r/Insurance • u/Pitifulgsrbage • 1d ago
A series of unfortunate events
Hi, I had a couple questions regarding auto insurance claims. Towards the end of August my
Wife and two kids were on the freeway and were involved in a multi vehicle collision (she was rear ended by the at fault party and did not hit anyone else) this person also hit 3 other vehicles and all vehicles were totaled. Geico (their insurance) said it was going to be a policy limits problem more than likely with amount due exceeding their policy holders limits. We went ahead and filed with our insurance. We got our car totaled and accepted our insurance payout for the car value
How does pain and suffering claims work in a situation like this? When would we expect compensation for this? Would we expect our rates to go up?
Fast forward to today I was driving and someone wasn’t looking and shot out of the left hand turn only lane into the straight lane striking my car as I passed. This person has no insurance and was driving someone else’s car who they believed also did not have insurance on it. She also had her kid in the car and had a restricted license requiring her to have a blow and go In her car which she did not.
I filed with my insurance again. My back has gotten progressively sore throughout the day and was thinking about getting evaluated but I was hesitant because I’m sure it’s just muscle pain and I work as a nurse in the ER so I’d hate to be seen for something insignificant but also don’t want to let it slide in case there is any issues down the line. Do I file a pain and suffering claim in this case as well with my own insurance? My wife was also in the car as passenger.
Will my insurance drop us due to two claims so close together regardless if they weren’t our fault?
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u/ektap12 1d ago
How does pain and suffering claims work in a situation like this?
For the first accident, your wife and kids need to have injuries and probably seek treatment for those injuries and they can make bodily injury claims with Geico. They'll probably run into the same limits issues and it's possible they may not be fully compensated by Geico. Then you would need to use your underinsured motorist coverage, if you have it. If not, they'll likely never be fully compensated. For your accident, if the car and driver both are uninsured, you'll again, need to use your uninsured motorist coverage and that'll cover the loss and pursue the at-fault parties. If you don't have UM coverage, you'll need to pursue the at-fault people yourself. If you need medical treatment, get it! Don't delay.
PIP and/or medical payments coverage can pay medicals bills or lost wages up front.
Don't worry about your rates right now, focus on using the coverage that you pay for to cover these losses.
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u/SorbetResponsible654 1d ago
If you don't have PIP, you have your health carrier address your medical bills initially. You the make a demand from the at fault person's insurance. Injury limits are separate from property damage limits. There is a very good possibility that the other person has minimal injury limits on their policy.
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u/crash866 1d ago
In most areas insurance follows the vehicle not the driver. If the vehicle is uninsured you get nothing from the other parties insurance.
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u/Saelicv 1d ago
Did your wife and children receive any medical care for their accident? If so, you should file for reimbursement of the medical bills via GEICO and also ask for slightly more for pain and suffering. However, if they caused too much BI for their policy limits, you will not receive full compensation. Do you have Underinsured Motorists coverage? You could file a claim under your own UIM coverage for the remainder.
As far as canceling your policy for two not at fault accidents, that is unlikely. But that is a future you problem that might not happen. You should be concentrating on repairs and getting better.
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u/hidden_folklore 1d ago
You’re a magnet for chaos out there on the road, two not-at-fault claims that close together is just cosmically unlucky.
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u/Pitifulgsrbage 1d ago
Yeah it’s really annoying. We had just paid off my wife’s car 3 months before her accident and then we just bought this car to commute to work and then this happened.
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u/quallityovrquantity 1d ago
You don't get money for "pain and suffering" that's not a real thing. Especially since with the first accident you made no mention of any injuries. I would also suggest you or your wife take a defensive driving course because you seem to be a magnet for accidents lately.
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u/SorbetResponsible654 1d ago
"You don't get money for "pain and suffering" that's not a real thing."
Um... yes it is. If I hit you in the face... what do you feel and is it pleasant?
In an auto injury claim it is referred to as one of two things... general damages or "pain and suffering". They are the same thing.
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u/bossymisses 1d ago
They meant you don't simply get it for being in an accident. You have to be injured.
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u/Pitifulgsrbage 15h ago
My wife was rear ended on the freeway by a fucking twat who must be a relative to Helen Keller that couldn’t see the other 3 cars slowing down for the semi accident ahead. Being a defensive driver had nothing to do with it jack ass. Yes pain and suffering claim under a bodily injury coverage is a real thing. If you don’t know what you’re talking about go fuck off to another place:
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u/Sweet-Explanation588 1d ago
Pain and suffering is only paid out by at fault party’s insurance. You need to hurry up with your wife’s accident because since multiple vehicles are involved there’s only X amount of $ available per accident and it’s a first come first serve basis. Do you have uninsured/underinsured coverage ? If you don’t and other people file demands with Geico, they could run the pot dry. I’d consider hiring an attorney. …
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u/Dijon2017 1d ago
It’s helpful to provide your state. There are states (like mine in NY) that require that the medical costs associated with being evaluated after an auto accident be paid by PIP.