Nothing worse then being hit by an idiot with no insurance.. (1 Viewer)

[Chris]

So, today, driving through downtown KC, we're stopped at a red light. Behind me I hear a "EEEEERRRRRRRRRRR!" brakes screaming.. look in my rear view mirror. Shit. The car right behind me gets rear ended bigtime, smashed flat in the back, airbags deployed, etc. she gets flung into me, which busts my rear bumper, throws me a lane and a half into the sidewalk at 13th & Broadway.

Damnit!

So, I immediately feel terrible, primarily because I was eating when I got hit (well, not really, drinking a milk) so I throw up all over, and sit back while paramedics run to the scene and go through everything. The accident is bad enough that bystanders hang around to relay to the cops what happened (a gigantic perk)

The girl behind me is visibly shaken up, her very nice car is now virtually wiped out. She's livid. I'm still feeling shaky so I hang out with the paramedics while they test me over.. I get out, the police officer asks for my insurance and my drivers licence (no problem). I talk to the girl right behind me to make sure she's OK.

Luckily she is OK, though she's also really shaken up. The girl behind us, we're told, started screaming that she couldn't stop, etc. etc.

Enough bystanders point out she raced through a light to catch it from Orange into a red and that's how she slammed into her. She admitted in the end to basically doing 50/30 going into a light (where we were all stopped).

The officer on the scene immediately rules her at fault, and asks to get statements from us, although he has five bystander statements as well. He tells us "hold on, another officer will be with you"

Great. Another officer comes to us and breaks it down: this is a felony accident. The girl who hit us may have been enjoying the day a bit too much, had a suspended license and... no insurance.

Goddamnit.

Completely pisses me off. I call my insurance company who thankfully tells me that since I was not at fault, they will not hold it against my policy, which is a perk.

The officer tells us that because it is a felony accident (no drivers license, no insurance, possible alcohol) we will be subpeoned to appear in court, and tells us "of course, you'll get a settlement against her.."

Yeah, right. If the girl doesn't have enough to pay insurance, how much money is she going to have to pay up? Can't get blood from a turnip.

 

[Carl Johnson]

Is driving on a suspended license without insurance a felony or was the cop referring to the possibility that alcohol was involved?

 

[Chris]

I think driving without a license and insurance is like a class-C felony; but if she ends up testing for alcohol, it bumps it way up the chart.

 

[Philip_G]

bastards.
I only carry liability on my cars, so I'd be royally screwed.

 

[Joel...Lane]

Car accidents SUCK! Especially when they're not your fault. Glad to hear you're okay though. Hey, any accident you can walk away from....

I remember a long time ago we were sitting on a two lane road in stopped traffic cause they were doing construction on a bridge. Well, this cement mixer comes barrelling around the corner from the other direction, can't stop in time and crushes the unlucky car at the end of the line. The car was flattened up to the front seats! Luckily no one was in the back.

I don't do it all the time, but I try to leave at least a car length between me and the car in front of me whenever I'm stopped just in case I need to swerve out of the way quickly.

Did she get arrested?

 

[Robert_Z]

There is something worse than being hit by an idiot with no insurance, and that is all of us clones being forced by law to buy car insurance whether we want it or not.

We pay month after stinking month, and when we finally file a claim, it is either denied, or we get jacked during the next billing period. Sounds like a no-risk money-making venture for the insurance industry. Their lobbyists must be smooth talkers.

 

[Chris]

Yes, she was arrested on the scene.

 

[Julian Reville]

Yes, there are some things that are worse:

Being hit by an guy smart enough to have FAKE insurance and having the cop being DUMB enough to let him go.

That's what happened to me 6 months after I bought my first new car; rear-ended just like you while stopped at a red light.

The cop let the guy go without even a ticket!! Later they discover (through my insurance company) that the guys insurance info was bogus. They (of course) are "still looking for the guy". Right. I'm out a $500 deductible and my brand new car loses $10,000 in street value, so that helps a lot.

