car insurance question
 

I was a bad girl. I totalled my car. It has collision insurance.

If I don't make a claim, will my insurance rates not rise as much?

I think it depends on the circumstances of how it was totalled.

It also depends on what state you live in... Hmmm. California'll probably be pretty bad.

- Pie

If you don't make a claim, your rates will not rise at all unless, of course, the Insurance company goes snooping around. What the insurance company doesn't know won't hurt you :)

I hate to ask but if you were not inclined to claim a total loss then why were you paying for collision coverage?

Thirdly, I hope you are ok - were you in the car when you totaled it???

edited to add the "unless...snooping around." I forgot that insurance companies have more ways than one to find out about accidents.

<- Totaled a car. ( 92 Nissan Maxima. Went over stump, tore the front open, radioator, oilpan, cracked the front axle and shattered the engine supports. ~10k to fix a 4k car. Figured 4k wasn't worth a life time of ludicrous insurance costs.)

No claim.

No rate increase.

Got a $100 ticket from the cops for "Failing to maintain a safe speed."

OK, here's the story. I was supposed to meet up with some friends. No one showed up but me. I drank anyway. Mistake. I blacked out driving home and crashed into a light pole, and took it out. I don't remember a thing, not even paying the tab. Apparantly the police found me sitting next to my car waiting for them. All I have is a black eye.

Why did I take collision insurance? My agent at that time told me that it was a package deal: 2 cars 2 drivers and collision was cheaper, like staying over saturday night. I think he was bullshitting me. He was eventually fired by the insurance company.

I'll be talking with my (current) insurance agent today. My theory is that they raise your rates when you have an accident, and raise them again if you make a claim.

Well, there it is. I know... I'm a complete asshole.

Being charged with a DUI is what's going to raise your insurance rates, whether or not you enter a claim for the vehicle.

I'm wondering at this point if you shouldn't go ahead and file a claim.

My concern is that if the insurance company finds out about your DUI (and they will), they might ALSO find out about the accident (since they were connected).

If that happens, your rates will go up AS IF you filed the claim even if you don't.

BUT, get some advice from someone who knows - I'm just guessing.

and thanks for not killing any of my family or friends while you were driving drunk. way to go.

you know, i absolutely have no tolerance for the kind of ignorant, irresponsible asshole that gets into a car chemically altered and drives. in this day and age, where being drunk and needing a rude is practically a lauded condition, what the hell would you put everyone in danger for?????????


and then pass it off as a cutesie question about car insurance. way to go...do yourself a favor. dig a big hole in the yard, throw your drivers license into it, climb in afterwards, and cover yourself up. do it to yourself before you do it to me or one of mine.

first off, glad you were not hurt beyond your black eye. did you get charged with DUI, PI or nothing at all? i've been charged with DWI but fought it b/c i wasn't drunk and ultimately was not convicted (i'd had 3 beers over a period of 3 or so hours, heineken, very pungent smell). did you take the field tests? i did and did fine on those but b/c i refused the breathalyzer i was thrown in a podunk town jail over night.

Did they charge you with DUI?

If so. Claim. You got nothing to lose, your insurance will sky rocket anyway.

Go find a lawyer, for $3k you can get off if you were not 'way' over the limit.
You can claim that you fell asleep from exaustion and crashed, not because you were shitfaced. The result will not be nearly as severe, you'll still get smacked about but you'll have your license.
Thats how a friend of mine got off after he totaled his 7 month Jetta by skidding out of a turn and wraping it around a tree.

If not. Wait. If they don't charge you then don't make a claim. Cops tend to go easy on girls...

Oh and mandatory link:

NMA

These guys will help you get your shit sorted out. Join. Seriously.

You need to remove the word ignorant. In October I put myself thru an alcohol rehab center and have been working with a therapist and psychiatrist. The described incident was a relapse after 80 days.

Now, I've increased my AA meetings to every day. I got complacent about the good progress of my recovery. I hope that I will be able to recognize relapse situations better and avoid them. In this case, I waited at the coffee shop and when no one showed up, I walked over to the bar Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. Next time, I will HALT and call a friend, even if it is late.

I'm sorry.

I have to go along with darclauz here. Your car and your insurance are incidental. What if you had hit another car or pedestrians instead of a light pole? As it was, you were lucky.

In that case, I apologize for being rude. Relapse I understand. Endangering lives, I don't.

Good luck.

