Long story short, need advice

[NoLimit95]

Ok, some of you know that I blew my car up in the garage by accident. I was not driving the car, it was running and I was in it and inside the garage with the garage door open.

This happened in a house that we rent. The home owner calls me and says that his insurance company isn't going to make a move until I initiate a claim on my car insurance, which was liability only.

I initiated the claim as asked. They are going to pay for the damage but nothing has been touched at this house since Jan 7th. Since then, I swapped insurance over on the car to State Farm and signed a 6 month agreement. Now I get a letter in the mail saying that they are going to cancel my insurance on May 18th because of the car accident.

I'm paid up for 6 months and also purchased renters insurance with State Farm. They aren't taking away the renters insurance, just the car insurance. I think the other insurance company has put this accident on my driving record because I canceled insurance with them for being too slow about paying out on a claim.

How could this be on my driving record when I wasn't driving? I didn't hit anyone and I didn't run into the house. The car was running but leaking gas on the intake and then exploded because 2 injectors were leaking gas and I didn't know, until it blew up with me inside the car. I'm the one that almost died and lost a car and had to buy another car. Not like I had anything to gain by blowing it up. It was liability insurance only.

After accepting me, can State Farm really cancel on me this quick when they knew ahead of time about the claim with the other insurance company? The limit with the other insurance company was $25,000 for property damage and the home owner is taking $23,000 of that amount.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I think you need to get in touch with your states insurance commissioner.
Tell them what you said here, and let them handle it.
Bob.

 

[k9t8m]

I think you need to contact a lawyer.

 

[ground_zero298]

That happened to my mom once, not the whole car on fire thing. She got t-boned in a parking lot. No accident report was filed because it was on private property and the cops said its not their problem. She had some mom and pop insurance place. They reported the accident to the state and it went on record.

If it was me I'd beat your old insurance agents azz for screwing you. They did this :q:q:q:q on purpose.

You filed a claim, changed companies, then they reported it because you left. After it showed up in the system State farm dropped you. If anything it should be listed as a claim and not a accident. I'm sure your old insurance company worded it right so the next place would drop you. Kind of like paybacks for filing a claim then dropping them for state farm.

I'm not to sure on the exact steps you need to do. If its like MI at all, Talking to State Farm will do nothing, the underwriters base your insurance on what was your record says. You need to start at the old insurance place, then contact the State. Between those 2 you will need it removed or reworded. Might need to get a lawyer involved, on maybe the better business bearu.

Not sure how the finaces are, I know i couldn't afford a lawyer, but I'd take them to court over filing a false report to the state and plead the case myself. I'd even sue for the policy increase. Then slander their name on your local craigs list and to everyone you know. Put a sign in your yard also.

 

[Marked4Life]

Typical of State Farm

Ok, some of you know that I blew my car up in the garage by accident. I was not driving the car, it was running and I was in it and inside the garage with the garage door open.

This happened in a house that we rent. The home owner calls me and says that his insurance company isn't going to make a move until I initiate a claim on my car insurance, which was liability only.

I initiated the claim as asked. They are going to pay for the damage but nothing has been touched at this house since Jan 7th. Since then, I swapped insurance over on the car to State Farm and signed a 6 month agreement. Now I get a letter in the mail saying that they are going to cancel my insurance on May 18th because of the car accident.

I'm paid up for 6 months and also purchased renters insurance with State Farm. They aren't taking away the renters insurance, just the car insurance. I think the other insurance company has put this accident on my driving record because I canceled insurance with them for being too slow about paying out on a claim.

How could this be on my driving record when I wasn't driving? I didn't hit anyone and I didn't run into the house. The car was running but leaking gas on the intake and then exploded because 2 injectors were leaking gas and I didn't know, until it blew up with me inside the car. I'm the one that almost died and lost a car and had to buy another car. Not like I had anything to gain by blowing it up. It was liability insurance only.

After accepting me, can State Farm really cancel on me this quick when they knew ahead of time about the claim with the other insurance company? The limit with the other insurance company was $25,000 for property damage and the home owner is taking $23,000 of that amount.

Terry,

This is not unusual for State Farm, back in 1989 they cancelled us because they said we were "due for an accident" never had an accident before so they considered us to be a high liability since we never had a claim with them, and we had been insured with them for 12 years. So before your policy is cancelled get on the phone and get insurance, we had no warning so for a year we were paying out the rear due to a cancellation showing up for the underwriters. We then went with Met-Life and the rates were very reasonable, now we have Geico...so far so good. But this is typical of this Insurance Company. State Farm sucks!

I think it's time to get on the phone and start making some waves-my wife is really good at doing this She doesn't let anyone or anybody get in her way if she knows they are in the wrong. They use to walk away from her when she would enter the service department where we bought our Lincoln, it was still under warranty and we had some paint and transmission problems, yep; after several visits everything was taken care of.

I would be on the phone with the other insurance company too to find out what they put on your record.

Good luck guy,
Raoul

 

[marked8]

If you can still get insurance you are going to pay a good deal for it. This will not be on your driving record, but it will be on your insurance record which is a different thing. Top tier insurers like State Farm and Allstate will not touch you for at least the next 3 years. You might want to try and get a rate from Esurance. I have used them for the past 3 years and been very satisfied.

 

[NoLimit95]

If you can still get insurance you are going to pay a good deal for it. This will not be on your driving record, but it will be on your insurance record which is a different thing. Top tier insurers like State Farm and Allstate will not touch you for at least the next 3 years. You might want to try and get a rate from Esurance. I have used them for the past 3 years and been very satisfied.

1. State Farm agent knew about the accident in the garage (in detail) 2 months before I went and paid them and signed a 6 month agreement.

2. I was accepted and given a card.

3. I saw my driving record on his screen and I had 0 accidents, 0 tickets and I had never filed a claim in my life on any insurance company.

4. If I find out that Omni insurance has put this accident on my driving record, I will be taking them to court and it will be in front of a jury of 12 and with all the emails that I have from the Omni adjuster, I will win this case. How many out of the 12 do you think likes insurance companies?

5. If it's on my record, especially my driving record, I think I can sue them for defamation of character and or slander and win and also have it removed from my driving record and keep State Farm (for now).

6. Monday morning, I will be contacting a lawyer that only deals with mainly insurance. Omni insurance in my eyes is committing fraud and ruining my name with all insurance agencies. I promise I won't go down like this.

7. My State Farm agent is trying to do what he can to keep it going and he is even contacting Omni insurance to find out what the hell is going on, so it's not him. It's someone over his head or the underwriters themselves. All I can say is that State Farm better find an underwriter to take me on and not ask for more money than what I have already signed the agreement for, which was 6 months.

8. State Farm is having no problem with keeping my renters insurance which I also bought on the same day as the car insurance. Nothing was mentioned at all about "that" insurance, only the car insurance.

 

[marked8]

1. State Farm agent knew about the accident in the garage (in detail) 2 months before I went and paid them and signed a 6 month agreement.

2. I was accepted and given a card.

3. I saw my driving record on his screen and I had 0 accidents, 0 tickets and I had never filed a claim in my life on any insurance company.

Like credit card companies who approve people and take away their limits a month later, insurance companies can and will do the same. Just because the agent knew about it does not mean that the company will not do what they just did as soon as your insurance claim history hit.

4. If I find out that Omni insurance has put this accident on my driving record, I will be taking them to court and it will be in front of a jury of 12 and with all the emails that I have from the Omni adjuster, I will win this case. How many out of the 12 do you think likes insurance companies?

Only the police can put anything on your driving record, and only after a conviction. As I said, you have an insurance record which assigns risk to you, and it can be dinged even if you don't get a ticket. Example: 4 years ago I was driving my Z28 and hit a spot of oil causing my car to fishtail and put 2 small scratches on a woman's rear bumper. I received no ticket but my premiums went up 30% for 3 years because my insurance paid her claim.

5. If it's on my record, especially my driving record, I think I can sue them for defamation of character and or slander and win and also have it removed from my driving record and keep State Farm (for now).

As I said, it is not on your driver record. Go online and pull your DR up, it will not be on it. As far as suing, insurance companies have lawyers up the wazoo, and what part of your character have they defamed? You admitted fault in the accident, they are responding accordingly.

6. Monday morning, I will be contacting a lawyer that only deals with mainly insurance. Omni insurance in my eyes is committing fraud and ruining my name with all insurance agencies. I promise I won't go down like this.

What fraud did they do? You admitted on a police report that you were the cause of a fire that did $23,000 in damage. They dropped you because of it, and any top tier insurance company will not touch you because of it. If they do, it will be for a hefty premium. This is the reason I told you months ago not to openly take responsibility for anything. I don't know how their risk assessment model is scaled, but apparently you climbed pretty high up their ladder.

7. My State Farm agent is trying to do what he can to keep it going and he is even contacting Omni insurance to find out what the hell is going on, so it's not him. It's someone over his head or the underwriters themselves. All I can say is that State Farm better find an underwriter to take me on and not ask for more money than what I have already signed the agreement for, which was 6 months.

