Car Accident Advice...Anyone Have Experience With Geico?

[Verdy]

Hi All!

Just reaching out to those of you who have been in car accidents and have or have had Geico insurance. Sunday afternoon BF and I were on our way home from having lunch at Panera. We were travelling down a two lane street, on the left side. As we passed under and intersecion light, we noticed that the right lane was backed up with heavy traffic. About halfway to the next light, a Jeep Grand Cherokee pulled unexpectedly out of the right lane of traffic into our left lane and struck BF's Altima on the passenger's side where I was. Fortunately neither of us got hurt, and the airbags did not deploy. When we pulled over with the gentleman in the Jeep pressed us not to call the police, his car didn't suffer much damage, just a broken light and some bending on his left front fender. This was the damage done to BF's car:





The gentleman seemed extremely disgruntled that we had chosen to alert authorities and we did not speak any further. Once the officer got to where we had parked, he took a report and gave BF the man's insurance info. Both him and the man had Geico. The officer issued the man a ticket and citation, stating to BF that from the looks of things, it was the other driver's fault and not ours. When we got home BF immediately called Geico and they said they needed to talk to the other driver. Today BF got a call from Geico where they told him that the gentleman's story differed from ours, he placed the blame on US. Geico is refusing to pay for the damage done to BF's car, we also found out that the driver was NOT the owner of the Jeep, and was NOT insured. We are very concerned as to what will happen at this point, BF wants to take the man to court if Geico refuses to accept our version of the events, we are waiting on the police which the officer said would take about 3-4 days to be available. Have any of you had a similar experience with Geico or another insurance company? Any suggestions on what we could do to resolve the issue? We would greatly appreciate any comments. Thanks!

 

[TooPatient]

Sorry to hear that happened to you!

We have Geico and have had to make a couple of minor claims. They have been amazing to work with. I've had to deal with a couple of different insurance companies and Geico is (at least from my experiences) much easier to deal with than the others. DH was super impressed with how quickly they took the claim, arranged for repairs, arranged a loaner, and more.

It sounds like the man called them immediately and told them some false story about how innocent he was and how guilty you guys are. People who do that can be very convincing. Hopefully it will all be sorted out quickly as soon as you have the police report.

 

[minousbijoux]

First off, I'm sorry to hear about the accident and happy to hear that neither of you was hurt.

I'm sure there are those in the insurance industry who will weigh in on this. That said, I would try not to lose sleep over it if I were you. The insurance companies are pretty good at figuring out how things happened, and can pretty quickly establish fault in a case where it is contested by both parties. Especially when there is a police report. I have been involved in a similar circumstance and they were able to look at the cars and figure it out quickly.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I think you will be okay. If the accident had been your fault he would have more damage to his car. It will be obvious to the ins. co. that your car was struck by his. You will also have the police report on your side. I am so glad you called the police and got a report. We have had this situation before where someone begged us to not call the police and it came back to bite us. That is never an option for us anymore.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Have you talked to your and the car owner's insurance co? Even though it's the other person's fault, you should call your insurance co and have someone represent you. Also, do you have uninsured motorist on your policy in case someone hits you and they don't have insurance (and what kind of coverage does the car owner have?)? I hate to say this, but if the driver doesn't have any insurance, it's highly unlikely he has any $ to pay you if you take him to court. You could try for a judgement, but he might not ever pay, so you might be better off going after the owner of the vehicle.

We did have a similar situation where the person causing the accident tried to pull the "lets not call insurance" game. DH was rear ended and the girl who hit him started *crying* because she had just got her license and her dad would be mad at her ("poor me") and her dad called us right up that night and requested we not file a report and he'd pay for the repairs out-of-pocket. DH wanted to be the nice guy, however, he was working long hours, so he had me work out the details...I took his car to get an estimate of repairs and after I called the father of the driver back with the amount, he responded with that there were no witnesses and he would have his daughter deny being there, etc. I immediately, called my insurance co & the dad's/daughter's insurance co AND the police and told them the guy had claimed he planned to lie and they called him with what I had said and guess what? After that, he baulked and admitted his daughter had hit my DH and I ran it through the insurance. I would NEVER EVER agree to handling a car accident w/out a report/or claim! It only works out for the person who caused the accident!

 

[perry]

Tell Gieco that the police issued the other party the ticket - and to see the police report. The police officer is usually considered an independent agent.

That usually ends these kinds of situations.

Perry

 

[sonnyjane]

So turns out the driver was not the owner and wasn't insured?

That happened to me and guess what... It meant I got nothing. The real owner of the vehicle claimed that the person driving his car wasn't authorized to do so and therefore he was exempt from culpability. I had to do everything through my own insurance. In my case the amount was $800 and not worth the cost and emotional toll of going to court.

 

[perry]

So turns out the driver was not the owner and wasn't insured?

That happened to me and guess what... It meant I got nothing. The real owner of the vehicle claimed that the person driving his car wasn't authorized to do so and therefore he was exempt from culpability. I had to do everything through my own insurance. In my case the amount was $800 and not worth the cost and emotional toll of going to court.

It depends on the state: In Wisconsin, the vehicle is insured - not the driver. Unless the other party reports the vehicle stolen and is willing to prosecute the other driver for vehicular theft - then it is assumed that the vehicle owner was OK with the other driver and the vehicle's insurance has to cover the accident.

The other thing is - do you carry uninsured motorist & underinsured motorist coverage? Gieco and many other low cost auto insurance coverages save you money.... by not including or offering such features. But, is it really a savings....

If this happened to me - it really would not matter. My insurance company (State Farm) will take care of my car and needs immediately if the other insurance company balks - and then pursue the other insurance company (in court if needed).

You do not always get what you pay for - but you never get what you did not pay for.

Perry

 

[Verdy]

TooPatient - thank you for your kind words, my parents have always insured with Geico and we swear by them but this is just a really strange situation that we can't figure out.

minousbijoux - we're definitely counting on that police report, Geico hasn't asked to see any photos or to come inspect the car yet. So we will see!

luv2sparkle - BF's sister found herself in that situation once. She didn't call the police after being rear ended and when she made arrangements with the owner of the car that hit her, he had already called authorities and blame HER for the entire accident.

MC - both BF and the Jeep's "driver" have Geico. They have spoken to BF twice, first time they said it sounded like it was the other driver's fault and not his, now they're changing their tune saying our story doesn't match what the other driver said. I don't believe BF has uninsured motorist coverage. It's really sad just how dishonest some people can be in this world.

perry - we've told Geico over and over that the driver of the car was issued a ticket and citation, the reps exact words were "THAT STILL DOESN'T MEAN YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG TO PROVOKE THE ACCIDENT" She totally dismissed the ticket. We're waiting to fax the police report. Again, I don't think BF has uninsured motorist coverage.

sonnyjane - YES! The driver of the Jeep wasn't the owner or even insured! Which just makes it all the worse. I imagine that's why he didn't want us calling the police, he knew he was in big trouble by having an accident with someone else's car. The officer didn't even let us know that either. I'm sure the name on the insurance card and on his license were different. We don't know who Geico talked to. The driver or the owner of the car and they're staying mum about what exactly the driver/owner's version of the story is.

 

[qtiekiki]

I find it odd that they are talking about fault without looking at the vehicles. Are they sending an adjuster out? Or do they have authorized repairs shops?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Geico has always been great to work with (one accident in where I was at fault, two were the other driver). I agree with Q, I have always taken it to one of their approved shops and they have sent an adjuster out. They can tell a lot by where damage is on the cars. Also, I know they have used police reports in the past. The last accident I was in, I was rear-ended on the highway and the other driver was MIA. Her insurance, State farm, wouldn't work with me because she hadn't reported it (even though she said she did at the scene). Geico dealt with it for me. Even if he does not have insurance, and the car is not covered, you should be able to still file a claim to get your car fixed. I hate to say it, but if they continue to be difficult, maybe it is time to get a lawyer.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

There are some states that are "no fault." Maybe you live in one. If that is the case you probably will have to pay your deductible.

 

[Verdy]

Thanks, Tacori E-ring. We live in Virginia, so I'm not sure, I'd have to look up that "no fault" situation. My family has had Geico for YEARS, my father swears by their service. And really I did too until now. The police report should be ready by tomorrow or Thursday, so we'll have to see where things go after Geico has had a chance to look at it. BF already has a lawyer that's dealt with two previous cases for him, and he's ready to go to court if he has to in order to get this mess sorted out. I just hope it doesn't come to that and we can remain civil with them. Thursday if we get the chance we're going to head back up to the intersection and see if they have any surveillance cameras that could be used if we did go to court for the accident.

ETA: Sorry forgot to reference the whole adjuster thing, from what we understand Geico won't send out an adjuster or allow an appointment to be made at a body shop to have an estimate done before they figure out who was a fault for the accident.

 

[TooPatient]

Thanks, Tacori E-ring. We live in Virginia, so I'm not sure, I'd have to look up that "no fault" situation. My family has had Geico for YEARS, my father swears by their service. And really I did too until now. The police report should be ready by tomorrow or Thursday, so we'll have to see where things go after Geico has had a chance to look at it. BF already has a lawyer that's dealt with two previous cases for him, and he's ready to go to court if he has to in order to get this mess sorted out. I just hope it doesn't come to that and we can remain civil with them. Thursday if we get the chance we're going to head back up to the intersection and see if they have any surveillance cameras that could be used if we did go to court for the accident.

ETA: Sorry forgot to reference the whole adjuster thing, from what we understand Geico won't send out an adjuster or allow an appointment to be made at a body shop to have an estimate done before they figure out who was a fault for the accident.

Most shops will do a free estimate. You don't need Geico's permission to have your own car looked at. BUT when we filed a claim for repair, Geico required that we use one of their "approved" shops. This wasn't a huge issue for us because there were several to choose from right in our area. I got the claim filed one afternoon and had a phone call within a couple of hours confirming the shop of our choice would do the work. We had an appointment to drop it off the very next morning. A Geico person was on site with the paperwork pretty much completed for us. They had a rental car ready and waiting. The whole drop off took about 10 minutes.
The shop kept us updated and did nice quality work. Geico took care of all exit paperwork and returned the rental for us.

So....
If you want an estimate somewhere, go for it. You might check to make sure it is an "approved" shop so that you aren't wasting your time. (the one we used does work for more than just Geico so they could do a free estimate)


Good luck!
I hope it all turns out quickly and easily as soon as they see the police report.

 

[qtiekiki]

Thanks, Tacori E-ring. We live in Virginia, so I'm not sure, I'd have to look up that "no fault" situation. My family has had Geico for YEARS, my father swears by their service. And really I did too until now. The police report should be ready by tomorrow or Thursday, so we'll have to see where things go after Geico has had a chance to look at it. BF already has a lawyer that's dealt with two previous cases for him, and he's ready to go to court if he has to in order to get this mess sorted out. I just hope it doesn't come to that and we can remain civil with them. Thursday if we get the chance we're going to head back up to the intersection and see if they have any surveillance cameras that could be used if we did go to court for the accident.

ETA: Sorry forgot to reference the whole adjuster thing, from what we understand Geico won't send out an adjuster or allow an appointment to be made at a body shop to have an estimate done before they figure out who was a fault for the accident.

I find that strange too. Because regardless of whose fault it is, you have insurance and you can get the car fixed under that insurance, unless you don't have collision coverage. All the insurance companies that I've used had always tell us to take the car to an authorized shop before any fault was determined. I mean why wouldn't they make a judgement based on evidences, instead of just he says/she says.

Sorry, I know what I am saying isn't helpful to you. But I just find it weird.

