Car hit in back Insurance Situation

[Beppington]

Unfortunately you cannot trust anyone.

Sadly, this is exactly what I'm learning, & it's getting worse and worse as the years go by. It makes me want to go away so I don't have to deal with anybody. I deal with large state contracts, large because they've tried to cover every possible situation, leave nothing to chance, and yet we still end up with disagreements, contractors trying to get out of their obvious responsibilities on a technicality, etc etc etc. Wow, where is this all headed.

I always thought insurance companies actually want to pay claims because their very rates are based on how much money they've had to pay out previously ... i.e. the higher they paid out last year the more in premiums they get to charge this year.

[PetMom]

Thanks again for all the tips. first off Rizmo good clue: the reverse lights to point out and ask about in this situation. And I agree with you - people may need to back up at an intersection for various reasons - it can happen.

BlackDiamond thank you for that tip. I immediately got on the phone and USAA was very polite and actually went to ask a manager if they could waive/halve the deductible. They considered it and pointed out that it was in my policy what the ded. is. I even pointed out the years I have been with them without any claims (except for one for hail damage to a window). Nope would not budge. Gee thanks USAA! Loyal customer for a long time, never even call up to complain about rates. They are helpfully going to furnish any of the statements though.

That is interesting about the tip of calling the other ins. co. or bringing them into small claims court. I am wondering if that would not bring in their attorneys to the small claims court. And if another filing fee would be required to sue both parties or do so together which could mean Junior and Papa would have an ins. attorney speaking for them.

AND new lesson learned: immediately get copies of statements made. Beppington -you have a good point - you can sit there and try to do well and yet realize you can't trust people and just don't want to deal with anybody. Somehow (and it could just be a logical misread or error) the other ins. co. statement HAS ME IN THE TRUCK involved in all this. I am getting a written copy of the statements to find out exactly what this Junior stated - he could have even accused us of threatening him. We were way too trusting and not jumping on this immediately.

Get official copies of statements immediately to find any errors.

Another option I thought of: a lie detector test. Police give their own lie detector tests to people but the court system crowd has a few private lie detector specialists that are trusted (these lie detector tests cannot be used in the criminal courts but are very persuasive in pretrial dealings if client if found to be telling the truth).

Now we are wondering if that should be done to show either as evidence or send to other insurance co. But those are not at all cheap.

Plus, found out that the damage done to Husband's truck, if driven, could cause frame, tire damage. He is having to drive it right now and this got me worked up of yet more repair fees which would be on us.

The EF could pay for all these expenses but we would be literally way low. Then we would be sitting ducks for yet another emergency to pop up and we do not use credit cards.

[PetMom]

Forgot to ask:

Blackdiamond is there any way (other than with the discovery process in court) that I could find out how many wrecks this guy has had. The first thing he admitted to my husband that 'this has happened before' where he ran into someone.

I am sure that must be private info but wondered about that. The USAA agent was not aware of how to find out anything like this.

Any feedback appreciated.

[sawlyeee]

My heart goes out to OP. My wife recently got into a car accident. Long story short, similar to OP, the other driving called their insurance company first, we received letter shortly that they determined my wife was at fault. Luckily the police was called and a police report was written. The police report reconstructed the accident based on eye witnesses and statement from both drivers. Also similar to the OP, the other driver was young and told the truth to the officer. The other ins. company was adamant that my wife was at fault till I faxed the police report to them.

What I learned... Ins. company will do everything to save money.

Also... insurance companies usually try to get a recorded statement from both parties. Not sure if the recording are public, but it could be helpful.

[PetMom]

No, I was told I could not get the transcription of the statement of the other party, only a statement summary (by my Ins. Co.).

I asked even if going to small claims would this not be the 'discovery' process.

They could not answer me that.

They were going to have to go check with supervisor.

I am just going to check the statement summary which could not be mailed or emailed but I had to register and log on and find my message about the little summary.