Greetings,

I wanted to show a little appreciation for my car and ask for a little help.

So about 2 and a half weeks ago I was driving on the 101-S in San Francisco going to school when a big rig popped it's tire. Short story, the tire flew into my lane as I was picking up speed, (it was previously stop and go because of merging) and I figured it'd be all bad if I had hit it - so I started to apply the brakes. However, the tire was coming at me at an alarming rate so I thought my next course of action would be to switch lanes, but the big rig started swerving uncontrollably in the lane next to me. My reaction - Oh HELL NO - so I braked harder. I looked up in the rearview, anticipating a car behind me and BOOM I got hit. Then one more time for good measure. I pull over get out of the car to check the damage and immediately I notice how many cars were involved. I was the first of a 5 car pile-up.

In sequence I was hit by a Toyota Pick-up, who was hit by a Prius, who was hit by another work truck, and behind it another compact car.
The amazing thing is, the pick-up truck behind me was barely working - front bumper caved in, leaking fluids, broken radiator.
Prius - totaled.
Work Truck - Severely damaged front and rear bumper
Compact car - totaled.

Granted I was the first car, I was amazed to see how little damage I took in. It's noticable, but nothing came off or hanging or anything (not even my license plate), no major issues other than a misaligned bumper and many deep scratches. My tailights don't have scratches on them. Everybody later was shocked and congratulated me on having an amazing "tank" of a car. (Pics coming)

After being Chris Browned, I can't help marvel at the fact she still looks great! I drove a Civic Coupe before this and I don't even want to think what would've happened.

Anyways, so process of insurance has been a pain and this is where I seek out your help.

My insurance agent hasn't been much help and it's really unclear what's he's been saying but here are my options

1) I wait it out for another couple weeks-6 months for all the insurance companies finish with their reports.

2) I go through our own insurance.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both which I assume most of you guys are aware of and I wish to know which route you guys would take. I'm having a difficult time making a decision.

Thanks in advance!

 

Sorry that you got hit, man, but thank God it was as light as you described. Freakin' idiots on the freeway really need to learn to keep their distance if they are incapable of braking in time.

All I know is the fact that insurance agencies are A-holes who will blame one another's insurance company from the 5-insured that were involved in the accident. Then they're gonna try and blame the truck's insurance, and so on and so forth. This will go on forever until you're probably gonna have to get an lawyer to help you out (speaking from experience). Provided that it doesn't go as bad, I would just go through your own insurance company. The bottom line is that you're insured through them, so the responsibility of your insurance provider is to PAY you and COVER you first, and then figure out their money issues with the other insurance companies afterwards. Your job, as a payer--if so happens--is to get hit, get it covered, and not worry about the rest. That is what should be, ideally.

Your priority is getting your damages fixed and getting everything that's related to yourself taken care of, that's all. So whichever route that leads to, choose that.

I'm not the most knowledgeable person on this, but the MyG37 community is full of great folks who know what they're really talking about, so expect to get this figured in short time. Probably, lol.

 

Your agent should not be telling you an option is to wait it out. If he tells you that, then go above him to someone else. They should be taking care of everything and working it out afterwards.
It's really not that hard to figure out who is at fault...the guy that hit you from behind is at fault when it comes to your damages...PERIOD. No questions about it.
Who is your insurance with?

Getting rear ended is my biggest fear almost every time I'm on the road these days...seems no one knows, or cares, how to give a safe distance between cars.

 

+1! I feel ya, man. What he said, by the way.

 

Glad you are OK... and I saw what you did there Ahh metaphors.
I'd get it taken care of ASAP and not wait.

 

Lol @ getting Chris Browned. Best part is that you're unharmed and that your G is relatively fine. Still you should check for structural damage. Things might look okay at first sight but you never know how's the frame. And +1 on the first reply. Your insurance job's is to take care of your car first ad foremost. In face that should be your only worry as far as you're concerned.

 

File the claim with your insurance company, who will then subrogate the claim with the other involved partys' insurance companies.

 

Hey there, sorry to hear about the accident.

I had an accident with my other car and same situation as yours,

1) wait it out for 3 months for all the involving insurance companies to work out the claim, etc.
or
2) go through own insurance

If you wait it out, means you are going to drive around in a "wrecked" car which is not a pretty thing at all. I chose the 2nd route. So I paid collision deductible out of my own pockets, which was $1000. Got the car completely fixed. The next step is call Subrogation. So basically what happens is that your insurance company will go after the other insurance company for your $1000 deductible that you paid and the repair expenses that your insurance paid.

A couple months later, I received $1000 check back from my insurance company and the other insurance company also paid up after everything is settled.

For those guys above me who are saying that your insurance company should not be telling you an option is to wait it out. Sorry man, that's how insurance companies work, and as I mentioned you got to pick one option or the other.

Good luck in whatever happens with the claim.

 

Yep....subrogation is a bitch! You have to pick up pretty much everything out of pocket (car rental, deductible, etc etc), then wait till Insurance guru's come to an agreement, then get reimbursed.

 

^^^^^^ +1

 

Filing on your own comprehensive in this case won't look bad on your insurance. That's why you carry comp and collision. Your insurance will deal with the headache of deciding who pays for what then will file for reimbursement. That's their job, it's what they do.

*disclaimer* My insurance agent is my uncle, who is also the district manager for Farm Bureau in this area. Your insurance agency may suck and not be as helpful as my uncle.

 

There's really nothing to work out in his case...he stopped to avoid hitting an obstacle and was rear ended...not much to figure out there.

I had a similar situation and nothing came out of my pocket; my insurance company handled everything.
The only time I had to pay out of pocket when it was someone else's fault was when they had no insurance I had to claim under uninsured motorist. I was later reimbursed.

 

tell me about it.. other dude was 100% at fault and I still had to wait for 2 months subrogation.

I was driving straight and other driver straight up T-bone me from the side.. she has stop sign and there isn't any for me. yeap still gotta wait for them to "figure it out"...

 

If you (or the OP) have comp and collision, there should not be a delay.

Just take the car to a repair shop and they deal with all the paperwork.

I have in 3 separate accidents (none were my fault) ever had to wait to get my car repaired or worry about rentals. The bottom line is the rental will always be reimbursed by the at fault party, as will the deductible. You do have to pay the deductible and rental costs upfront and get reimbursed later. Just as if you suffered medical injury. You pay for medical expenses first and get them back at settlement.

 

You can't use a Chris Brown metaphor if you didn't get hurt and your car is pretty much ok To answer your question, I d just pay your deductible and get your car fixed. You'll eventually get a check from the other company and it'll feel just like an early Christmas gift.