Auto Insurance Claims: Our insurance is taking too long...., full coverage insurance, radiator fluid

Question
We had previous insurance with Progressive but we where unaware that on January 1st of 2008 our insurance had expired. So before going to Big Bear for a weekend trip, my wife and I called to verify our coverage (this was on Friday January 25th).  That is when we found out that our insurance had expired. So right away we restarted our policy and paid the premium for full coverage insurance. So once we did that, we drove up to Big Bear that same night, and on Sunday January 27th around 1 in the afternoon before coming back home I noticed that our car had been hit on the front end of the car. The hood was badly damaged, and so was the radiator from what I can see, the car in not drivable at all do to the fact that the radiator fluid is leaking. It is now going on two weeks and my insurance has not done anything!!! My car is still out in Big bear, they wont cover a rental car for us, and every time that I call, they say the same thing “we are Investigating.” They wont give me a time frame or a deadline. I feel helpless and I want to know what I can do? There where no witness on the accident, and we don’t know exactly what time the vehicle was hit or by who, it was parked out on the street, so it could have been anyone. Can they do this to me? How long can they hold off for? And what can I do?

Answer
Hi Ruben-

Hit and runs with no witnesses or person responsible are sometimes not covered. Find your full policy and read it carefully.  They are most likely suspicous that this accident happened before you reinstated the policy since it was so close together. Unfortunately this happens all the time, so insurance fraud causes insurance companies to be suspicisious.  
They do have a right to a decision in a timely manner however, so if they continue to drag their feet, let them know you will be contacting the Department of Insurance.  Then look them up on the WEB for your state and find a number to contact to put a complaint against the company.

Sheldon Maughan
Sacramento, Ca