 

[John Spencer]

Robert, insurance is a pain, but a necessary one. The only people who can't afford insurance are those who are more of a risk on the road. If you have a good driving record and few to no accidents, insurance is not that expensive. And if you have a company that turns you down (though we know not what for), you can always change companies. That's the great part about being a customer.

I'm glad it's a felony to not have insurance, for just the reasons Chris stated. Although it's not supposed to be lawful for your insurance to go up when you're the victim of an uninsured motorist, it's still quite inconvenient. And if you can't afford even Safe Auto's crap-like liability coverage, you ought not be driving. Driving is a privilege, not a right.

 

[Philip_G]

damn

Even liability on two crappy cars is running me nearly 1200 a year with a clean record

 

[Chris Smith]

You must not live in NJ, home of the highest insurance rates in the country. The rates are so high and the laws so messed up that MANY insurance companies don't even off insurance in NJ.

Safe Auto? Hah, no way they'd deal in NJ. Your choices are limited and they are ALL high.

From:
http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/...car/P88635.asp

New Jersey was the priciest auto insurance state in the country, with motorists shelling out an average $1,182.54. New York kept pace with an average of $1,161.27 followed by the District of Columbia at $1,156.23.

I know mine is higher than that, by quite a bit. Back in H.S. my insurance was close to $3000 a year with a clean record.

 

[Philip_G]

colorado has fallen to #10, 2 years ago when PIP was mandatory they were #6

 

[Paul_Medenwaldt]

Chris

When you say girl, how old is this person?

If she owns a home, you may be able to go after her homeowners insurance company??

Paul

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

Sorry, but this is bullshit. I have a clean driving record, no accidents for the past 10 years and no moving violations for at least the past 5 and for a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am GT, I'm paying $180 a month ($2160/year). It's an absolute rip-off and no matter what carrier I've checked with, none of the quotes came in under $180 per month. I guess they can slap any label they want on you and not have to answer to anyone for it.

Bruce

 

[Jim Sentry]

Wow Bruce that sucks. My wife and I both have full coverage. She drives a 2005 Toyota Rav 4 and I drive a 1995 Mercedes S320.

We pay about 1200per year total.

 

[Colton]

My car = 2001 PT Cruiser Limited Edition
Wifes car = 1997 Toyota RAV 4

$1584/year - Full Coverage.

Check out AAA Insurance for the best rates!

- Colton

 

[DaveF]

Wow! Is your state known for high rates? Have you shopped around? I was paying ~$400/yr in NY with a Ford Escort a few years back. Another company quoted me $1800/yr for the same policy. I'm now driving a newer Honda Accord for $600 / yr, through Geico.

Chris - bummer. I was rear-ended two years ago by an older woman who had a seizure just as she was approaching the stop light. It was a weird situation. The police had to take her keys away to keep her from driving off, after she became lucid. It was a weird and sad situation.

 

[Mike Wilk]

I'd imagine 2 things are against you: 1 - the type of car, 2 - the month-to-month payments. Also, you didn't mention age or marital status that are also part of the equation the insurance companies use.

YMMV

 

[Philip Hamm]

Chris, you need to stop talking to us and talk to a lawyer. You should be carrying "uninsured motorist" and "underinsured motorist" coverage on your policy. If you're smart you have very high amounts for these coverages (it is not that expensive). This kind of situation is exactly why you have this coverage.

The way it works is you first have to come up with a fair equitable settlement amount, you can't make stuff up. A good (not moneygrubbing ambulance chaser) laywer can help you with this. Once you've come up with your amount, your lawyer will file this with your own insurance company under your "uninsured driver" coverage. They will refuse to pay, you will then file suit. It will cost a few hundred dollars for the filing at the courthouse. Once they see this they will then settle with you. This will not affect your insurance rates.

If you've been hurt or anyone in your car has been hurt you need to start talking to legal counsel now, and stop posting here, anything you post can potentially be used against you.

 

[John Spencer]

Well, I'm not gonna go there. I've seen The Sopranos.