Hit a deer last night, is this fixable?

L5wolvesf said:

einy said:

I wouldn’t even file an insurance claim.  Why take the chance on your rates going up?

Some insurance companies consider it deceptive if you don't report and may cancel the policy. Tell your agent, but ask that no claim be filed, especially if the police were involved.

I'm curious where you heard of this, because not reporting a small claim isn't suspicious. My girlfriend swerved to avoid hitting a dog in the neighborhood the other day, happened to be a high curb. Busted front bumper and bent rad support = $1100 in damage. With a $1k deductible, it doesn't make sense to make the claim and potentially hurt your rates. There is nothing suspicious about that. Granted the car still drives fine, so she duct taped up the bottom of the bumper until she saves up the money to just have it fixed. 

Insurance companies don't even care if you cash a check for damage, don't have the damage fixed and keep driving the car. It's just if you get into another accident, your car will likely get next to nothing for a claim because of previous damage. After the 2nd accident you'll likely be canceled. 

Yes, it can be considered "deceptive", but in this case I wouldn't be too worried about it.

Probably a total loss, but I'd want a quick tear down to be sure.

In reply to z31maniac :

I got rear-ended (and totaled) at a full stop in traffic then a few weeks later, my replacement truck got totaled while in the driveway next to the house. I was almost cancelled even though I was proven 100% innocent in both "accidents".

ebonyandivory said:

In reply to z31maniac :

I got rear-ended (and totaled) at a full stop in traffic then a few weeks later, my replacement truck got totaled while in the driveway next to the house. I was almost cancelled even though I was proven 100% innocent in both "accidents".

Yep. Insurance companies want low-risk........at least the large ones. There are small, specialty places that deal with people who have multiple tickets, accidents, etc. And those places are crazy expensive. 

It's also stastically proven once you have a claim, you are much more likely to have subsequent claims, they don't like that either. 

Klayfish said:

Yes, it can be considered "deceptive", but in this case I wouldn't be too worried about it.

I would be curious to see what policy language exists that indicates I have to report a small incident to the insurance company if I have no intention of trying to file a claim and receive money.

Deceptive would be trying to get your insurance company to pay for the same damage twice. 

z31maniac said:

Klayfish said:

Yes, it can be considered "deceptive", but in this case I wouldn't be too worried about it.

I would be curious to see what policy language exists that indicates I have to report a small incident to the insurance company if I have no intention of trying to file a claim and receive money.

Deceptive would be trying to get your insurance company to pay for the same damage twice. 

 

Pretty much all policies have language that requires you to report incidents.  That language is rarely "used" by the carrier because it's typically not an issue, even if a claim is reported late.  However, the potential is still there.  There is also fraud potential.  Claims reported a long time after they occur, especially a deer hit, can raise red flags. 

Check the "Conditions" section of your auto policy.  That's where you'll find the reporting requirement language.

Bambulance

- hit a deer  , who gets the deer, me or the dog?

-  

search for this on you tube.

language is not suitable for work or writing  on GRM's site  so I am not posting the link here.

Klayfish said:

z31maniac said:

Klayfish said:

Yes, it can be considered "deceptive", but in this case I wouldn't be too worried about it.

I would be curious to see what policy language exists that indicates I have to report a small incident to the insurance company if I have no intention of trying to file a claim and receive money.

Deceptive would be trying to get your insurance company to pay for the same damage twice. 

 

Pretty much all policies have language that requires you to report incidents.  That language is rarely "used" by the carrier because it's typically not an issue, even if a claim is reported late.  However, the potential is still there.  There is also fraud potential.  Claims reported a long time after they occur, especially a deer hit, can raise red flags. 

Check the "Conditions" section of your auto policy.  That's where you'll find the reporting requirement language.

Sure, if you report something months later, you're claim is going straight to SIU. But I'm using the example of never reporting it. I'll have to ask my agent for a copy of the policy (I haven't look at it in awhile) and read through it. I'm curious to see what requirements there are. 

I know my claim was the other way around. Single car accident, curvy backroad in crummy conditions. I didn't hit anyone or damage any public or private property. So I didn't bother calling the police, just called a tow truck and had it taken home. Spoke with the rep the next day, "Did you file a police report?" "Nope, there was no other damage to anyone else's or the state's property."

That was end of it. I think the only other question she asked was if the air bags went off (they didn't). I suspect that would be some kind of "gotcha" for any type of medical claim. That the hit was hard enough to deploy the air bags, why didn't you seek medical attention, kind of thing. 

In reply to z31maniac :

It was fun to watch them try to explain themselves (didn't do a very good job of it) exactly why, when a drug addicted driver who failed miserably a field sobriety test IN MY DRIVEWAY and was arrested and subsequently served a year in jail totaled the truck I had driven a total of FOUR MILES, I could be even remotely affected this way.

