QuestionQUESTION: Recently in July, I made a claim on my car "fender bender" only to find out my policy was discontinued due to non-payment. I backed into a truck. There was no damage to the truck.
I have been with USAA for 20 years & this was my first accident claim. They denied my claim b/c I was not covered at the time of the accident. I missed a payment by one week since I had been out of town with my father who had heart surgery. The accident involved no one but myself. It would have cost a little over my dectible.
In September, I hit the same spot on my bumper while I was out of town. Again, no one involved but myself. No damage to the other vehicle. I got a second estimate with the USAA recomended company. This repair cost was $500 over my dectible. I tried to make a claim and now they are investigating my claim. What does this mean?
Alina
ANSWER: Hello Alina,
Well, they think you fabricated this accident, because it is a coincidence that the circumstances were the same. Did you make a police report, or get the other vehicle information? Any witnesses? Unless they can disprove your claim, they must pay it. But they may delay it in hopes that you will just go away. If they deny your claim, they must put it writing and state the reasons why.
Don't give them over 30 days to "investigate".
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you very much for your response. There was only the owner of the truck at the first incident, but he did not "witness the accident". I found him & told him what had happened. And no witnesses at the second. They had asked for the place where I had it fixed. There was no police report b/c oddly enough the first person had no damage & said the truck only cost him $50 [fifty dollars]. The second encounter had no driver & no damage. It was a pretty heated discussion. I felt as though the agent was harassing me. I did say I was going to drop my policy with them due to their treatment of the situation. The first estimate was for @$600 & the second estimate was @$1000. Both estimates were acquired from their recommended body shop. Is there anything else I can do to end this situation? Surely they got both estimates from their body shop and I gave them the name of the place where I actually got it fixed.
AnswerAll you can do is pressure them by insisting they put their final decision in writing, either they cover it or they deny it. If they deny it because they don't believe your story, then they will lose when you take them to small claims court. But I don't think they are dumb enough to put that in writing. You must pressure them to make their decision IN WRITING. If the adjuster and or supervisor delays this, just fax a letter to the CEO in the home office of the insurer. Get that info from their website.
