Safeco Insurance experience - WARNING

[Rob Littleton]

So, I drive my 2003 Dodge RAM 2500 thru the parking lot of Safeway Tuesday night, and this elderly gentlemen, backs out, while talking to his girlfriend across the other side of the parking lot using hand signals, without stopping, and takes my side out. :-(. We exchange details and niceties and he admits 100% it's his fault. He gets on the phone to his good, honest insurance broker at Safeco, and between them, they admit 100% liability. Not difficult really considering HE backed into ME.....I talk to his rep on the phone while sitting there in the wreck, to double check liability and again, they assure me of 100% liability.

The snidey stinking Safeco rep calls me today and tells me they are investigating the claim and need to send out a photographer to get pics of the parking lot. They seem to think I was at fault.............what an honest company......NOT!!!!!!

Meanwhile, I am driving around in a pile of garbage (crabbing where he hit my back wheel) while they screw around taking pictures and trying to blame ME!!!!

I didn't call the police coz on private property, they dont care.

Man, their client admits 100% responsibility and they wanna change their minds. Wow, what a company to be insured with.

VENT VENT VENT !!!! (smoke bellowing from nose)

[Lars Thomas]

I can understand the frustration, but me thinks this will work out fine. Based on the location of the damage to your truck, it would not be possible for this to be your fault.

[Matt Meiser]

Makes your neck and back hurt, doesn't it. ;)

[Tim Morton]

So, I drive my 2003 Dodge RAM 2500 thru the parking lot of Safeway Tuesday night, and this elderly gentlemen, backs out, while talking to his girlfriend across the other side of the parking lot using hand signals, without stopping, and takes my side out. :-(. We exchange details and niceties and he admits 100% it's his fault. He gets on the phone to his good, honest insurance broker at Safeco, and between them, they admit 100% liability. Not difficult really considering HE backed into ME.....I talk to his rep on the phone while sitting there in the wreck, to double check liability and again, they assure me of 100% liability.

The snidey stinking Safeco rep calls me today and tells me they are investigating the claim and need to send out a photographer to get pics of the parking lot. They seem to think I was at fault.............what an honest company......NOT!!!!!!

Meanwhile, I am driving around in a pile of garbage (crabbing where he hit my back wheel) while they screw around taking pictures and trying to blame ME!!!!

I didn't call the police coz on private property, they dont care.

Man, their client admits 100% responsibility and they wanna change their minds. Wow, what a company to be insured with.

VENT VENT VENT !!!! (smoke bellowing from nose)

Lets see...insurance companies trying to get out of paying a claim...WOW...next you will tell me that lawyers are only interested in the money:eek: .;)

[Cecil Arnold]

Rob, they are just going through the procedures to be sure they are not gitting ripped off. They will pay, it's just a matter of them getting the file completed. I know it's a pain been there, got the "T" shirt, and was every bit as angry as you are.

[Wes Bischel]

Rob,
I had a similar experience, except my car was parked and unoccupied! I eventually had my insurance co. fix my car and go after Allstate. Still took 9 months to get my deductible back. Eventually it will work out, it just comes down to how much of an inconvenience it will be, not if.:(

Wes

[Lee DeRaud]

I had a similar experience, except my car was parked and unoccupied! I eventually had my insurance co. fix my car and go after Allstate.That's pretty much SOP out here unless both cars are covered by the same company (or so my agent tells me).

[Anthony Anderson]

Lets see...insurance companies trying to get out of paying a claim...WOW...next you will tell me that lawyers are only interested in the money:eek: .;)

Of course not! Lawyers are only interested in TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND THE AMERICAN WAY:D :D :D The thought of money never enters their mind.:D

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Same thing happened to me in a parking lot, except the guy pulled forward out of his spot. He had a home-made deer killer on the front of his truck that opened up the whole right side of my poor Nissan. He completely admitted fault. I had to jump through hoops to even get a response from his insurance company (one that I'd never heard of)...and then more hoops to get the pictures taken...and as I recall, it was only after a very heated telephone call that they came up with a rental vehicle.

I had the police write a report even tho they gave me the 'private property' line. I wasn't inetrested that they couldn't write a ticket...I just wanted the ammunition for the insurance claim. Didn't help, but it did make me feel better. :rolleyes:

KC

[Dennis Peacock]

Let's be easy on lawyers now. Even some of our members are lawyers. So let's be careful. Ok?

[Karl Laustrup]

A little trick I learned from my insurance company is to buy one of those disposable cameras and keep it in your vehicle. Just don't forget about it as they do go bad and need to be replaced. Something happens snap pictures. Now you have evidence of what happened.

Karl

[Larry Klaaren]

Had exactly the same thing happen to me a few years ago. They paid up 100 percent, but before that they tried to get me to pay 50 percent of the cost of repairing my car, and made a couple of other attempts to settle. Just don't settle until it's right.

In my case, I did call the police, and it was the police report that made the difference. He measured how close to the center of the driving lane I was, the skid marks for her car (about six inches), etc. Too late for this one, but always call, let the police make the decision as to whether they should come out. The police are supposed to give an unbiased report and include the important factors to the case which you may not realize. In Illinois we had some thing about publicly accessed private areas, which included parking lots. I can't remember the terminology.