Thank you. I'm trying my best.

ok, here's what iv'e accumulated on you, Gwennie:

1. you're a gwen stefani lookalike/ obsessed fan
2. you have an 18 yr old child
3. you're a recovering alcoholic
4. you're some kind of computer engineer by day

Attention Undertoad: this is the perfect woman for you.

here's why:
1. Gwen stfani is cute, and if Gwennie really looks like her, then hey!
2. old enough, plus the kid is old enough to not be an issue
3. recovering alcoholic= needy type, low self esteem (exploitable)
4. computer engineering = ++$$++


Gwennie, Toad is perfect for you, too. I don't think I have to list why.

get out your Big Book and start reading. a friend of mine is in AA and i've thumbed through his book and read some of the stories. my fav is "Grounded". anyway, get in with your sponsor and you'll work things out. 80 days is something to be proud of! my bud as of late will call or come by the house if he's feeling that "tug". best of luck to you, keep your chin up and remember that there are people out there/here who are willing to give you whatever support you need. - fred

Too much baggage LJ, but I'd support her like a friend if she asked. If she were to call me all H.A.L.T. I would talk her through a nice meal.

(BTW kids R OK, I don't rule it out)

You've been a bad girl. Go to my room.:)

What?!

I'm not gonna create any but I wouldn't rule out existing ones.

Gwennie you need to stand up to your responsability . You were drunk , trashed your car ( thank GOD you didn't hurt any body else !!!!) and probley got a DUI . report it as you should !!! Don't hide ANY thing !!!!! It will do you good to take your punishment . You deserve it and you know it , DON'T try and wesele out of one damn bit of it !!!!!

That being said , i drink ( probley to much ) and i have had a DUI .
I got mine a few days after i was discharged from the Marines . I still thought i was 10' tall and bullet proof . Imagen comeing to in the drunk tank and you have to call your mom to come bail you out , that is a slap of reality up-side the head .
It was $1.00 margerta Monday at a local bar , a friend and I drank $50. worth of margertas and $45 woth of shots of Teq. I drove him home , getting a 6 pack of beer on the way , and then desided to go visti my sister . On the way i passed a cop at 80mph in a 35mph zone . When he finaly cought up to me he asked me if I had been drinking as he opened my door , i rolled out at his feet and said "YUP" , when i blew in the breathalizer it said "One at a time please " . I got out of jail on tuesday morning . On wensday morning My lawyer wanted to continue the case untill later , i told him that i was guilty and wanted to get this all over with . The judge was supprised , but went ahead and sentinced me . He said that he admired the fact that i was admiting that i had done wrong and would accept his punishment .
He droped the fact i was driveing with expired tags , expired licence , no insurance , wreckless driveing , and he fined the shit out of me and i had to do 48 hrs jail time witch i elected to do at the local penal farm on saterdays , suspended licence , DUI school , SR21 , etc ......

It thurely sucked chopping weeds and picking up trash along the inter state , not to mention trying to figuer out how to get down town at nite to take those stupid ass classes , and the SR21 was FUCKING EXPENCIVE !!!!

But i learned my leason , if i drink i don't drive any thing more than a hamoc or a canoe .

I beleve one of your steps says something about responsability .

Grammar Police nab zippyt
 

Okay pal...pull over.

Hands off that keyboard. Now turn around (sound of handcuffs)


Your Honor, I caught this person TUI (Typing Under the Influence) and he committed three offenses in his first "sentence" alone!.

What do you have to say for yourself, bub?

Yer honor I is guilty for all chargez.

I hereby sentence you to retake high school English plus night courses in grammar, fine you the cost of the time it took to read through your post and make sense of it plus Cellar Community Service, to be served at UnderToad's discretion.

<Gavel>

:p

[evil Dave]It's clear that you're about as intelligent as the rock I dug out of my boot tread today. No, really.[/evil Dave]

I beleve there is an insult thread for that kind of stuff young man !!

Young man? I thought you were responding to Sycamore.:cool:

Now who's being the Nazi around here, Zippyt?

Bruce, you will forever be the Dirty Ol' Man in my eyes.

zippyt, despite your inabilty to type, the grammar nazi pic had me on the floor laughing.

For those of you who don't read German ... the words on the blackboard that the Fuehrer-Lehrer is pointing at are:

Esel = ass (the animal)
hut = hat (the haberdashery)

Thank you Wolf . I found that pic a while back and have been waiting for an oppertuinity to use it .

Gwennie ...

You ARE irresponsible. There's no other word for it.

Ten days short of your 90 day chip you relapsed. Worse yet, you got behind the wheel of a vehicle and didn't just drive drunk. You, by your own admission blacked out. I have a sneaking suspicion that this was not your first experience with this particular effect of overuse of alcohol.

