What would I do if I get into an accident here in Washington and the auto insurance company of the at-fault driver refuses to pay the bills for the repairs and medical expenses?

Adonis

Spokane, WA

If you get into an auto accident in Washington wherein the other driver is at-fault, his/her auto insurance company might refuse to pay for the repairs of your car and medical expenses of anyone injured. They would probably just say that they did not authorize it so they will not pay it. One good technique that you can use if the auto insurance company of the other driver who was at-fault during the accident refuses to pay for repairs and treatments is to tell them that asking for their consent for the repairs of your car and treatment would delay the process. You can also explain that other charges such as vehicle-storage would increase the amount of your claim and it would mean more legwork for the adjuster.

Additionally, the auto insurance provider of the at-fault driver could not push you to bring your car to a particular repair shop they want to use. Majority of the states let car insurance companies to suggest a vehicle body shop, however, car insurance companies are not permitted to require you to use a particular repair shop. Remember that that would be totally your choice especially that it is your car and you were the victim.

I may have to dispute the figure that my auto insurance company here in Washington gave me regarding the value of my car which has been totaled. How can I argue against their offer and tell them that my car’s worth is more than what they are saying?

Garth

Tacoma, WA

If you do not agree with the figure that your car insurance provider in Washington gave you as the replacement value of your totalled vehicle, there several points that you need to remember. Car insurance companies have exclusive software to find out how much is the amount to replace your vehicle, with its present mileage and its form before the accident, at a dealership in your neighborhood. This may mean that your insurer acquires a bid for the lowest amount the dealer agrees to for your vehicle and not the amount the dealer may charge you. A lot of insurers would search as well within 100-mile range to compare prices.

To argue against the offer of your car insurance provider, you have to obtain price quotes from dealers within an acceptable distance in your area. You may ask Washington’s insurance department to figure out that ‘acceptable’ distance. The figures that you have to come up with should be higher than the offer of your car insurance provider. You should have a proof in writing that the replacement value of your car is more than the amount that the car insurance provider agrees to pay.

I am not satisfied with the service I get from my current insurance company here in East Seattle, Washington. My auto insurance and other coverage are ending soon so I’ll just cancel my policies altogether. If I don’t pay anything after the end of the coverage, it means that my insurance is canceled, right?

Bo

East Seattle, WA

You could opt to cancel your automobile insurance policy for several causes, and dissatisfaction is one of them. Be careful, though, that if you don’t give enough notification to your insurance provider, you may spend more or worse, it could have an effect on your credit rating. It has been a tradition for the majority of insurance providers to let their customers drop their policy at any time in the course of the policy term. All they need to do is to send a written notification that includes the exact date of termination.

Your auto insurance policy in East Seattle, Washington would not automatically be cancelled at the end of the coverage, so don’t assume that you could drop your policy by taking for granted the next bill. In case you don’t send them a notification that you’re terminating your policy, they would consequently send you a bill in advance for the following policy term’s premium payment. If you ignore it, they would drop your policy and it would go against your credit history. These details are not clearly explained in your policy; auto insurance providers always tell us that we can cancel our policies at the end of the coverage by not paying the next premium, but they never tell us about the consequences for not giving them any notification.

I need to save money so I may have to cut down on my other expenses. How can I be able to save or lessen the payment for my auto insurance here in Washington?

Niko

Bellingham, WA

The very first thing that you would have to do to save on your auto insurance in Bellingham, Washington is to compare auto insurance from different providers. You may go online and use consumer guides from the state of Washington’s insurance department. These guidelines would give you information on the coverage you need and give you sample auto insurance rates, generally from the largest providers. You need to obtain at least three auto insurance quotes from different companies. Also, in buying a car, consider a low-profile car because cars that cost too much to repair or those which have higher theft rate have higher insurance rates as well.

Asking for higher deductibles could also lower you annual or monthly insurance payments. If in case you file a claim, the deductible is the amount of money that you pay before the auto insurance provider pays for the rest of the damage. If you have higher deductibles, that means you would have lower insurance premium rates. An example is that if you increase you deductible from $200 to $500 on comprehensive and collision coverage, that may lessen your premium by 15 to 30%.

A friend of mine was charged with DUI here in Washington while driving my vehicle. How will his drunk driving case affect my auto insurance rates?