Her insurance company did eventually come out to my house to take pictures of my car. When they saw that she hit the rear wheel dead on and read that she hardly braked it was all over. As soon as the adjustor saw it, he told me they had little choice but to pay it up. They brought out a car and I had it fixed.

It'll likely work out well for you.

Larry

[Bill Grumbine]

Rob, I feel your pain, as I was there just a short while ago. A year ago Christmas (two days before) I was hit by a guy speeding down the road in the rain on a curve. His little import car sustained damage across less than 12" of the front, while my truck had a huge swath along the side, over 6' long. It was very clear that he has hit me at a very oblique angle, I was already in my lane, and he had crossed over the line from losing control. He admitted fault, confessed to speeding at the site to the cop.

We both got tickets. I protested mine on the spot, and declared to the cop that I would fight it and win. I fought mine and won. The judge almost laughed at the cop The other guy did not bother. BUT, the insurance company refused to budge, and it went to arbitration. I ended up being 50% at fault, even though I had a huge body of evidence on my side. That is what happens when we get stuck with unaccountable people sitting far away with little or no interest in making things right.

The only encouragement I will offer at this point is that ultimately it will all be sorted out with a Judge that cannot be bought or fooled. I hope yours turns out better than mine.

Bill

[Lee DeRaud]

A little trick I learned from my insurance company is to buy one of those disposable cameras and keep it in your vehicle. Just don't forget about it as they do go bad and need to be replaced.I think they have "disposable" digital cameras now. There may be a shelf-life issue with the batteries, but at least the "film" isn't affected by the heat.

[Jim Becker]

Or a wireless phone with an integral camera... ;)

[Lee DeRaud]

Or a wireless phone with an integral camera... ;)Arrrggghh! I tend to forget about those: they wouldn't let us have them at work for security reasons...doesn't matter now, but my current phone is over four years old. Do they even make cell phones without cameras anymore?

[Bill Lewis]

I was going to bring that up Lee. I too work at a secure facility and you are not allowed to bring in cameras (without prior approval) or have a cell phone with a camera at all. I'd like to keep a camera in the car, but it's just not feasible.

[Ken Garlock]

Bill G., you certainly got the short end of that deal.:(

With treatment like that, I would have found a member of the fine upstanding legal community and asked for everything I could think of, truck repair, kitchen sink backing up, braces for the kids, in-grown toe nails, and other related events.:D :D Even if you only got $1 net from the whole thing, it would be worth the personal pleasure. But, I know you wouldn't do that.

Insurance companies like the one you dealt with give meaning to the old saying that the reason some people are alive is because it is against the law to shoot them.:)

[Bart Leetch]

I do know that in the housing industry a digital camera is not good to go to court with because they can say you could have altered the picture(pics of how the resident left apt. damaged). Be sure to use a regular film type camera. You can always refer back to the negative. When you go to court you don't want any more left to question than necessary. We use a Polaroid just because of the question of was this picture tampered with or not. We also put a current news paper in one of the pictures to establish the date. I know you won't have a paper with you but I just threw that info in.

[Chris Padilla]

Interesting...I have SafeCo...but they cover my home insurance, not car. They have been quite easy to deal with on my home when I had a leaky roof...paid out fast!

I guess you never know!

[Rob Littleton]

Interesting...I have SafeCo...but they cover my home insurance, not car. They have been quite easy to deal with on my home when I had a leaky roof...paid out fast!

I guess you never know!

Well it seems they take of their own but not others.......

I am gonna write a little message on my damaged panel letting people know that if you get hit by a Safeco "insured" person, you are likely gonna have tp pay out and shut up..........

I'm just so mad. I pray it will work out for me........we'll see

[Brad Schafer]

Rob- I got j-hooked by some kid in a Trans-Am last year ... going around 65 mph in a school parking lot (!!!) and hit my parked (and former cherry) 99 Explorer in the right rear corner. Launched it almost 40 feet.

Kid was remorseful, parents were great, local agency said "no problem" ... then came the adjuster and started making comments about what was worn, what would be covered, and what they'd pay partially for.

My response was immediate but firm: "This was in mint condition - it will be restored to mint condition, and since your client was at fault, you will pay for it. Your option is to restore to original at no cost to me. If you want to argue, you will get a call from my insurance agency and my attorney, and in the end you will have not only the cost of vehicle repair but also of legal fees - both yours and mine. It's your choice. You decide."

They paid (almost $8k).

Most of these guys start from the assumption that the claimant will just take whatever they're told and not challenge. Don't do that. Don't let some mercenary in a suit rip you off. Don't be evil (per your tag line), but be persistent, too. Get your insurance agent involved. Get this guy's agent on the phone. Call his company. If you don't like the answer, elevate. Ask to speak to their superior. Be annoying. When they realize it will cost them more to argue than to just fix it, they'll take the path of least resistance.

b

[Matt Meiser]

Get your insurance agent involved. Get this guy's agent on the phone. Call his company. If you don't like the answer, elevate. Ask to speak to their superior. Be annoying. When they realize it will cost them more to argue than to just fix it, they'll take the path of least resistance.

