Doug B
Footballguy
Short version:
Happened in a big-box store parking lot, but not while parked. Happened while waiting for a few cars in front of me to proceed forward so I could leave the lot. My engine was on but I was braked and stationary.
While sitting in my stopped car, the vehicle ahead of me -- a pickup truck ~15 feet in front of my car -- decides to back into a parking space to the left of my car's rear bumper. I see what's up, and lay on my horn. The truck's driver hears nothing and gently backs into my cars bumper. His truck bumper was generally higher than my car's nose, so the damage was somewhat indirect -- a small, but deep, dent in my bumper plus scuffed and shallow dents in my hood and in my left front body panel. Headlight cover is scuffed but not cracked.
Anyway.
In our locale, residents are discouraged from calling police for minor traffic accidents (no injuries, no blocked traffic, vehicles still driveable). We're supposed to exchange information and handle it through our insurance companies. OK.
At the scene, other driver was fine. We exchanged information freely and both took photos of the scene, no hang-ups or attitude. We went on our way. We didn't talk to any witnesses (there were several) and didn't call the police (due to policy, they may not have come or may have taken a long time to arrive). We just left the scene after the information exchange and photos.
Two weeks later, and his insurance carrier (not a fly-by-night outfit, but a top 5 household name carrier in the U.S.) is delaying processing and payment of the claim because they say they haven't been able to speak to him in all this time. I've spoken to his carrier four times since the accident -- conducted two recorded interviews with their people, sent them a bunch of photos (including several showing other driver's license plate, make, and model in the frame), and mapped out the location, placement of vehicles, etc. of the accident for them.
My question is this: Does stonewalling his own insurance company do the other driver any good? His carrier tells me they can make a determination of liability without the other driver's input, but they want to give him 30 days to make a statement.
Anyone ever been in a situation like this? Not sure how much things vary state to state.
(Am I going through my own insurance company for the repairs? No, because the deductible is too high and the car is still driveable.)
Happened in a big-box store parking lot, but not while parked. Happened while waiting for a few cars in front of me to proceed forward so I could leave the lot. My engine was on but I was braked and stationary.
While sitting in my stopped car, the vehicle ahead of me -- a pickup truck ~15 feet in front of my car -- decides to back into a parking space to the left of my car's rear bumper. I see what's up, and lay on my horn. The truck's driver hears nothing and gently backs into my cars bumper. His truck bumper was generally higher than my car's nose, so the damage was somewhat indirect -- a small, but deep, dent in my bumper plus scuffed and shallow dents in my hood and in my left front body panel. Headlight cover is scuffed but not cracked.
Anyway.
In our locale, residents are discouraged from calling police for minor traffic accidents (no injuries, no blocked traffic, vehicles still driveable). We're supposed to exchange information and handle it through our insurance companies. OK.
At the scene, other driver was fine. We exchanged information freely and both took photos of the scene, no hang-ups or attitude. We went on our way. We didn't talk to any witnesses (there were several) and didn't call the police (due to policy, they may not have come or may have taken a long time to arrive). We just left the scene after the information exchange and photos.
Two weeks later, and his insurance carrier (not a fly-by-night outfit, but a top 5 household name carrier in the U.S.) is delaying processing and payment of the claim because they say they haven't been able to speak to him in all this time. I've spoken to his carrier four times since the accident -- conducted two recorded interviews with their people, sent them a bunch of photos (including several showing other driver's license plate, make, and model in the frame), and mapped out the location, placement of vehicles, etc. of the accident for them.
My question is this: Does stonewalling his own insurance company do the other driver any good? His carrier tells me they can make a determination of liability without the other driver's input, but they want to give him 30 days to make a statement.
Anyone ever been in a situation like this? Not sure how much things vary state to state.
(Am I going through my own insurance company for the repairs? No, because the deductible is too high and the car is still driveable.)
