Hey, welcome to the fire airballrad! Note: I'm never going to ride with you in a car.

-Blast

Welcome Newguy!!!

Thanks, Blast!

My wife is only just now letting me drive her minivan again...

With the exception of her van and my new car (4 months old), I have been hit in every car (and house) I've owned. It may just be the natural result of my long commute, but I still reserve the right to be paranoid...

"My uncle, who is a retired police sargeant, has told me to never contact my insurance company about an accident when the other guy is at fault, unless the other guy's insurance plays hardball. He said that your insurance company can hold your claims against you even if they never pay out a dime. I don't know if he is correct or not, but it is now something I avoid unless the at-fault driver tries to weasel his way out... "

Your uncle is wrong. Maybe it used to be like that, but not now. Now the insurance companies have C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange). All the insurance companies report to CLUE, and all of them buy information from them.

All incidents are reported and show up on the record. If you're a victim of adverse underwriting (aka high premiums) because of a not-at-fault incident, it's up to you to explain it and get your insurance company to confirm it. You had an accident and didn't report it? They're probably going to view you as a bad-risk, scum-sucking, lying loss-waiting-to-happen. And that means high premiums.

I believe this CLUE is also tied up with your credit report. Your premiums will be higher if you have a low credit rating, and vice versa. I think it stinks, and I think it should be illegal, but no one has ever asked for my opinion.

Actually, hardly anyone ever ASKS for my opinion. They get it, but they don't ask for it...

Sue






First, everything is reported as an incident, then maybe an accident, then maybe a claim. Even if unattended by the police, I think by law you're suppose to report all vehicle property damage losses in excess of $500 to law enforcement.

Blast, what's wrong with riding the white knuckle express?

Thanks, Sue. I did not know that.

In fact, I have had only one of my accidents happen since his "advice", and in that case the at-fault driver lied to his insurance company about the cause of the collision so I had to involve my insurance anyway. I was surprised that they fought it; it is darn near impossible (in my state at least) to prove blame on the recipient of a rear-end collision. He even wanted me to pay for the pain I inflicted on him when he rear-ended me.

I felt bad for the kid at the time of the accident, he was pretty dazed, and it was his mother's car. I was also amazed at the people who immediately helped him out of his car; I wouldn't touch him as the car was not burning and he was able to communicate that he was OK.

Also (belatedly), I am glad to hear that you are OK, aloha. While my misfortunes have been many in this respect, mine have all been low-speed, no-injury collisions.

Aww, come on now...

I have not done any of the hitting in my adventures, and I will have you know that I have never had a speeding ticket that did not get thrown out of court *knocks on wood*. I just drive invisible cars, it seems...

I get enough of that when I let DW drive!

-Blast, living dangerously

Okay...maybe if I'm really drunk.
Note #2: Airballrad, promise us you'll never get a motorcycle!

-Blast

Those do exist. Around here it seems to be the grey Ford Tarus, you see quite a few of them. And in the morning or evening the grey car against a grey sky driving on the grey road does tend to disappear. I remember one day signaling for a lane change and hearing a horn that came from a grey car that I couldn't see because they didn't have their lights on so it was impossible to see it in the rain.