This does work. When I was in college I got rear-ended by a guy while I was stopped at a light. His insurance screwed around for weeks. Finally I started asking them when something would be done. I'd call back 1 minute after the time they gave me. If it wasn't done, I'd ask for the boss. Within about 2 days, I had a check via Fedex. Talking to you all day is the last thing they want to do.

[Rich Konopka]

Rob,

Most States have an insurance comissioner and their department can be contacted if needed. I would let it play out and see what transpires. It is an unfortunate event and a big PIA.


PS.. A Big hello to everyone !! Have been extremly busy the past month or so and have spent ZERO time in the shop. It is nice to dip the toes in the creek and keep in touch.

Best Regards,

[Byron Trantham]

Rob,
This happened to me several years ago. I did not contact MY insurance company because the guy that hit me assumed responsibility. Big mistake as it turned out. The guy's insurance company said they would not help and they were coming after me to fix HIS car! I called my insurance company and after they chewed me out for not calling them in the first place the two companies lawyers got involved and guess what?, his insurance company asked me how much I would accept for damages to ME! I had a bruised knee. Anyway, if you haven't already, call your insurance company to get them involved. Their lawyers have more clout.:D

[Bryan Somers]

Good luck on this Rob. My daughter is going through some of the same mess. She was parked at a friends house in their driveway when someone hit her hard enough to move her car about 5 feet sideways. Her insurance agent is being helpful. Dont give in.

[Steve Clardy]

My story.
Back in 1993 I found out that insurance co's make it a business to try to get out of about everything, even knowing they are liable.
I had a 75 year old man hit me headon, killing him. His fault.
I fought the system for 1 1/2 years to get a settlement.
I ended up with some bad knees, out of work for about six months, no decent vehicle, doctor bills.

Just stick to your guns Rob. Don't give up.

[Eddie Watkins]

Get your insurance involved. Part of your premium is for this type of thing. As new as the vehicle is, my guess is you have full coverage and your insurance will take care of getting your car fixed then get the money back from the other company. If you have liability only, your company will at least make sure they don't have to pay. Either way you will get some help dealing with the other company.

Good Luck,
Eddie

[Jim Becker]

(RE: Cell Phones with cameras) I tend to forget about those: they wouldn't let us have them at work for security reasons...doesn't matter now, but my current phone is over four years old. Do they even make cell phones without cameras anymore?

Yes, they make them. The downside is that you often lose a lot of other features, too. I do understand what you are saying about work, however. I visited an engineering facility for a "major automobile manufacturer" awhile back and had to leave my phone in the car in the parking lot...no cameras of any kind allowed in the building. All of the employees were carrying around "very basic" wireless phones! Funny thing was...part of the conversation was about desktop video conferencing. Go figure.

At any rate, when Dr. SWMBO's Prius got side-swiped by a very inconsiderate woman last year...I not only got a picture of the damage, but also of the perpetrator's license plate. She was moving slow and I already had the phone in my hand. LOL! She tried to claim to the police that it wasn't her, but I had already shown the officer the pictures... :D Her final excuse for hitting us from behind and running the red light in front of us? She was late for her hair appointment. Sheesh!!! :rolleyes:

[Lee DeRaud]

Yes, they make them. The downside is that you often lose a lot of other features, too. I do understand what you are saying about work, however. I visited an engineering facility for a "major automobile manufacturer" awhile back and had to leave my phone in the car in the parking lot...no cameras of any kind allowed in the building. All of the employees were carrying around "very basic" wireless phones! Funny thing was...part of the conversation was about desktop video conferencing. Go figure.Go figure, indeed. My previous employer signed a deal with a large cellular company to supply work-phones for the suits. There was much embarassment when the phones showed up, all with the latest-and-greatest high-resolution cameras. They amended the policy to "you can't use the camera in the plant and you can't take the phone into secure areas", which quickly degraded to a version of "don't ask, don't tell". But for a while at least, it allowed us to keep some of the more obnoxious twits out of the labs.

[Brad Schafer]

"... keep some of the more obnoxious twits out of the labs ..."

worth its weight in platinum, in my experience. :D

b

[Wes Bischel]

allowed us to keep some of the more obnoxious twits out of the labs.

We just told them they had to wear safety glasses.:rolleyes: :eek:

Wes

[Steve Nelson]

You would be very surprised how many stories change when they leave the scene and find out an at fault accident will affect their rates.

[Eddie Watkins]

You would be very surprised how many stories change when they leave the scene and find out an at fault accident will affect their rates.
Steve, I thought all accidents affected your rates. I haven't had a wreck since 1965 so I don't have any personal experience but I sure thought any kind of pay out regardless of whose fault it is would raise your rates. Is that not true?

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Probably depends on the company. I've been with State Farm since forever, and don't recall the rates going up when the guy tore up my little truck...but they certainly made up for it when LOML had an at-fault. :mad: