Expert: Richard Hixenbaugh - 7/15/2009

Question
Hi. I live in Chicago,IL. I was hit by a taxi cab while riding my bicycle. I suffered no injuries, but my bicycle was destroyed. I am now beginning the process of filing a claim against the driver's insurance company. I have no idea how to proceed. How much can I claim? What are my rights? What are some of the traps or pitfalls that I should watch out for?

Thanks for any help that you can offer.  

Answer
Hi Todd,

You simply call the insurance company and make a claim. They will take a statement from and will decide if their driver was at fault. Assuming that they accept liability for the accident, you will have to prove the value of your bike. If the bike was within 1 year old and you still have the receipt for its purchase then you can submit the receipt and they should pay you. If the bike was older and / or you do not have a receipt, you may have to take what is left of your bike to a bike shop to have them write something up stating what the bike was worth. You should also take some digital pictures of the bike to send to the insurance adjuster. You may want to start out by telling them that you are a little sore from the accident. That will help you negotiate on the value of the bike if thay think there is a possibility of an injury claim. You will likely need to negotiate a little with them to ultimately reach a reasonable settlement.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh