Insurance company telling me to turn in rental

[tool77]

What is the name of your state? MO

My wife was hit 3 weeks ago in our 2005 Saab. She was rear-ended and the other insurance company and driver admitted fault. We turned the car into the body shop the day of the accident and the parts were ordered. We picked up a rental a few days later that the other insurance company was paying for.

The problem we are running into is that the trunk lid for the Saab is on backorder and it is unknown when it will arrive, the body shop and the claims adjusters all understand this. The claims adjuster called me today to tell me they are ending the coverage of the rental car next Monday because it is taking too long to fix and they don’t know when the part will be in. I basically told him that this is BS and that I shouldn’t be the one inconvenienced by this, my wife wasn’t the fault of the accident. The claims adjuster acknowledged that there is no trunk lid in the country (that is what he told me, not the body shop). I told the adjuster to have his supervisor call me.

What are my options here? Can they make me turn the rental in? I want to know my options for when his supervisor calls me back. Thanks

I don't believe that they can make you turn your rental car in. At this time...they may refuse to pay any more toward it and put you on notice of such. You will then be paying for the rental out of your own pocket until your car is finished being repaired.

You should then be able to sue the insurance co. of the at-fault driver any out-of-pocket expenses you have due to this accident including the rental.

If you have a lawyer....he'll be able to tell you for sure. If you don't have a lawyer....GET ONE! Seems pretty obvious they are already giving you trouble and you don't need any more.

[BelizeBreeze]

Originally Posted by tool77

What is the name of your state? MO

My wife was hit 3 weeks ago in our 2005 Saab. She was rear-ended and the other insurance company and driver admitted fault. We turned the car into the body shop the day of the accident and the parts were ordered. We picked up a rental a few days later that the other insurance company was paying for.

The problem we are running into is that the trunk lid for the Saab is on backorder and it is unknown when it will arrive, the body shop and the claims adjusters all understand this. The claims adjuster called me today to tell me they are ending the coverage of the rental car next Monday because it is taking too long to fix and they don’t know when the part will be in. I basically told him that this is BS and that I shouldn’t be the one inconvenienced by this, my wife wasn’t the fault of the accident. The claims adjuster acknowledged that there is no trunk lid in the country (that is what he told me, not the body shop). I told the adjuster to have his supervisor call me.

What are my options here? Can they make me turn the rental in? I want to know my options for when his supervisor calls me back. Thanks

The insurance company is well within their rights to limit the amount of coverage to what the policy actually states. If the policy of the drive states a rental car for a specific amount of time, then they have every right to cancel after that date.

And you have the right to keep the car and sue the other driver personally for the costs. HOWEVER, unless you can provide the court with proof that your car remains undrivable, your recovery in this matter is limited.

Keep all receipts and get EVERYTHING in writting.

[tool77]

Thanks for the feedback. I should have stated the the insurance company is no longer paying for the car after next Mon. I am free to continue to drive it on my own tab.

To the 2nd point, the car is undriveable. The license plate is attatched to the trunk as well as the tail lights. (Trunk is all smashed up since an SUV hit her) The car is also disassembled on the rear end becuase the body shop has done all the work they can with the parts they have.

I guess I need to find out what the other insurer's policy is and if their max coverage is 3 weeks for a repair I need to go after the other driver?

Now you cookin' with gass! Good luck!

[tool77]

Thanks for the encouragement. This is a PITA. Luckily I have documented every conversation I have had with adjusters and insurance people, making notes of times of calls and what transpired. THe people at the body shop are relatives of my wife so they have can back me up. I have an attorney friend that we have already placed a call into.