Hit by a Car, Other Insurance Company Stalling, Can I Get a Rental?

jeffyhow · #1 08-15-2009, 02:14 PM

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? GA

My question involves an injury that occurred in the state of: GA

I was in an accident where another driver cut across several lanes trying to make a turn and hit me. The police report states what happens as well as the citation issue the other driver. This accident happened about 12 days ago.

I contact the other insurance company a few hours after the accident. Since then they have done almost nothing to help including rarely if ever return phone calls. The best I got was them to send an adjuster out to look at my car.

They claim their party (the other driver) has not responded to them. In the meantime I am without a car and have a difficult time getting to work and so forth. I ultimately involved my insurance company as well about a week after the accident.

Am I entitled to a rental until they pay me? If I get a basic rental car on my own, can I expect to reimbursed after they settle? I do not have rental coverage with my policy, but my car is not drivable.

ecmst12 · #2 08-15-2009, 03:34 PM

If your car is being repaired, you are owed a rental until the repairs are done. If your car is just sitting there waiting, then your rental may not be covered. If your insurance company is handling the repairs, you can rent a car and claim it from the other insurance company yourself. Just make sure you don't get the most expensive car available or keep it for longer then you need, and don't get any extra insurance on it either, as that won't be covered.

jeffyhow · #3 08-15-2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecmst12

If your car is being repaired, you are owed a rental until the repairs are done. If your car is just sitting there waiting, then your rental may not be covered. If your insurance company is handling the repairs, you can rent a car and claim it from the other insurance company yourself. Just make sure you don't get the most expensive car available or keep it for longer then you need, and don't get any extra insurance on it either, as that won't be covered.

The car is sitting there, but I can't drive it or get it repaired until I get money from them. I am currently getting my insurance company to send an adjuster over, get money back (it will likely have to be totaled), and then get a new car or my current one repaired. The other insurance sent an adjuster over about 5 days ago, but nothing has come of it. They literally won't return my voicemails and I've left several.

The car isn't drivable anyway. It was towed back home after the accident and is sitting in the garage.

ecmst12 · #4 08-15-2009, 03:48 PM

They are investigating as they have the right to do. You need to be a little patient, these things take time. You can get a rental, just be reasonable about it. And get rental coverage on your insurance for the future - it's DIRT cheap.

jeffyhow · #5 08-15-2009, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecmst12

They are investigating as they have the right to do. You need to be a little patient, these things take time. You can get a rental, just be reasonable about it. And get rental coverage on your insurance for the future - it's DIRT cheap.

I would be fine if they were maintaining any sort of communication with me. They have never contacted me or returned a call except when the adjuster said he was at my place.

I'm having a hard time getting to work and have since the accident. I should add rental coverage, but in this case, it's just aggravating to be in a not at fault accident and have no car for 2 weeks (and likely much more).

I just want to get a cheap rental today and get reimbursed.

Thanks for your replies.

tranquility · #6 08-15-2009, 03:57 PM

You have the right to be made whole, including the ability to get from place to place in your own car.

But, you have to deal and agree with the insurance company or you will have to sue the other person to be compensated. They will try to keep their costs down. You will have to determine how hard you want to fight the issue.

jeffyhow · #7 08-15-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tranquility

You have the right to be made whole, including the ability to get from place to place in your own car.

But, you have to deal and agree with the insurance company or you will have to sue the other person to be compensated. They will try to keep their costs down. You will have to determine how hard you want to fight the issue.

The other insurance company has said the other driver has not responded to them. They say they have 30 days or so where they will give their customer the right to respond before going off the police report. Obviously no one on their side (including the other driver) has any incentive to respond or resolve this quickly.

LSCAP · #8 08-15-2009, 06:33 PM

In my opinion, because my kid worked for a rental company for a while, is, rent a car, and take out the rental Car's insurance. It is about as expensive as the rental, but covers you for darn near everything that could or does happen to the car.
AND BTW, if the other guy's insurance sets a date, like for only X number of days, it's not true. It is until you get paid off.
And Though my kid no longer works there, I still suggest Enterprise Leasing. They are big enough to fight the insurance company that limits the car to less than the full period.

As for Rental insurance from your company, very few people bother because they seldom if ever rent a car. And naturally they don't want to add it after your had an accident.

LSCAP · #9 08-15-2009, 06:35 PM

I still have trouble with the editing stuff. That being said,

The only problem is if it is decided that it in NOT the other guy's fault, then you would be responsible for the rental.

ecmst12 · #10 08-15-2009, 09:03 PM

The insurance from the rental company is a RIP OFF. YOUR insurance covers you while you are in the rental car. And, the other insurance company will not pay for it because insurance is a normal cost of owning/driving a car, it is not related to the accident. And it doubles (or more) the cost of the rental.

Enterprise is not going to fight with anyone either. You are going to pay for the rental, they're not going to bill the other insurance company directly UNLESS they approve it, which they can't do until they've completed their investigation.

LSCAP · #11 08-16-2009, 06:30 AM

I give up. You said, “They are investigating as they have the right to do. You need to be a little patient, these things take time. YOU CAN GET A RENTAL, just be reasonable about it. And get rental coverage on your insurance for the future - it's DIRT cheap.

So I rent a car, and don’t take out their insurance. I bring it back and they say, there’s a little ding here and a scratch there that I have to pay. My insurance has a deductible that I would be responsible for.
And if it gets wrecked, they might want to charge me for lost use of the vehicle. Which my insurance will not cover. UNLESS I get them to rewrite the policy to add rentals, or so I’ve been told by my agent.

And I agree, the other company will not pay the added cost of taking out the Rental’s insurance.

And if I only had liability, my insurance would not cover damages on the rental if I‘m the cause of an other accident.

And you are right that you should get the okay from the other insurance to rent. It is easier that way. But when they give it they have a tendency to short the number of days. If they do, Enterprise goes after them for the money. Been there, Done that. Enterprise is big enough, and they get enough business from enterprise that they don’t argue with them. I suspect there is more to that then we are told. Perhaps a discount to the insurance companies. I don’t know why.
My kid said it is a typical thing for the insurance companies to short the number of days, and they - Enterprise - just send the bill and get paid.

ecmst12 · #12 08-16-2009, 08:44 AM

"Rental coverage on your insurance" means coverage that pays for a rental. Whatever coverage you have on your policy also applies to the rental. Yes, you have a deductible if you were to get in an accident in the rental. (I've never seen any rental company attempt to file a claim for a scratch or a ding, only significant accident damage). But if you're going to have the rental for any length of time, you're going to end up paying MORE then your deductible in insurance charges. Do the math.

Loss of use charged by the rental company is a bogus charge 99% of the time, and you are not responsible for it either. Enterprise always wrote it off when asked to.

If it's a direct bill, Enterprise will attempt to get all the days approved. If the car is kept more days then needed though, the insurance won't pay for all the days and the remainder will get charged to your credit card.

Even if you only have liability coverage on your insurance, most credit cards provide collision coverage for rental cars. Check with yours before you spend the extra money - it's a lot.