Auto Insurance Claims/no claims bonus

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Expert: - 3/22/2011


Question
in july 2010 my stepson took my car without my consent,he was prosecuted in court for theft and drink driving.he crashed my car into somebodys garage and garden,he offered to pay for the damage but was told that they would claim on there house insurance.he payed for all repairs on my car and no claim was made.to my shock i recieved my new quote for my car only to be told that they paid a third party claim on the garden and garage,i was not informed of this.is this right that i am persecuted for something that i have not done.because of this i can no longer afford to pay for this new quote,as i had to give up work to look after my disabled wife.

Answer
Hello,

Even if they claimed on their house insurance there is a thing known as subrogation. What this means is that even if the home owner claimed on theirs (which I don't know why they would), their insurance company is reimbursed by your company. That's how it works and you may not have had that explained to you by your agent.

Your stepson (you carried the insurance) was libel for his destruction of the garage and garden and unfortunately, you are being punished for it.

You can try companies like the General which may keep your rates lower, but getting comp and collision might be pricey.

It's going to be another 2 1/2 years before the rates will go down.

http://www.autotheftexpert.com  

Auto Insurance Claims

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Rob Painter, Ase, CFEI, CAFATE

Expertise

Please remember. I am not an attorney and cannot legal advice. My answers are based on my experience due to litigation I have been involved in as an expert, for both insurance companies and while oposing them opposing them. I deal with only comprehensive claims on autos related to fire and theft. I have even had the opportunity to rewrite policy coverage language as it relates to vehicle theft and forced entry for insurance defense attorneys.

Experience

Experience in the area: Working with insurance companies and attorneys on these issues for over 20 years. It is very common to have a reported stolen car with a so-called factory anti-theft system to have the theft claim denied. I have served successfully as an expert witness in the courts across the US representing the insured and their attorney revealing that the insurance expert did not take all known theories into consideration before rendering their "Forensic" conclusion. Many insurance carriers us independent "Forensic" experts to examine reported stolen vehicles commonly using flawed methodology implicating the innocent insured with the theft. My job is to determine if the insurance expert reached his conclusions based on accepted scientific principals or just net opinion with no basis other than opinion. My case record against such experts is very compelling.My resume can be seen at the catagory "Auto Theft and Prevention." In "Forensics" the scientific method must be employed. In the forensic locksmith field determining how a reported stolen vehicle was last operated, many processes cannot be duplicated and are conveniently not addressed. If they were, juries would have the opportunity to make a fair and impartial opinion at least about what the expert could or could not prove. There is a purported process determining the last key used. The chances of determining such is very rare uless the key is found in the ignition lock. Experts commonly destroy evidence as well and are rarely questioned on this event. I reveal the weakness in their testimony on such instances.

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