Hopefully you guys can resolve it soon.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Thanks, Tacori E-ring. We live in Virginia, so I'm not sure, I'd have to look up that "no fault" situation. My family has had Geico for YEARS, my father swears by their service. And really I did too until now. The police report should be ready by tomorrow or Thursday, so we'll have to see where things go after Geico has had a chance to look at it. BF already has a lawyer that's dealt with two previous cases for him, and he's ready to go to court if he has to in order to get this mess sorted out. I just hope it doesn't come to that and we can remain civil with them. Thursday if we get the chance we're going to head back up to the intersection and see if they have any surveillance cameras that could be used if we did go to court for the accident.

ETA: Sorry forgot to reference the whole adjuster thing, from what we understand Geico won't send out an adjuster or allow an appointment to be made at a body shop to have an estimate done before they figure out who was a fault for the accident.

I find that strange too. Because regardless of whose fault it is, you have insurance and you can get the car fixed under that insurance, unless you don't have collision coverage. All the insurance companies that I've used had always tell us to take the car to an authorized shop before any fault was determined. I mean why wouldn't they make a judgement based on evidences, instead of just he says/she says.

Sorry, I know what I am saying isn't helpful to you. But I just find it weird.

Hopefully you guys can resolve it soon.

I agree. That's the point of having insurance. The only think that will change is if you have to pay your deductible. I did not when it was not my fault. Did have to pay it when it was. Either way, they will fix it. Something really doesn't make sense.

 

[Verdy]

The police report was finally available this morning and right as BF was about to fax it to Geico, he received a call from a different rep who wanted to know all the details (again!). After listening to our version of the events, the rep told BF that the driver of the Jeep had called back in late last night and admitted to having changed his story after the fact, as well as taking full responsibility for the accident. He told BF to still go ahead and fax the report anyways, but that there was no need to worry about getting the car fixed. An appointment has been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at a local body shop. None of the repair expenses will be coming out of our pockets, the repairs will be paid in full under the car owner's insurance. So glad to have this situation behind us. It is still quite puzzling why they were so focused on which one of us was at fault for the accident. Thank you everyone for all your comforting words, car accidents are very stressful situations, especially when the stories differ from each other.

Just a quick addition - when we asked about getting the car fixed under BF's insurance, the rep told him that if they were to do that, he would have to pay the $500 deductible and admit to being at fault for the accident. I'm really not sure what was going on with the first rep that we spoke to.

 

[minousbijoux]

The police report was finally available this morning and right as BF was about to fax it to Geico, he received a call from a different rep who wanted to know all the details (again!). After listening to our version of the events, the rep told BF that the driver of the Jeep had called back in late last night and admitted to having changed his story after the fact, as well as taking full responsibility for the accident. He told BF to still go ahead and fax the report anyways, but that there was no need to worry about getting the car fixed. An appointment has been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at a local body shop. None of the repair expenses will be coming out of our pockets, the repairs will be paid in full under the car owner's insurance. So glad to have this situation behind us. It is still quite puzzling why they were so focused on which one of us was at fault for the accident. Thank you everyone for all your comforting words, car accidents are very stressful situations, especially when the stories differ from each other.

Just a quick addition - when we asked about getting the car fixed under BF's insurance, the rep told him that if they were to do that, he would have to pay the $500 deductible and admit to being at fault for the accident. I'm really not sure what was going on with the first rep that we spoke to.

Thought so, but you never know with insurance companies. So yay! that the truth outed itself!

 

[luv2sparkle]

Whew, so glad to hear that! I wonder what made him fess up?

 

[ame]

Tell Gieco that the police issued the other party the ticket - and to see the police report. The police officer is usually considered an independent agent.

That usually ends these kinds of situations.

Perry

Exactly. That would've been part of my statement initially, that the other driver was cited on the scene and you were only given the other driver's info, he was not given yours, by the police officer on the scene, who outright stated the other driver was at fault. That would've been pretty easily handled.

 

[asscherisme]

Tell Gieco that the police issued the other party the ticket - and to see the police report. The police officer is usually considered an independent agent.

That usually ends these kinds of situations.

Perry

This.

 

[alexah]

FWIW, this is an old thread that was bumped by a spammer The spammer's post has been removed though.