Car accidents occur too frequently to think about being without insurance, and you should get more coverage than is mandated by law. Thinking ahead--to such things as how you'll have transportation if your car is suddenly totaled--can be your saving grace. Unfortunately, sometimes car insurance companies delay and neglect claims for car rental reimbursement. You don't have to take that lying down. Fight for the rights, the ones for which you have long made monthly payments.
Instructions
1. Get informed. Read your insurance policy over again. You probably have a copy, perhaps in your dashboard or personal papers. Many modern companies store the policy on the Internet, where you can log into your account and review it at any time. Do this immediately following an accident. There may be rules and restriction on car rentals that you should know before you rent the car that can save you the hassle of fighting a company for reimbursement, and it will prevent the company from having ammunition to use against you--if, perhaps, you rent the wrong type of rental for the coverage.
2. Start with your own insurance company if you have rental car reimbursement. While it may be tempting to stick it to the offending party for all he's worth, you'll end up with more struggle than if you have a clearly defined coverage with your company. The company itself may choose to pursue the claim against the other company, but it should promptly reimburse you--as long as you have opted to have that extension of coverage on your policy. Read and double check upon obtaining a policy that it has this benefit. In the long run, it just may very well be worth it. Some companies may deal directly with the rental car companies themselves, saving you the payment hassle.
3. Document everything. Keep a record of rental car estimates from at least three rental car companies. Go with the more modest estimate. Although you deserve a great rental car, the company will have a hard time disputing charges if you did your homework and went with the company that would save it the most money. Document the estimates, keeping track of the date, time and representative with whom you spoke. If you are visiting the rental companies in person (which can be conveniently done at airport locations, where several companies are usually placed in a row), obtaining an estimate in writing from the company itself is ideal.
4. Keep all receipts along the way, including exactly the number of miles at the start and finish of your rental, the time and date rented, the time and date returned, who checked out the car and the condition it was received and returned in. Keep everything, This will ensure that your every unwarranted expense is covered under the insurance. It also prevents them from making false claims later on.
5. Make your initial claim with the insurance agent of the party responsible for the car accident. Claim the exact estimated expense of renting the car--along with an explanation of the detailed paperwork kept in Steps 2 and 3, as well as the projected time estimate for rental (if you're currently renting the vehicle). Try to be as specific as possible. You'll want to be as thorough as well. It's best to provide too much information, rather than too little. You can usually make this claim over the phone.
6. Ask for an exact time frame for reimbursement. Make sure the representative knows that time is of the essence. It also doesn't hurt to politely state that you are documenting the time frame. Remember, the representative is not the company itself. He merely represents the company, probably works very hard dealing with angry people who've just had an accident and often want more coverage than they initially bought and is just doing his job. Taking out your anger on him will get you nowhere. Be polite to all representatives.
7. Call the company immediately if there is a delay in payment. Even a day or two in delay is unfair. You are not allowed to pay your insurance late without being put on notice, and they should treat you with the same respect.
8. Be prepared for the claim to be denied. Even if you do everything right and have solid paperwork proof, some companies will still deny coverage to you. Get out your pen and paper. Once again, call the insurance company. Let them know that you think that this was probably their error. Request that it be corrected immediately, costing you no further delays or distress. Have your paperwork in front of you so that you can quickly refute any misinformation.
9. Write a letter to the insurance company. This will be a long one. Include all the documentation from the time you got insurance to the day of the accident. It should get very detailed from there, reviewing the estimates received, car rented, expense records and conversations you had with all representatives of the company. The letter should ask for a formal review of your claim, stating that you look forward to resolving this mistake. Time is of the essence here since many companies have time restrictions.
10. Request to see the notes about the review if the claim is still not resolved. Make sure that the insurance company knows that you are going to take further action if your coverage is not honored.
11. Call the National Insurance Consumer Hotline at 1-800-942-4242. Have all your information on hand. You'll want to keep in mind that this number is actually sponsored by the insurance industry, but it has an interest in seeing that consumers are happy and feel protected.
12. Contact your state's department of insurance. Contact your local DMV immediately. You can go there in person, log onto its website or call it on the phone. Contact your insurance commissioner as well.
13. Obtain arbitration. You can find an independent arbitrator to help with the matter from the American Arbitration Association (see Resources section). The insurance company just may go ahead and pay you before getting to this point, once it realizes that you are not going to take this lying down.
14. Hire a lawyer and pursue a case against the insurance company. Although it should have been resolved at this point, you should never give up holding the company available for what it should do.
Tags: insurance company, your insurance, company itself, Contact your, rental companies