State Farm can drop you at any time for any reason. All you will get back is your unpaid premiums. They are under no obligation to provide insurance to you, and it looks like your risk threshold is higher than their models will allow.

8. State Farm is having no problem with keeping my renters insurance which I also bought on the same day as the car insurance. Nothing was mentioned at all about "that" insurance, only the car insurance.

The reason is because it is a seperate line of insurance which you have no history of claims on. Insurance will take your money forever, but if you ever cost them money they will rake you over the coals.

 

[NoLimit95]

Like credit card companies who approve people and take away their limits a month later, insurance companies can and will do the same. Just because the agent knew about it does not mean that the company will not do what they just did as soon as your insurance claim history hit.

This was Jan 7th when it happened. Nothing has been fixed and noone has been paid.

Only the police can put anything on your driving record, and only after a conviction. As I said, you have an insurance record which assigns risk to you, and it can be dinged even if you don't get a ticket. Example: 4 years ago I was driving my Z28 and hit a spot of oil causing my car to fishtail and put 2 small scratches on a woman's rear bumper. I received no ticket but my premiums went up 30% for 3 years because my insurance paid her claim.

I wasn't driving. This was a engine explosion. My car was not on the street and not in motion. What could I be convicted of except being honest? No police were even involved in this.

As I said, it is not on your driver record. Go online and pull your DR up, it will not be on it. As far as suing, insurance companies have lawyers up the wazoo, and what part of your character have they defamed? You admitted fault in the accident, they are responding accordingly.

It states on the letter that it is because of my driving record. I'll look it up and see though. Never done that before. If it is, it should have been applied to my record by the end of Jan, not after I canceled insurance and switched to a different company.

What fraud did they do? You admitted on a police report that you were the cause of a fire that did $23,000 in damage. They dropped you because of it, and any top tier insurance company will not touch you because of it. If they do, it will be for a hefty premium. This is the reason I told you months ago not to openly take responsibility for anything. I don't know how their risk assessment model is scaled, but apparently you climbed pretty high up their ladder.

There is no police report. I never even talked with a police officer. As for the damage, I offered to have a licensed contractor come out and do an estimate but Omni would not accept it. There might be 5K to 7K worth of damage. The insurance adjuster himself never came and looked at anything. He made me take pictures and send them to him. I was the one in the explosion, why should I be playing the adjusters role and doing his job for him?

State Farm can drop you at any time for any reason. All you will get back is your unpaid premiums. They are under no obligation to provide insurance to you, and it looks like your risk threshold is higher than their models will allow.

Along with that letter, there should have been a check for the remainder of what I paid if I was being dropped.

The reason is because it is a seperate line of insurance which you have no history of claims on. Insurance will take your money forever, but if you ever cost them money they will rake you over the coals.

It's very well possible that I might be seeing some coals if this particular insurance remains in effect. Something might happen to make the rest of the house look like the garage looks. I can assure you, it won't be my fault!

 

[NoLimit95]

Hmmm, just got this email from the front office State Farm rep. She read an email that I had sent to the rep that sold me my insurance. Below is her exact words, copied and pasted.

[FONT=&quot]Hi Terry![/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I just read your email and wish it was not too late to call you. I want you to know that I will call my underwriter Monday and explain this to her in full details. Which fire department responded? Please do not worry as I will handle this. I am so sorry.[/FONT]

 

[ground_zero298]

I got money Omni reported it. It wasn't reported when the State Farm underwriters looked at your info. Then Omni reported it and it popped up. The UR just go by what info they get, not the true stories. Hope you can get this all worked out. Hell for all you know Omni might have reported it as fraud just out of spite.

 

[NoLimit95]

I got money Omni reported it. It wasn't reported when the State Farm underwriters looked at your info. Then Omni reported it and it popped up. The UR just go by what info they get, not the true stories. Hope you can get this all worked out. Hell for all you know Omni might have reported it as fraud just out of spite.

I hope they did report it as fraud lol, I mean, what did I get out of this? I lost a car that I put about 3K into to get it just like I wanted it. The proof is here and with pictures. Then I payed for a plane ticket to go to Florida and buy another car from Jamie for another 2 grand and I lost a few thousand dollars worth of stuff in the garage. Complete fraud out of my pocket with liability insurance, I hope they did do that.

The top part of what you said does appear to be what happened. Omni just didn't make anything show until they knew I had went to State Farm and then the underwriters for State Farm are trying to cancel me without knowing the facts.

