century on 10-9-99. At the beginning my claims person said no problem this is an open and shut case with my car not moving and a witness. more than two months later and finally reaching my claims person's supervisor (couldn't get a hold of my rep after like 20 calls) I'm told that the guy won't pay and that I just have to pay my deductible ($500) to get my car fixed and that I'd lose the money. How can they not make the guy pay. Can people hit cars and just refuse to pay? this sounds ludicrous. why should I pay 500 when it was no fault of mine? do I have any recourse? The reason I don't think they're trying is because the damage was around $800 or so and with my deductible it being 500 it only costs the company 300. the alternative for them would be to bring this guy to court and make him pay which in this case would surely be over 300. so they don't do this and just stick me with the bill. nobody I talked was of any help at their office and now it is a matter of principle. oh well I guess this is another example of how unfair life is and how big companies can step on the little guys. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif just another example of jerks and incompetence in this world. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif somehow I can still laugh at how ridculous this situation is.

[scotter]

get back in touch with the police and take him and his dad to small claims court, your self you have a open and shut case the courts will make him pay. drop 20th and get another company and tell 20ht why your droping them and that your going to tell every one you know how they treat there custumers and what happened http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Mntsnow]

There is NO REASON for you to need to pay a deductable when it was SOMEONE ELSE'S FAULT! Take them to small claims court and make them pay for ALL COSTS INVOLVED. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Just have your "ducks" in a row when you go to see the judge.
1. have the police report
2. have a avadavit from the eye witness (if unable to have them come to court with you)
3. several HIGH estimates for the repairs.
4. Keep track of all the time and effort you have put into this (including time away from work and any additional cost for rental cars ect.) (keep receipts if need be)

Call the kid's dad and get the insurance information of THEIR car and contact THAT insurance company. THEY are the one's responsable for the TOTAL cost of repairing your car!

The ONLY time you have to pay a deductable is for "no fault" claims or when YOU were at fault!

Dont take this ****!

Mntsnow

[welsh wizard]

I think dealing with insurance is the same the world over, Mntsnow has put it down right, and when you go to a small claims court, make sure it's the insurance company you take other wise the Judge will just prob say your claiming agianst the wrong party, just think of Judge Judy.
Go over any thing that you can think of that they can use as a argument against paying and make sure you have a way of nocking it down with facts and staements.

And next time you get insurance ask if you get excess cover if you are not in the wrong.

Best of luck. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
WW

[bigslammer]

thx this info will really help. it's still amazing that essentially they are just taking my money every six months and not doing anything for me the one time there is an incident.

[smokin1]

I know it doesn't seem "fair" to you right now, but your own Insurance Company has done nothing wrong. They have agreed to do what their contract with you states. You may not realise it, but an insurance policy is a contract. A deductable is an amount that you
choose and you are self insured for that amount. If the damage to your vehicle had been $400 your insurer would not be able to help you at all. They will not "go to bat" for you to get the money back, since it would in all liklihood cost more to do so than their payout. If they were to do something like this on a regular basis your insurance costs would be prohibitive...it would be a very unsound business practice.
In order to get your deductable back try going to the other insurer again, and go to the top. If you choose small debts, you have to sue the person that hit you, not their insurer...and use the info Mntsnow provided.
Good luck http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[AQR8]

Smokin1 was absolutely on target with their remarks. That is the way it works. MtnSnow laid out the info needed to present your case. If you follow that, it should work out fine for you. Good luck! BTW, here is something that will blow you away...if you loan your car to a friend (they also have auto coverage) and they get into an accident...it goes against your policy, ded and all. I learned that one the hard way, with a relative to boot!

[bdunn]

It all depends where you live. Some states have a system called no fault. Makes life miserable for all and keeps insurance rates high. I used to live in NJ and thats how it was.

[Todd Beck]

If you want insurance misery try living in a state that has mandatory auto insurance. Let's see, they're selling a product in a state that has a law that says you HAVE to buy it. Gee, I wonder if they would take advantage of that situation and raise their rates as high as they possibly could?

Nah, I don't think so.

[This message has been edited by Todd Beck (edited 12-15-1999).]

[bigslammer]

thx for the info. I live in California so I'm going to need to do some research on the state's policy on "no fault" incidents.

[jad1097]

When you get estimates make sure to go to all the local dealers well at least 3. They will be the most expensive!Another thing is when you do win in small claims court you still have to get your money from this person.And that can still be a big pain in the ***.

[topflite51]

Bonded or insured? If he is bonded, contact the bonding company. File a claim with them, if I remember correctly you can take them to court, if that is still the case, they won't like it one bit.

[UncaDanno]

In response to Todd's comments regarding states that require insurance:
I live in such a state. No insurance, no tag. Seems fair. If you're such a lousy driver that noone will insure you, you don't deserve to be on the road.
<lunacy>However, in this state, they have what they call the "Reinsurance Act" where anybody whose insurance has been dropped can petition the state with a sob story about "I NEED my car to get to my job/the pawn shop/the liquor store," and the state hands them over to an insurance company and REQUIRES the insurance company to write a policy.
THEN, to keep things "fair" for the "unfortunate one", the state dictates that the insurance company cannot charge more for the policy than they can for Joe six-pack's insurance.
THEN, to keep things "fair" for the poor insurance company and to help it from going broke, the state allows the insurance company to pass on the subsidy for the insurance to THE GOOD DRIVERS!!! And, get this, the better your record, the more you pay for the "Reinsurance Act" subsidy!
</lunacy>