Don't know what it is with this car, but it keeps getting hit while its parked... it's really bad this time....

Anyways, we both agreed it was her fault on this so naturally I need to contact her insurance company. Question is, will her insurance provider be contacting MY insurance? (and in return spiking my rates?)

Also, as far as rate hikes go, are they dependent on the amount of damage she received, or is it a "I got into an accident" flat-rate? (Reason being, I don't want to take it to a shop with a high quote and have her rates sky-rocket.)

posting this in cali section due to the fact that other states have weird insurance laws.

 

Stop! Listen . . . If you both have insurance, simply report it to your insurance company and stay out of it. Your insurance company will handle everything for you and get what is rightfully coming to you. If you attempt to resolve this issue on your own, you stand the chance of getting the short end of the deal.

Finally, assuming, as you stated, that the other driver is at fault, cease all further communication(s) with the other said driver and/or his/her insurance provider. Be smart and leave it the people whom you pay the premiums to deal with this. Please keep us updated on your progress.

 

Be careful that she does not turn it around and say that she was not at fault even though verbally, she admitted fault to you. I have had that happen before and there is nothing you can do about it.

 

Thanks for the reply... But isn't it customary to call their insurance provider when they're at fault? This is a family member that hit me (relative no more...) so theres no way of flipping fault here. (Hence me not wanting to go with a higher quote at a bodyshop and thus making her rates spike <--- which brings us to the original question.)

 

No, it is not and your insurance provider would advise against it, as well.

No, your insurance premium rate should not rise due to this incident. The other party was at fault and has their own insurance coverage.

 

Second thoughts . . . Since the person that hit your car is a relative. Is she in a position to have your car fixed without the insurance companies getting involved?

A car is only for some short years. However, family is and should be forever. Good luck to you both.

 

All what Andy said holds very true.

My insurance (regardless who's fault) wants 3 estimates. I have the right to pick which shops. You can do the same and pick the cheapest estimate on behalf of your x-relative.

My rates (if my fault) whether a total or small fender bender, takes me off my 'preferred premium rate' for three years. Don't believe my increase is on total cost of all parties repair cost. It's noted as a 'point' = one incident. Like on your DMV record. After three years, my premium goes back down. When not my fault, doesn't affect my premium or DMV record.

I have in the past worked out repairs with the other party at fault privately as a good jester (knowing them personally directly or indirectly). Still contacted my Insurance as a back-up in case other party bails on verbal agreement. My Insurance is fine with that. When my repairs are completed, or money in my hands from other party privately, I call my insurance and close my claim with them. Done deal and doesn't affect other parties record or their premium.

 

Good luck ..

 

economy has hit that side of the family hard so.. yeah. I would rather deal privately, but theres just no way to do so.

"You can do the same and pick the cheapest estimate on behalf of your x-relative." <---- ok... so there is a correlation between cheaper estimate=less chance of your rates to go up.

 

Its a tough situation when a family member is involved. You want to be as cheap as possible for their sake but still be protected. Her insurance will likely go up as the result of her at fault collision.

I wish I had the opportunity to go to 3 places to get estimates and pick where I want. My damn insurance sends out adjustor and then a week later I get a check for the repairs based on the standarized labor rate for the area. I can then go wherever I want and hope they agree with the rates.

Hope it works out for both of you

 

I'll make this simple. two options

1) we will call this the insurance route: Since you are both insured, you contact your insurance company, advise them what happened and provide your family members insurance information. Your insurance company will ask you to take the vehicle to one of their preferred shops to get the damage fixed. If you want to take it to your own shop you can as well. Your insurance company will fix your car and pay all the bills. They will then contact your family members carrier and subrogate the damages. Essentially that means they will ask the other insurance carrier to pay a % of the bill. In your case they will ask and likely get 100%. Simple, case closed, no increase in your rates, however maybe a minimal increase in your family members rates.

2) we'll call this the no insurance option: in this case you go to three shops and get three estimates. You then provide those estimates to your family member and they should be responsible for only paying the lowest of the three estimates. If you take it to another shop that is going to charge more you should be responsible for the difference between the low and what the shop charges. No insurance involved this way, no rate increases etc.

 

the second option is pretty viable and interesting. good idea

 

i always choose to go with MY OWN insurance company no matter who is at fault. if it is not your fault, you have no worries, your rates wont go up, and your insurance company will go after the other persons company for money. by going through my own insurance company and a certified shop through them, they gaurantee ALL THE WORK done on the car. if you go through the other persons insurance company, they will nickel and dime you and will not guarantee any work they did. once your car is done, its done. if the color doesnt match perfectly, or something is repaired incorrectly...too bad.

 

if you have AAA and need a shop reccomendation i HIGHLY reccomend cooks collision(they have a bunch of shops in different areas). they are very nit pick about every detail of your car and will repair it to oem specifications(if not better) using OEM stuff and you can not even tell the car has been in an accident. ive seen a g35 with a crumpled trunk floor and rear quarter panel damage, and after all repairs were done, it seriously looked like nothing ever happened.

 

regardless there insurance premium will go up since it will have to pay out regardless if its a 1k or more worth of dmg. the only way around it is to do a private fix get quotes and give them the lowest as someone said before.