I'm not going to lose this policy. She'll make sure that the facts are known and that I would never have filed a claim but the home owner is the one that said I had to because his insurance company said I had to or they weren't doing anything. What I'm trying to figure out is what are they doing besides getting out of paying something that they should have paid to begin with. Something just isn't right with this whole picture. I think it's all the home owner not wanting to file a claim on his home owners insurance. He just filed a claim last year for a new roof. I remember him telling me that when I told him about the fire.

 

[SoonerLS]

First off, I hope this turns out well for you, and I'm sorry you lost your car.

I would never have filed a claim but the home owner is the one that said I had to because his insurance company said I had to or they weren't doing anything. What I'm trying to figure out is what are they doing besides getting out of paying something that they should have paid to begin with. Something just isn't right with this whole picture. I think it's all the home owner not wanting to file a claim on his home owners insurance. He just filed a claim last year for a new roof. I remember him telling me that when I told him about the fire.

As a homeowner, I don't blame him at all. Why should his rates go up (or, God forbid, his policy be canceled) over something that's your responsibility?

It's really pretty simple--the homeowner's insurance company is fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders in trying to make you pay for the damages. It was not your intention to start the fire and you lost a lot in it, too, but it was your car that caught fire and damaged the garage, so it is your responsibility to do what you can make this right--in other words, you are liable for the damages. That's what liability insurance covers--your liability for damages done involving your car. Whether the car was moving or not is immaterial unless your insurance policy has a clause about that (which would be worse for you, because you'd now be on the hook for the full amount of the claim).

The homeowner's insurance is just there to pick up the slack on what you don't cover. It is even conceivable that the homeowner's insurance company could sue you for the cost of the damages that are not covered by your insurance.

Look at it this way. Let's say your Mark had full coverage on it, and you were driving through an intersection when a guy T-boned you because his brakes failed. This guy is driving an older car, so he's only carrying liability on it. Whose insurance should pay for the damages? Should it be yours, because you have the better insurance, or should it be the guy who was responsible for the collision?

 

[NoLimit95]

First off, I hope this turns out well for you, and I'm sorry you lost your car.

Thanks!

As a homeowner, I don't blame him at all. Why should his rates go up (or, God forbid, his policy be canceled) over something that's your responsibility?

I understand that but what if I left grease on the stove and it caught fire, I don't have walking liability insurance. This whole claim is all good with me. I could care less about it. The problem I'm having right now is that I don't know what Omni is doing to my record and my name because of this. I will be finding out tomorrow what's going on. If you seen the damage in person, you would ask yourself, "WHERE IS $23,000 GOING INTO THIS DAMAGE"

Look at it this way. Let's say your Mark had full coverage on it, and you were driving through an intersection when a guy T-boned you because his brakes failed. This guy is driving an older car, so he's only carrying liability on it. Whose insurance should pay for the damages? Should it be yours, because you have the better insurance, or should it be the guy who was responsible for the collision?

Now you have this out on the road and driving but to answer your question, his insurance should have to pay because we were on the street and driving and he hit me. If his car burned my garage, I would let my insurance company handle everything with his insurance company. I also wouldn't be trying to get the whole $25,000. I would only fix what was damaged, not trying to have new gutters installed and new carpet through the entire house, ect... He's taking this too far and promises were made by him when we moved in here over 3 years ago. Not one has been fulfilled. They will now that he's getting all this money.

 

[Sapperfire]

Didn't you do the mechanical work to your car yourself, which created leaky injectors, which then blew up because you didn't have them connected properly?
Are you a certified automotive technician? If so, under which ASE fields are you certified, ad when was your last certification in such fields?

 

[keatonsdad]

I've been there it happened to my wife and i when someone broke in to our rental house to steal our drag bikes our renters insurance only covered the contains of the house not the structure. we were charged for the damages done by the thief, by the landlords insurance company. after some time and lawyers involvement it all got straightened out. we still had to wait for almost 9 months to get paid out for our bikes. check with the insurance commissioner in your state they love stuff like this. Good luck hope it all works out for you

 

[n8bachelor]

You should have left the insurance companies out of it.... totally. If you had paid to have the damages repaired yourself then you would not be in this pickle. Yeah, it may have cost you $5k but you'll likely pay that in higher rates over the next 3 years. Any time you file a claim against your insurance you are asking for higher rates or to be dropped completely. It isn't right, but at anytime they can drop you and for any reason. Look at it from their perspective, they paid out big ($25k) on a low-dollar liability policy, then you left. If you had stayed, they may not have dropped you but would likely raise your rates.

If you had renter's insurance when the fire happened those policies usually include liability insurance (covers your ass). You could have filed a claim on that policy, write the car off as a loss, and get a new car. Since you did not have full coverage on your vehicle you may have been better off just leaving it out of the claim.

Good luck with your fight, it sounds like your new agent will stick up for you and make this work.

 

[NoLimit95]

Didn't you do the mechanical work to your car yourself, which created leaky injectors, which then blew up because you didn't have them connected properly?
Are you a certified automotive technician? If so, under which ASE fields are you certified, ad when was your last certification in such fields?

Yes Sapp, I took the fuel rail off and swapped out 4 injectors and I think two of them had double O-rings left in. I'm not ASE certified in mechanics but nothing in m policy says I have to be nor does it say I can't work on my own car.
My last certifications were with Michelin Retread Technologies (MRT) in 13 different jobs at any retread facility in the United States, Mexico or Canada. I was supervisor at the "first ever" Michelin hybrid plant which was in Hartselle, AL. for 7 years total but for the last 5 when McGriff Ind. and Michelin had their franchise. Yes, what I done was stupid but really, I just done it in a hurry and didn't think about what could have happened. It's not like I'm a retard or anything, I just fk'd up.

I've been there it happened to my wife and i when someone broke in to our rental house to steal our drag bikes our renters insurance only covered the contains of the house not the structure. we were charged for the damages done by the thief, by the landlords insurance company. after some time and lawyers involvement it all got straightened out. we still had to wait for almost 9 months to get paid out for our bikes. check with the insurance commissioner in your state they love stuff like this. Good luck hope it all works out for you

I don't understand why you had to pay for structure damage done by another individual. I would have went to court before I paid for something like that. Glad to see you got your bike money back though.

No need for me to mess with the commissioner. State Farm is keeping me on and removing what Omni put on my record. I was promised today to get that print out and Omni did do it for spite. I'll be done with all of this by weeks end or sooner.

You should have left the insurance companies out of it.... totally. If you had paid to have the damages repaired yourself then you would not be in this pickle. Yeah, it may have cost you $5k but you'll likely pay that in higher rates over the next 3 years. Any time you file a claim against your insurance you are asking for higher rates or to be dropped completely. It isn't right, but at anytime they can drop you and for any reason. Look at it from their perspective, they paid out big ($25k) on a low-dollar liability policy, then you left. If you had stayed, they may not have dropped you but would likely raise your rates.

I wasn't dropped by Omni and being dropped by State Farm was a mistake that they are correcting as we speak. My insurance rates are $5.00 cheaper on the car every 6 months also. Plus I have a local agent that will come out and look at damage himself instead of making me do the adjusters work. I shouldn't have to take pictures and email them to any adjuster. he should get off his lazy ass and come look for himself.

If you had renter's insurance when the fire happened those policies usually include liability insurance (covers your ass). You could have filed a claim on that policy, write the car off as a loss, and get a new car. Since you did not have full coverage on your vehicle you may have been better off just leaving it out of the claim.

I now have renters insurance with State Farm also just because I learned a big lesson from all of this. I wouldn't have claimed the car even if I would have had it then. Only the damage to the home and our personal property would have been taken care of. BTW, I'm not allowed to have full coverage on my car. It's too old and paid for. If I could, I would but here in Alabama, I can't get it on my car. If I had to make payments on it, yes but it was paid for when I bought it, just like the 95 is. I don't do car payments.

Good luck with your fight, it sounds like your new agent will stick up for you and make this work.

By Wednesday, everything will be taken care of and whatever Omni added to my driving record will be wiped away by State Farm and their underwriters. I was assured this today and I am not being dropped by State Farm at all. The new agent is doing a very good job of getting this all fixed.

 

[n8bachelor]

Glad to hear your fight is going well.
I for one detest insurance as a concept. I have never been without it but just don't like the idea of betting against myself. To date I estimate I have paid $10-12k in insurance premiums in the 12+ years I have been driving. Only made 3 claims totaling under $2k in payouts. I'm sure my situation is not unique or the most extreme example out there but you get the picture.

 

[marked8]

Updates?

 

[NoLimit95]

State Farm agent says that everything is ok. She said all she's waiting on is for Omni to pay out and close the case and then she can personally remove what Omni put on my record.

 

[marked8]

State Farm agent says that everything is ok. She said all she's waiting on is for Omni to pay out and close the case and then she can personally remove what Omni put on my record.

Sounds good.

 

[SoonerLS]

State Farm agent says that everything is ok. She said all she's waiting on is for Omni to pay out and close the case and then she can personally remove what Omni put on my record.

That's definitely good news. I and my immediate family have had State Farm for, well, as long as I can remember, and our agents have always done a really good job of taking care of us.