Kailyn

Graham-Thrift, WA

If a friend of yours was charged with DUI in Graham-Thrift, Washington while driving your vehicle, then it would likely not have an effect on your auto insurance premiums. He must have gotten the charge written out to them in his name so that the DUI would go on his driving record and not cause you any troubles.

But if your friend got into a crash while driving your vehicle during this time, then the resulting claims will go on your claims record and hence can have an effect on your auto insurance rates. Insurance normally follows a vehicle first and the motorist second which means that if your friend was drunk driving in your vehicle, then it will be your auto insurance policy that will be gone to primarily and his insurance will be secondary or excess if your limits were exceeded. Also as owner of the vehicle, you have vicarious liability for people you allow to drive it so if all auto insurance limits were exceeded, then in most states, you and the driver could be held accountable for the damage he caused while driving your car.

Is it gonna be automatic that I would have a rate increase on my car insurance if I’d be in an accident caused by DUI or drunk driving here in Vancouver, Washington?

Herbert

Vancouver, WA

No, it’s not gonna be automatic that you would have a rate increase on your car insurance in case you cause an accident in Vancouver, Washington. Some car insurance companies, believe it or not, give their customers a one-time “get out of jail free” pass. So in case you make a claim on your first at-fault accident because of drunk driving, you may not see any increase on your car insurance premium at the renewal time. But this kind of practice, sometimes known as forgiveness, is not industry-wide so consider yourself lucky if your car insurance company holds your rate steady after a drunk driving accident.

Car insurance companies that forgive those first-time accidents often require that you fit a certain profile so that you will not have a rate increase on your car insurance premiums. If you are shopping for car insurance, it would be a good idea to ask an independent agent or an insurance company if they offer first-time accident forgiveness. It could save you 20% or more on your car insurance over the long haul.

My drivers license was suspended because of the DUI and my parents would like to add me to their car insurance policy in Everett, Washington. Will the insurance company be able to know about the DUI charge?

John

Everett, WA

I would recommend that you allow the car insurance carrier and your parents know that your driver’s license is suspended because of the driving under the influence charge. You should not drive a car or be insured on their auto insurance policy in Everett, Washington with a revoked or suspended license. You could place your parents or their auto insurance policy at risk for non-disclosure.

The insurance carrier can pull up your motor vehicle record when they try to add you to the auto insurance policy. They can disclose the information that they cannot add you because of your your drivers license is suspended because of DUI. They can give the inquirer for the information to use in order to contact the reporting agency.

I have a serious charge of DUI here in Washington and one of my biggest concerns is the problem I would have with my auto insurance. What consequence shall I face with regard to my auto insurance after being charged for DUI?

Bruce

Bellingham, WA

The consequence that you would have to face with regard to your auto insurance after your DUI charge in Bellingham, Washington is that you should file an SR22 auto insurance. This is a form for an auto insurance policy that you would have to obtain from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in order get your driver’s license reinstated and legally drive again.

The SR22 auto insurance would essentially become a written agreement between your insurance company and the DMV. The agreement would oblige your insurance company to provide accurate coverage for your specific needs and let the DMV know if your insurance company is no longer providing coverage for you for whatever reason. Generally, the DMV would suspend your driver’s license again after they have received the notice that your insurance company is no longer providing coverage for you. You have to find an auto insurance company that will give you coverage for the SR22 insurance if your current insurance company is not providing this for you. Good news is, an online rate quote for SR22 auto insurance is readily available from this website.

A friend of mine asked me to help her find SR22 auto insurance here in Washington because she was convicted for DUI. What exactly is SR22 auto insurance and how can she find one?

Collette

Bellevue, WA

Your friend might have received the dreaded Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) letter requesting a certificate of financial responsibility because of her DUI conviction in Bellevue, Washington. SR22 auto insurance is really just a form that proves to the DMV that your friend has the minimum liability limits for her vehicle. Because of her DUI conviction, the DMV requires SR22 for drivers they deem “high risk.”

Washington State does not require auto insurance companies to offer this type of insurance but many insurance companies are willing to offer SR22 insurance, but for a higher price.

If your friend is currently insured with a company, you can ask her to check with them first. Ask if they are able to file an SR22 for her and what the filing fee is. Remember that this could raise her rates, depending on the reason the form is needed. If the price doesn’t suit her, you can help her shop around to out which insurance companies offer SR22 and better yet, which one offers the best price.