Ive since dropped THEM after I heard they had considered canceling my policy.

In reply to ebonyandivory :

I would have to. I'm just waiting for that accident to drop back off in a couple of months, and I'll be shopping my car insurance again. Even with the rate hike, they are still cheaper than anyone else. That's the only accident on record in 22 years.

My current HO policy was $900/month cheaper than State Farm.

In reply to z31maniac :

Ineresting!

And don't get me started about Liberty Mutual when a car drive through my house. Literally the ONLY claim on a HO policy that we've had for 50 years and we had nothing but problems dealing with them.

(Sorry about making this thread about me)

They ask about airbag deployment because it's a good indicator the car may be a total loss.

z31maniac said:

Klayfish said:

z31maniac said:

Klayfish said:

Yes, it can be considered "deceptive", but in this case I wouldn't be too worried about it.

I would be curious to see what policy language exists that indicates I have to report a small incident to the insurance company if I have no intention of trying to file a claim and receive money.

Deceptive would be trying to get your insurance company to pay for the same damage twice. 

 

Pretty much all policies have language that requires you to report incidents.  That language is rarely "used" by the carrier because it's typically not an issue, even if a claim is reported late.  However, the potential is still there.  There is also fraud potential.  Claims reported a long time after they occur, especially a deer hit, can raise red flags. 

Check the "Conditions" section of your auto policy.  That's where you'll find the reporting requirement language.

Sure, if you report something months later, you're claim is going straight to SIU. But I'm using the example of never reporting it. I'll have to ask my agent for a copy of the policy (I haven't look at it in awhile) and read through it. I'm curious to see what requirements there are. 

I know my claim was the other way around. Single car accident, curvy backroad in crummy conditions. I didn't hit anyone or damage any public or private property. So I didn't bother calling the police, just called a tow truck and had it taken home. Spoke with the rep the next day, "Did you file a police report?" "Nope, there was no other damage to anyone else's or the state's property."

That was end of it. I think the only other question she asked was if the air bags went off (they didn't). I suspect that would be some kind of "gotcha" for any type of medical claim. That the hit was hard enough to deploy the air bags, why didn't you seek medical attention, kind of thing. 

Reporting it late doesn't necessarily send a file to SIU.  It could be a red flag, but not necessarily. 

The situation you describe (crashing into something and not calling police) happens all the time. Adjusters typically won't blink twice about a claim like that, dime a dozen.  Exception...i.e. SIU involvement... would be if your policy was brand new the day before this incident allegedly occurred. 

Late or non-reporting becomes an issue if evidence is lost or destroyed.  Doesn't happen often, but it can. 

Yes, make sure you have a copy of your policy.  The language is probably precisely the same for a State Farm policy as it is for Nationwide as it is for Progressive and the rest.  They're standardized forms.

ebonyandivory said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Ineresting!

And don't get me started about Liberty Mutual when a car drive through my house. Literally the ONLY claim on a HO policy that we've had for 50 years and we had nothing but problems dealing with them.

(Sorry about making this thread about me)

My credit union has a promotional thing with them.  So I called, and they can save me $600/year on car insurance.

Stuff like that is why I don't mind spending an extra $600/year...

ddavidv said:

They ask about airbag deployment because it's a good indicator the car may be a total loss.

That or the vehicle may be a potential future liability if the airbags "deployed" and were never returned to full functionality.  A car with inoperable airbags is a HUGE liability.

People sue because they expect the airbags to go off for the slightest collision, after all.  I guess they expect that airbags are a comfy pillow that magically solves all your problems, instead of a high explosive loosely contained in a bag that is designed to literally punch you away from the inside of your car as you hurtle towards it.

Knurled. said:

ddavidv said:

They ask about airbag deployment because it's a good indicator the car may be a total loss.

That or the vehicle may be a potential future liability if the airbags "deployed" and were never returned to full functionality.  A car with inoperable airbags is a HUGE liability.

 

People sue because they expect the airbags to go off for the slightest collision, after all.  I guess they expect that airbags are a comfy pillow that magically solves all your problems, instead of a high explosive loosely contained in a bag that is designed to literally punch you away from the inside of your car as you hurtle towards it.

It may be a liability to the manufacturer, or potentially a dealer if they did something shady (which likely would then be excluded from insurance coverage), but it's not a liability for a personal lines insurance carrier.

Klayfish said:

Yes, make sure you have a copy of your policy.  The language is probably precisely the same for a State Farm policy as it is for Nationwide as it is for Progressive and the rest.  They're standardized forms.

Yeah, I don't think many people realize there is a base minimum of coverage for homes and auto that all carriers must offer. Extras, special limits, customer service, etc, that's where it all differs.

I did receive a copy of my policy last night, I think it's vaguely worded and could easily be reconciled, but that's just my opinion.

In reply to ebonyandivory :

"I need a bambulance..."