captainsensible

Hi,

My wife was rear-ended last week while stationary, so not at fault. The damage to her car was minimal (looks like a respray job on her rear 'fender') so what is the best way to go about this?

Is it better to go through the insurance, and pay her deductible - as in the UK, is it possible to claim the deductible back from the other party?

Or is it better to approach the other party with a quote for repair and suggest not involving the insurance party (as this may save money all round, assuming the other party has their own deductible to pay anyway)?

Thoughts? I know how this works in the UK but not sure if it works the same way in the US.

Thanks.

Michael

Normally you want to collect from the other party since that will have no effect on your insurance. The other party should be required to have liability insurance which should be $0 deductible and completely pay for the repairs.

She should have gotten the other parties insurance company and policy number at the time of the accident and then just submit that to your insurance company and since it is a rear ender, it's 99% certain that fault will be accessed against the other party and it shouldn't cost you anything or any increase in your premiums.

captainsensible

From memory a 'no fault' accident is dealt with like that in the UK as well and only involves the offending parties insurance co.

Thanks for the reply

lansbury

If PA is a "No Fault" State as far as accident claims, as we are in Oregon, it means each drivers insurance pays for their own repairs. If that is so it doesn't matter if the other driver was rear ended you, your insurance still covers your repairs.

captainsensible

But we are in PA

captainsensible

Lol, caught you before the edit

captainsensible

Or did I? Now I am thinking I just might have misread it!! I hate Mondays

lansbury

captainsensible

Anyway, my wife spoke to her insurers who said she had the choice of going through them or approaching the other parties insurer directly.

It seems that PA has a 'modified no fault' policy, which is great as it just adds to my confusion over the issue

Bob

Down my way, it means your insurance covers you in accident as if you were at fault, unless it's a rear ender....oh err