Should I contact my insurance company?

Question

I accidentally rear ended someone but there was no damage to their car, they said it was up to me if I wanted to go through insurance or not, as their car needs no repairs, and I have all their information. It will cost $1,700 to fix the car myself. If I go through insurance I have only a $500 deductable to pay, but my rates will go up. Up until now I have only been in two accidents where I have been found at fault (including this one.) What should I do?

Answer 1

If it's a new car then swallow the repair costs yourself. My car had some body damage but ran well and was a 2002. Someone hit me and the insurance company totaled out my car for $300, even though the bluebook value was $6000 because of dents and dings, I learned my lesson. It you pay for it yourself your rates won't rise and you'll be better off in the long run.

Answer 2

YOU HAVE ONLY ONE OPTION... TELL THE TRUTH OR... RISK HAVING YOUR LISCENSE REVOKED, SERVING JAIL TIME, FUTURE LAW SUITS & COSTS THAT WILL SURELY EXCEED $1700.

SERIOUSLY... I can't believe you're having a dilemma about this... however, if you've really accidentally rear ended someone and you've also left the scene of that accident, you could be charged with a felony.... depending on the state that you live in, which means you might serve jail time if you do not come forward and admit your wrong doing - that is, if you are caught. but consider this, if the other driver has your name, you had better do the smart thing and go to the police and report the accident. wouldn't you rather the police hear that you've had an accident from you, rather than from the guy/girl/people you've hit? doing the right thing (reporting the accident to the police and your insurance company) will protect you in the event that the driver of the car, or any of the passengers in that car begin to show signs of serious physical injuries (like spinal injuries including whiplash). that other driver has a minimum of two years to bring a law suit against you (with or without an accident report). yes your insurance will likely go up if you've been in another accident recently, but that's the price you pay for driving poorly. it is your responsibility to drive safely, if you're not doing that, you're not meeting the obligation that comes with the privilege of driving. the $1200 difference you'll save may be spent over the next three years (in higher insurance premiums), but you'll likely save yourself from jail time by admitting the truth. be smart... fess up.

Answer 3

I hope a police report was filed first. To the naked eye, average people cannot see damage to a vehicle. That's what insurance adjusters are trained to do. I was in a similar situation but I was the one rear-ended. Only my paint on the back bumper was scratched but my adjuster laid on his back and got up underneath my car to see that the guy's truck had actually pushed in the bottom half of my trunk. The people you hit could come back later wanting their car fixed if they do find some damage. If your car is wrecked, you'll need a police report to file the damages with your insurance company to get them to repair it unless you want to pay the whole thing out of pocket. Legally, well in Florida my state, these companies can't raise their rates because you file a claim. I've filed at least two where my car was vandalized and things and I've yet to see a rate hike in my monthly premium. Also, you are supposed to notify your insurance company within 24 hours of an accident whether at fault or non at fault. I hope this helps.

Answer 4

Get a waiver of claim from the other party -- or get a settlement of any claims from them for $1.00 -- just to protect yourself from future claims. See an attorney for guidance on that.

If you can swing the repairs to your car yourself, feel free to fix it and leave your insurance company out of the picture. But you might want to find out how much your rates will go up and for how long. The total rate increase over time might be less than shelling out the extra $1,200 right now. And it will be over time instead of all at once so even if it's higher it might be easier to swallow in small bites.

Check your policy carefully, though. Some policies require you to notify the insurance company of all accidents or those where damages exceed a certain level.

Answer 5

From what I gather, your car is the one with the damage.

I guess it depends on the age of your vehicle and if it's in driveable condition or not. If the car is old or you're thinking about getting a different one soon and you don't absolutely have to do the repairs, then don't.

Only you can decide if the higher price of insurance is worth the lower cost to fix the car.

Answer 6

Here's the correct answer...if you do want the car fixed, but you don't want to pay higher rates or possibly even get dropped by your carrier, and if you can afford it, then just pay for it out of pocket. Don't turn in a claim. Otherwise you are guaranteed higher premiums and are playing russian roulette as to whether they will just drop you altogether. You might be able to come in under that $1700 figure if you shop around the cost of the parts, use used parts, etc. Good Luck.
Hope this helped.

Answer 7

If I was you, I probably would'nt. If the damage is not to bad to where your car is drivable I wouldn't take that chance. Consider how much longer you are planning to keep this car unless you really like this car. If so, then I would shop around and maybe try bringing it to a technical college and maybe have them fix it.

Answer 8

If this is your third reported accident - they may drop you. I'd fix it yourself and change your insurance to have a $1,000 deductible.

Answer 9

my insurance company gives you points... if the claim is under a certain amount your rate doesn't go up..