Estimates

other insurance is refusing to give estimates, what should i do?

I requested estimates 3 times and the other person's insurance company has not mailed me any information or estimates for damages. Now they have sent me a letter threatening to take me to court. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Public Comments

1. was the damage due to an *automobile* accident? if so, you're most likely required by law (depending on where you live) to have property damage coverage on an automobile insurance policy issued in the state/province in which your vehicle is registered in. therefore, if you *do* have automobile insurance, you should submit the accident information to your company *ASAP* - as failing to do so can result in cancellation of your policy, as well as being required to pay for the damage yourself and any possible fines. yet, if this is a *homeowner's* claim? - you *do* have the right to request estimates - keep in mind, however, if you try and pay it without going through your insurance, and they should find *further* damage after you've already paid, you'd still be on the hook for that - as, after you've made *any* payment on an insurance liability claim, regardless of whether it's automobile or homeowners, you lose the ability to submit the claim to your insurance company for any payment once you've made any payments to the claimant.
2. It doesn't work that way. They pay the bill, you reimburse them. They don't HAVE to do your legwork for you. If YOU wanted an estimate, YOU have to hire the appraiser to go out and look at the car!! You need to pay this, or they WILL take you to court, and win.
3. OK let me go out on a limb here. You caused an accident but didn't have insurance now the other drivers insurance is coming to you for reimbursement. Assuming I am guessing correctly you have no right request/demand that they provide you with estimates. If you are uninsured and at-fault for an accident you have very few rights. You do have the right to have a copy of the estimate of they based their payment on, plus photos of the damages, but that is it. No 3 estimates, just one. Sorry, but that is all they legally owe. I own a company that handles claims against uninsured people for insurance companies. Trust me, if you don't work with them they will sue you. Then they get to add court costs, lawyer fees and interest to the original debt. Plus, in many states after they win in court they can have your drivers license suspended. You don't want that trust me. We have an office full of files where people didn't believe us and regret it. Contact the company and ask for a copy of the estimate, photos and copy of the check or a computer printout showing the payment(s) they made. Then after that you have 3 options. 1) let them sue you, but I can't advise you to take this option. 2) offer them a lump sum compromised settlement if you have a way to the $. Let's say you owe them $3,000 if you offer them $1,800 to $2,500 I bet they would take it. 3) offer to make monthly payments. The payment plans we have in our office range from $75 to $450.00 per month. Good Luck