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How long can this claim drag on?

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Hansvg88

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OH

Hi, Three weeks ago I was at a stop light waiting for the green light when a truck coming the opposite direction ran the light, tried to turn left, hit the front right of my s10 and ended up hung up in the cables that hold up electric poles. My vehicle was spun around and the other truck broke two of the cables which caused some fireworks on the top of the pole. The driver admitted fault and claimed that his brakes failed which seemed obvious given that it took the cables to stop the truck.:eek:

when the police arrived I found out that the driver was uninsured and had a suspended license BUT he was a subcontractor for a company that had insurance that covered uninsured contractors. I called my insurance and they sent an adjuster who totaled my vehicle. My agent called me and said that the other company is deciding whether or not they will pay the claim because they can't reach the driver to talk to him. (funny that my agent was able to get him on the phone) :rolleyes:

Anyway, my question is how long can this drag on? Are there any limits to how long they can keep me hanging like this? I don't have the money to buy another car without the insurance money and the car is not drivable. Its more than the inconvenience, I am self employed and I need my s10 to make money.:confused:What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
 


MikeKV

Member
they can go on for months or years, I dont suggest you hold your breath.
Banned_princess is right. Settling an accident case can take months or years to settle. My wife just settled an accident case (no-fault of hers) that took almost 3 years to settle due to all the medical recovery and the mediation time between the at-fault driver's insurance and our attorney. The mistake that many people make, especially one's who are not at fault like yourself, is that they want to rush to settle just to get a dime back. Only settle when all loose ends have been closed.
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
Property damage does not usually take YEARS to settle but it can take months if the other driver doesn't cooperate with the investigation. If you have collision coverage, you can use that to get your car fixed and let your insurance deal with getting the money back (including your deductible) from the other person's insurance. If not, you can either pay out of pocket or wait. They have the right to investigate and can't make a decision without speaking with their driver.
 

Hansvg88

Junior Member
They are not trying very hard

Property damage does not usually take YEARS to settle but it can take months if the other driver doesn't cooperate with the investigation. If you have collision coverage, you can use that to get your car fixed and let your insurance deal with getting the money back (including your deductible) from the other person's insurance. If not, you can either pay out of pocket or wait. They have the right to investigate and can't make a decision without speaking with their driver.
My insurance agent has had at least two telephone conversations with the driver yet the other agent claims that they are unable to reach him. I get the feeling that they are purposely dragging their feet and I wonder if they really are trying. After all, there is no question of fault so I imagine investigating equals paying a claim. Nobody I tell this story to (except the ones with a similar experience) can believe that insurance carriers can act in this way. Now when I see their commercials it about makes me sick. I can't afford to pay out of pocket and transportation for work and getting kids to school is a daily challenge. "in good hands" "On your side" yeah, right.:mad:
 

ecmst12

Senior Member
Property damage adjusters don't want to drag things out, they want to close the claim as much as you do. But they have rules they have to follow.
 

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