Just a word of reasonable caution here about notifying your own insurance company if there is a not at fault accident (on your part) that is being handled by the at fault driver's insurance. Little known fact is that your record with your insurance company will be marked with an "incident" and even if there is no involvement or pay out by your company, the check mark remains. "Frequency" in terms of claim reporting is not a good thing. My advice, since there is plenty of time to notify your insurance if and when the other company does not perform to your standard, is to NOT involve your own insurance unless it is necessary. As far as a "police report" that isn't liable to be available on private property unless you do a walk in report with the local PD.
Is this true? If someone does a shoddy repair job, I can foresee your insurance company turning down any subsequent claims very quickly! After all, how can you prove anything after repair work has been done? sometimes it doesn't pay to be the "nice guy"....... I would recommend that the OP to everything possible to protect himself.
chuckster11 wrote: My advice, since there is plenty of time to notify your insurance if and when the other company does not perform to your standard, is to NOT involve your own insurance unless it is necessary.
Paul & Sandra
New Bedford, MA
2003 Monaco Executive M43 DS2
paulcardoza wrote: Is this true? If someone does a shoddy repair job, I can foresee your insurance company turning down any subsequent claims very quickly! After all, how can you prove anything after repair work has been done? sometimes it doesn't pay to be the "nice guy"....... I would recommend that the OP to everything possible to protect himself.
chuckster11 wrote: My advice, since there is plenty of time to notify your insurance if and when the other company does not perform to your standard, is to NOT involve your own insurance unless it is necessary.
Yup, that's my thinking as well. I have Progressive and already contacted them. Adjusted just called me and got info. She says I have two options:
Don, Jackie and the Boyz
Madison, our loveable Austrailan Shepard
Our new to the clan baby Black Lab, Riley
O'Malley the Alley Cat
Fresno the rescued kitty
1. Yes, it was an accident. But, wouldn't most people STOP once they made contact with another object (vehicle) instead of dragging the damage all down the entire side of it???............:
2. And VERY important. Be sure you receive an amount for "diminished value" from his insurance company, over and above the repair costs. Everybody knows anything that has been damaged and repaired is worth less when you sell it (especially true for cars & trucks).
I preach this a lot, but usually get little or no response. But I'm sure when diminished value is NOT added to a settlement, those that ignore this will definitely pay for it down the road, at which time I can say 'I told you so' --- do yourself a favor and look into this aspect of it. The insurance companies are familiar with it, although none of them will voluntarily offer it, and the innocent party ends up paying for it in the end.
Yes, option one--let Progressive handle the claim and subrogate against the neighbors insurance. Option two, let the other insurance company deal with the claim directly.
In both instances you now have an accident on your record with Progressive. Admittedly a "not at fault" accident, uncharged to your policy UNTIL the "frequency" bugaboo rears it's ugly head somewhere down the road. Does it always happen--No. Could it happen--Yes.
I spent 30 years advising insureds when or when not to file a claim under these circumstances because I know how accident information is used for new business and renewal underwriting.
Some times the old advice "Let a sleeping dog lie." is appropriate to insurance claims.
chuckster11 wrote: Yes, option one--let Progressive handle the claim and subrogate against the neighbors insurance. Option two, let the other insurance company deal with the claim directly.
In both instances you now have an accident on your record with Progressive. Admittedly a "not at fault" accident, uncharged to your policy UNTIL the "frequency" bugaboo rears it's ugly head somewhere down the road. Does it always happen--No. Could it happen--Yes.
I spent 30 years advising insureds when or when not to file a claim under these circumstances because I know how accident information is used for new business and renewal underwriting.
Some times the old advice "Let a sleeping dog lie." is appropriate to insurance claims.
That's exactly how she put it to me (minus the insider advice you've provided). Because it had the potential to get very hard to prove anything should the guy stop cooperating, I decided to call Progressive and let them handle it. She has already interviewed the guy. He has acknowledged that it was his fault, and she has already contacted his insurance.
How do you recommend I proceed from there? She said I could let them handle it through my policy. I would get priority at one of their shops and all work would be fully covered for life of RV.
Is there any difference from my perspective as to which way to go since either way is a "not at fault" on my insurance....I mean what is the downside of going through my policy??
The downside of going through your police is the deductible. If he fights paying it, they will expect it to come out of your pocket.
We were broadsided a few years back and our insurance handled it. Aferwards they sent us a letter stating that they couldn't determine who was at fault and that we would have to pay the deductible and then sue the guy to get it back. Funny thing is we both had the same insurance company.
2011 GulfStream Amerilite 25BH
2007/2003 Ford Expedition
Nights camped in 2011 21
Nights camped in 2012 16
Don, contrary to what Chuck has said, as a Police Officer, I have seen just how nasty something like this can get. You did the correct thing and the best thing for you to do is stand back and let Progressive handle it from start to finish. I saw all the pitfalls of the monetary size this is going to be, the "my friend" fixing the RV and shuddered. I will be very surprised if your RV is NOT totaled, due to the slide damage and the side wall frame damage shown in your photos. I know that had I had to estimate the amount of damage on an accident form, which we had to do, that space would have contained the word total.
Bob & Betsy(FishNFanatic) - USN Aviation Ret'd '78 & LEO Ret'd '03 & "Oath Keeper Forever" '05 HR Endeavor 40PRQ, 400 Cummins-Pulling our '11 Silverado LT, Ex Cab 6.2L NHT 4x4, w/2010 Rzr or 01 V Star in back. Where the wheels are stopped today
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