Does an insurance company have the right to refuse to tell if the other driver had coverage?

Question

I was recently in an auto accident, both the other driver and i have Gieco, but the company keeps telling me they have a "coverage issue" and will not just tell me if the other driver's policy was in force during the accedent untill they recieve the police report. My clains adjuster said he already contacted a witness stating no way the accident was my fault. I understand waiting for the police report, but why not just tell me if he is insured or not, to ease my worries? Regardless of who was at fault i think Gieco could say yes he has coverage, or no he dont.

Answer 1

Yes, that's private information.

If there's a "coverage issue", likely the driver was either undisclosed, or specifically excluded, or cancelled for nonpayment.

I think you should be asking them to pay out under your own collision coverage, for now, and worry about reclaiming from the other party. Usually when the companies hesitate like that, there ends up being no coverage - so procede accordingly.

Answer 2

The sad part is that there are just too many "What Ifs" in the insurance game. If you have your insurance paid up (and you carry uninsured and/or underinsured coverage) then you have nothing to worry about. If you have gaps in your coverage, then there may be some issues. I would typically tell you to call your agent at this point to explain your unique situation to you, but you don't have one (you went with a direct-writing company and they are both your agent and claim servicing company). Read your policy and look at the declarations page. This is the page of the policy that lists out all of your coverages.

Another post recommended calling every third day until you get an answer; that is pretty good advice. Some claims adjusters will lean in your favor (if they have some room to lean) just to get you to stop calling them. But, be polite or they could lean the other way. Usually it is pretty cut and dry once all of the facts are on the table; either the accident was insured or it was not!

When you next renewal comes up, call an independent agent and let them give you a quote for your insurance. They explore several different companies and see what best fits your needs. Still get some quotes from the direct writers, but don't discount the service that the agent gives you. They work for you, not the company and can sometimes get things moving in your favor.

Good luck!

Answer 3

This is not a matter of if they have the "right" to refuse to tell you. They are obviously investigating a coverage issue and they don't have an answer for you yet. They have to tell you whether there is coverage or not but it might take some time to determine that. During my career I have investigated hundreds of claims like this and sometimes they took 3 or 4 weeks to get figured out.

There are many reasons why coverage questions exist.... the other driver may not have been on the policy.......The car in the accident may not be the car that is listed on the policy etc etc. etc. This is probably why they are waiting for the police report.

It's not what you want to hear but you need to be patient. I would suggest one polite phone every third day until they make a decision asking for the status.

Good Luck.

Answer 4

The police report will indicate who the driver was at the time of the accident, and then Geico can clarify whether that person was covered.

Also, if they have 'minimum coverage' that means that they pay damages that were caused by their driver, and don't pay anything to fix that guy's vehicle. (Collison coverage)

The police report (sometimes with an accident analyst) will determine who's fault the collision was. If the report says that the accident was caused by road conditions (slick road, poorly marked construction, etc.) than the insurance company may say that NEITHER driver is at fault, and your own insurance pays for each of you.

Sit tight, keep pursuing the police report, even go to the police station where the officer is stationed and ask for a copy. It will cost you a few dollars, but you can read in the officers own words the description of the scene.

Answer 5

yes, I believe the insurance company has a right to refuse to tell you anything about the other driver. Usually by the end of the investigation if there is anything you have to know you will know it. Most companies today have a no fault policy, so it really doesn't matter. Your insurance rates will probably go up anyway. Sorry for the bad news. :(

Answer 6

No, they work for you. Perhaps you should remind them.