QuestionI am in California
Esurance is my insurance carrier
About 1.5 years ago I was leaving a parking stall and hit the left fender; I did not have the money to pay the deductible and figured I would wait and get it fixed myself when I could afford it so my insurance did not go up. After thinking about it, I realized I have been paying into my insurance for 10 years and should not have to pay for the damage out of pocket. Is it to late to file a claim?
I understand CA statute of Limitations is 3 years, but can my insurance company limit the time I have to file with them since no one else is involved in the accident?
Answer
Barrett, ADE
Candice, Thank you for your question!
Without actually reading your policy and withstanding and requirements and/or limitations within it, based upon my experience, you should be able to submit your claim and your insurer should cover it.
As I understand it, Esurance is now owned now by Allstate but the buy-out or change in ownership shouldn't affect your insurance contract.
In the future, you will want to report the loss when it occurs to ensure the matter is recorded and you can let the insurer know if you do or do not intend to file a claim then, or at another time.
This enables the insurer to know of the loss, perform an investigation regarding liability and document the damages and resolve any claims for injuries/damages the other party may have suffered etc. These are all efforts to protect you and your personal assets.
Your policy may actually state your requirements to report a loss. You may wish to call and ask Esurance if you cannot find such verbiage in your policy.
I hope this helps!
Thanks again for the question. Good Luck in the New Year!
