Anyone well-versed in Virginia auto insurance procedures?

by razorMind 6 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  razorMind

  I need some advice and don't know where to go.....

  I was involved in a fender-bender about a month ago, and cannot get anywhere with either my insurance company nor the other driver's.

  I was dropping my husband off at his job, a very busy and very large teaching hospital in the city. The entire area is always very congested with employees and patients being dropped off and picked up. Parking and driving spaces are very limited.

  I stopped in the far right lane, some distance (at least 4 car lengths) back from the traffic light ahead. I stopped just long enough for him to dash out of the car. There were no cars in front of me in that lane; just the traffic light which had just turned green. I did not need to change lanes, for I was to make a right turn at that traffic light.

  I had JUST put the car into drive and had JUST placed my foot on the gas, and had just moved probably a good 2 feet when suddenly this Radisson Hotels Van comes flying from the left lane and gets into my lane. Unfortunately he didn't make enough clearance and the back end of his van very nastily dragged/scraped the front end of my car, on the driver's side. My pretty new car now looks like someone went at it with either a butcher knife or one of those old-fashioned pointy can openers. In addition to scratches, there are actual CUTS in the metal, very deep ones.The whole incident was a long dragging/scrape, NOT an impact.

  So the police were called and the whole accident processed per routine--the driver of the van who was in uniform and on company time was ticketed and charged. I filed a claim with my insurance and being 9 months pregnant at the time, went to the doctor just to make sure the baby was okay. (everything was okay)

  My insurance agent keeps saying that he is sending letters and making numerous phone calls to Raddisson Hotels and keeps getting bounced from one person to another, or not being responded to at all. He has given me the phone numbers of a couple of the people and I have left messages to no avail. Being that I hardly ever have car accidents nor driving violations, I keep getting conflicting advice from different people. I don't know what to do. The agent has not given me any instructions on what I should do.

  I contacted an attorney yesterday, to get advice-- who says to get an estimate on the damages first and present this to my insurance company and to ask them what I need to do to get my car fixed. He says that insurance companies vary but that they have up to a year or two to handle the claim. (I live in Virginia in the US)

  My questions are:

  1) One person told me to find out what auto insurance Raddisson Hotels uses and to contact them. I have nothing to go on but the name. Finding out the rest involves a trip downtown to some Police Records place to obtain the police report, a $5 fee, etc. I just gave birth (CESAREAN, btw) 2 wks ago. I have to initiate almost all contact with my insurance agent; he never calls me. Every time I call him he says the same thing--he can't get in touch with anybody at the hotel. If I have to do all this research and obtain all this information myself, then why exactly am I paying Nationwide to have my vehicles insured?

  2) Also, am I supposed to drive around with my car looking like shit for a year to 2 years while they take their time handling this? How are I and my husband supposed to get around while the car is being fixed? Should I just get a lawyer anyway? My dad''s car insurance acted very quickly and efficiently with the 2 accidents I was last involved in (back when I was in high school)

  I'm confused.....thanks.....
• 

  Sentinel

  Obviously your Agent is not doing his job, so contact your insurance company directly at their main office; and if they again refer you back to your agent, tell them what he has told you and request that they settle your claim for damages up front and bill the other insurance company.

  This was a police matter and the guy was ticketed. At least you have that much going for you. The rest should be simple, but it has proven not to be so far because you have tried working with your agent. It sounds like he is giving you the runnaround.

  Radisson's "no comment" or "unavailability" is not unusual. They don't want a law suit. Also, if you were told that insurance companies have a year or two to make things right, that is bogus.

  /<
• 

  Analysis

  First talking to the agent does not work. You need to be talking to an adjuster in Claims. I found this on the Internet.

  Nationwide Policyholders please contact our toll free Claims Report Number at 1-877-422-6800.

  If you have comprehensive insurance you can make a claim against your insurance company and you can be certain that they will get the other insurance company to pay for the damage.

  I am certain the above will work, if not these are other areas you can look into.

  Call Radisson Customer Service @ (888) 201-1718 and be a real pain. Or call the actual hotel and ask to speak to the General Manager.

  If you have the Police Officer?s Card, call him.

  As a last resort write a letter to the Better Business Burea and copy the General Manager of the Hotel on the letter. He will be contacting you to resolve the issue.
• 

  razorMind

  First talking to the agent does not work. You need to be talking to an adjuster in Claims. I found this on the Internet.

  Nationwide Policyholders please contact our toll free Claims Report Number at 1-877-422-6800.

  Did I say "agent"? I meant "claims adjuster". Yep, that toll-free number is indeed the one I called. I received a claim number for reference.

  I've been carefully documenting every phone call I make and receive since this accident occurred. We have had nothing but problems with our agent since the day we bought the policy. And now more crap from the adjuster, which is really souring me against the company.

  Can I request that a different adjuster handle the claim? This guy doesn't seem like he knows what he's doing, nor does he seem to care. My sister-in-law is with Nationwide also, but a different agent, and she just had a fender bender a couple of weeks ago, which is being handled quite well.

  Thanks for all your help.
• 

  Gadget

  A car hit my newly restored classic sports car while it was parked up in 2000. I found my insurance agent was no good at negotiating a settlement I ended up taking over the negotiations myself. The only thing they did do for me was to arrange a top of the range courtesy car while the negotiations were ongoing. With my broker I only got offered 25% of the cars actual value, so I asked for a copy of the engineers report valuing the vehicle and sent a 12 page letter with 10 photos totally rebuking the report. The other insurance company replied with a cheque for the full amount I was claiming. At least being brought up a jw I learnt how to put an argument together. I would recomend getting in touch with the manager of the hotel, putting your case to him, and threatening to sue him personally for the damages unless he gets it sorted out for you. The driver was one of his employees and therefore acting under his instruction, maybe this would spur him into action.
• 

  Big Tex

  Damn I don't think they insure that part of the anatomy. And especially car insurance. I would think that's more medical anyway. And how would the vagina be injured? And why? That's what is wrong with the world today, all these crazy sex games involving the vagina while driving around in cars!

  Virginia auto insurance procedures

  Oh. Never mind.
• 

  Eyebrow2

  Big Tex...oh my god that is bad, bad bad hahah!

  I tell you this....that service sucks...you need to consider switching insurance companies after all this is settles. There is no excuse for such crappy service. It is just wrong. I was an insurance agent in the 90s and I bent over backwards for my clients (not literally...although there were a few hotties I sold snowmobile policies to that I wished had asked teeehee!).

  Nationwide is one of those insurance companies that will screw you if you do not have a good insurance agent. Of course the adjuster comes up with the dollar amounts, but a good agent should be on the phone making sure the adjuster gets out there. If you have not already, call in and see if you can get the name of the adjuster's supervisor and speak with him or her. It is good you are keeping track. If talking to the suprervisor does not help, file a formal complaint with not only Nationwide, but with the agency in your state that regulates insurance, Make sure that copies are sent to the adjuster, supervisor and agent as well.

  Good luck! and congrats on your new baby.