Welcome back to day one.

Do not use the fact of your acceptance of your alcoholism as an excuse. That is lower, IMHO, than just being a drunk.

The whole point of the AA system is that you are to accept responsibilty for yourself and for your actions. You failed to "recognize" your relapse when you ordered your first drink? That you continued to drink to the point of insensibility is worse than sad.

You got a black eye, and are out a car.

As has been pointed out this is a far better outcome than could have occurred. From your report you aren't dead and neither is anybody else.

You are in the very early stages of recovery. You have a lot of work to do. You are thinking and talking like a dry drunk at this point, and you're not all that dry.

As was suggested, get out the big book. Start the 12 steps over again. Establish a relationship with a sponsor. She will help you with this stuff. Find morning and evening meetings to attend.

Do the work.

Stop making excuses.

Wow. I sound like a pathetic loser.

Actually, I've been married for 22 years. Now you're wondering why was I going out alone? I thought I was meeting people. My husband goes out with his guy friends. But, these people were not my close friends, who wouldn't have skipped out without calling. I think my husband is going to keep me on a short leash from now on.

Yes, I have an 18 yo son, and a 14 yo daughter. My husband is a musician, a classical pianist. I got my PhD in CS in 1984.

What kind of pathetic 48 yo woman is a Gwannabe? My old forum site was half fictional; there was even a guy who always posted in the third person. Perhaps my schtick doesn't work so well at this site which is more reality based.

I've worked at 6 different startup companies. So, I really admire Gwen Stefani and No Doubt for not giving up when they first flopped. They worked hard for 10 years before they saw any success at all.

One of these startups was highly successful. I was the CTO of a company that started from nothing, we built our product, and just one year later the company was acquired for $90MM. The product that I designed and built (with staff) became the third product line for a major Internet company. I'm no Donna Dubinsky, but I did a good job there.

It's hard to describe the kinds of pressure that great success brings. Before this I drank like an average person. So, for me, alcoholism didn't begin until after I was 40.

Yes, I need a sponsor. But, I can't use a 30 yo kid that starting drinking when she was 11 yo. Fortunately, I recently met a professional woman in her fifties that I can relate to. Most of the women at AA meetings talk about what kind of bottoms they reached. I am such a girl scout in comparison.

I blew my early retirement on starting my own company. Had success as an employee, then wanted to take my career to the next level. Nov 1999 was not a good time to start an Internet company. Recently I signed a major company to a minor deal, and got an inadequate offer from another to acquire my company.

This offer looks good to my husband who likes the idea of me getting a salary again after none for four years. Since he's a musician, he has limited earning potential. He says that I'm not earning my potential now.

And, Wolf, never mistake yourself for a therapist. They may sound like excuses, but my therapist had me recognize why I failed after 80 days in order to help avoid it again. What I am now doing is 90 meetings in 90 days, getting a sponsor, and getting serious about the work I have to do.

It's too easy for me to bury myself in tech work; I'm good at that. I need to get good at recovery.

- Dr. Gwennie!, Internet millionaire drunk.

Nov 1999 was not a good time to start an Internet company.

Me too!

He says that I'm not earning my potential now.

Me too! She told me so over and over and over. Thank god she's gone and, rid of that anchor, I can now start to realize my potential.

Thanks for taking the big leap to Cellar reality. The real picture of a real human being is so much better.

That's cool, dude. I may have a new small client for you if this person decides to start their company.

Actually, I get a lot of support at home for my business. But, this is the year we run out of cash if the income doesn't rise. (Although we paid off our mortgage already.)

I'm sorry i used a half-fictional style that wasn't right here. As I mentioned, that's the way it was in my old forum site, but that place turned into daily fighting, so I left.

The road to cellar reality was kinda rocky; I probably should have waited until they put me on zoloft or whatever it'll be. :)

Sometimes they're Photoshopped.

hey...... be careful what you say about wolf. she's got her head on straighter than most, and to me, that's more therapist-able than oh yeah, BTW, i can make money, but i also put everyone in danger.

here's a clue: maybe you can make money, but if you plow yer unmanned car over a toddler, yer still not quite as good as dirt.

stop giving us your resume......... we don't care. we're behind you if you're taking responsibility, but not if you're trying to prove your worth by having a lot of cash in yer pocket when ya kill a kid.

and not if ya jump wolf.

RATS!:D

now, bruce, i am COMPLETELY scandalized.
:blush: