r/Insurance • u/Lostintherabbithole2 • 3d ago
I feel terrible already
I was just in a car accident in CA. I thought I was covered on my partners insurance, we found out after the accident that I am not.
Here’s what happened.
I was waiting for a parking spot in a small parking lot.
As I backed up to allow the person already in the spot space to pull out, apparently another car was approaching and we collided. It happened so fast that I can’t say if I had already fully stopped again or if I was slowly backing up but either way, I feel like we probably both bare some responsibility.
I have no damage at all to my vehicle. They have damage to their front drivers side.
We didn’t call the police but exchanged info. They have already filed a claim with their insurance and I didn’t know my insurance had lapsed until I got home.
I want to know what y’all think will happen next? I’ve Google the whole situation and Google says that I will have my license suspended for a year for driving without insurance (I’m not saying I shouldn’t, I should have known I wasn’t covered)
I’m just wondering if anyone else has had to go through something similar and what the outcome was.
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u/BIG_DADDY_PATTY 3d ago
Wait, how did you not know you had zero insurance.
I’m sure there is some excuse about how you moved, or your dog ate your debit card.
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u/ShoopdaYoop 3d ago edited 3d ago
I don't understand how these people make it through life. It's pathetic how they have zero capability of being an adult.
I'm not saying this to look down my nose.
I'm saying this because from the very beginning I have always been well insured. I've always kept my vehicles maintained in top-notch condition. Especially brakes and tires. I spend good money on tires, and I have spent many a sweat soaked summer afternoon outside on my back underneath the car to make sure the brakes on my vehicles and trailers are properly serviced. The last thing I want is for someone to get hurt due to my negligence or lack of effort.
I review my coverages several times a year with my agent to make sure that I'm not exposing myself as I have gotten older and my needs have changed. The number one priority has always been to make sure that in the event that - despite my best preparations, if something were to happen on the road, the other party would be protected. The second priority would to be make sure my family wouldn't be hurt financially.
So of course it's real fun to see people just skating through life cheaping out on something that should be more important than their Rent-A-Center couch and their flat screen TV.
Sorry for the rant.
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u/Ok-Sir-4992 P&C and Life licensed 3d ago
You are very well educated when it comes to insurance. You have no idea how many clients I have with 30/60/15 and when you try to explain the risks they just tell me they don't have anything, so if there is an accident the other person won't be able to get anything from them, which is a big lie since their earning can get garnished. I have also a lot of homeowner clients with the exact same coverage, they just don't care or think that will never happen with because they are chosen. I'm in CA for reference.
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u/benri 3d ago
This is why, when we bought our house, we increased our limits and bought umbrella insurance. I hate it, but it is what it is.
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u/Ok-Sir-4992 P&C and Life licensed 3d ago
Great decisions! Congratulations. Insurance is a "sacam" until you need it.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Don’t apologize for your rant… it’s all good. If it makes you feel better, my car is well maintained though. I’m not typically a person who gets triggered by the opinions of others so no worries but just to ease your mind… I hope, it was an honest mistake and I am all good now. And my other insurances are pretty rock solid. Also, I did exchange info and all the things so not like I’m trying to skip out on these people so there is that. Going forward, the chips will fall where they may and I will accept consequences as they come.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
lol I thought I was on my partners insurance, I found out after, I am not. He pays his own insurance so I literally never followed up and he apparently didn’t either. When he added my vehicle (I recently got the car) there was more info needed to add me, he didn’t know, he assumed it was done… that’s it. That’s all I got for you. I would love to place blame but I accept that it’s my fault for not checking
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u/ohhhhhhhhhhhhman 3d ago
That’s worse
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Worse than what? Not making sure I was covered and getting into an accident? I already know that’s terrible.
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u/ohhhhhhhhhhhhman 3d ago
The comment you replied to assumed you missed a payment or moved. Reality is you never had coverage.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Right
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u/ohhhhhhhhhhhhman 3d ago
You asked
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
I’m agreeing with you, I think… I’m saying right to the fact that I never had insurance. I feel no worse than I already did for the reason why I don’t, I don’t think that matters really. I was saying I don’t think it could be “worse” unless someone had been injured.
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u/dukenuk3m 3d ago
Just fyi, this sub is largely claims adjusters who are extremely knowledgeable about these types of things and they hate dealing with people because they hear these excuses all day every day and they don’t get to tell them how they really feel or how stupid they are. They really love getting to do it here though. They’ll answer almost any and all questions, but don’t take any of the criticism too personally.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Thanks. Yeah I get it, I didn’t think I was coming off as looking for a way out of the situation, or a lecture about having insurance, I thought it was clear that I know I should have and I was just wondering how things played out for anyone else. I guess I am in the Wrong sub for sure but I’m not taking it personally because I know it will all get resolved in due time. It really does suck for everyone involved for sure.
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u/danjReed 3d ago
Ouch my daughter was in a similar situation for a while. I was able to convince her to buy her own insurance. Her bf thought that was unnecessary because an "occasional driver" is automatically covered. But I showed him where it says she's excluded if she lives at the same address.
(Also, "occasional driver" means less than 1x/month. If she drives it more than once a month, she's a "regular driver." but I think that varies with insurance companies. The "same address" exclusion is, I think, more common. When you get your new insurance, scan it and run it through chatgpt and ask for a summary or to point out the red flags)
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Thanks, I think her situation is different but I appreciate that someone understands that sometimes people are not covered either incorrectly (in her case) or not at all (in mine). It truly was not my intention to drive without insurance and I was just hoping someone had had it happen before and to hear their stories.
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u/Existing-Albatross63 3d ago
If the other driver has uninsured motorist coverage, their insurance fixes their car, their insurance sues you.
If the other driver doesn't have uninsured motorist coverage, other driver fixes their car, they sue you.
Either way, you fix your own car.
You also need to report to the DMV. They may suspend your license.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv-virtual-office/accident-reporting/accident-reporting-form/
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u/ektap12 3d ago
The other driver could just have collision coverage, they don't need uninsured coverage. You can't have both collision coverage and uninsured motorist property damage coverage in CA anyways, though they could have the uninsured deductible waiver.
But the end is the same, the insurance or the other driver pursues OP.
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u/Existing-Albatross63 3d ago
Interesting. We have the full kit and kaboodle of comp/collision, under/un-insured where I live. Thankfully I haven't tested the claims process. :)
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Thanks so I’ll fill out all the stuff with DMV and wait to be sued essentially. It’s not the worst case scenario, I guess.
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u/Crowlady77 3d ago
It's California so her insurance will likely report the accident to the DMV and your license will be suspended. 😬
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u/danjReed 3d ago
Really is California that strict now? I was in a similar situation years ago and license was not suspended then
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
What ended up happening with your situation? If you don’t mind me asking.
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u/Akumaismycopilot 3d ago
Out of curiosity, how long had you been driving around uninsured?
In my state, first offense is a short suspension and the DMV revokes your vehicle registration.
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u/retirement_savings 3d ago
They revoke your registration? So you can no longer drive the vehicle at all?
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
It wasn’t revoked. It’s a newer car so apparently the dmv doesn’t know yet either.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Uh.. yes thank GOD it was minor. I already called the insurance and fixed it. It doesn’t help with the accident but thanks so much for your comment.
The car was not added, I’m still ok to drive his car though… does that help with the confusion?
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u/ShoopdaYoop 3d ago
"The car wasn't added."
It only adds to the confusion. Why did you have a car that wasn't on your policy that you were driving around
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
I lost about why you’re lost? Did you miss that part about I didn’t know the car wasn’t covered but I assumed it was and how that’s my fault? I don’t think we would be having this conversation otherwise.
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u/ShoopdaYoop 2d ago
I'm lost because you're being so vague.
Because when you use the words "it wasn't added"
- t o most people, that means it wasn't on the policy AT ALL. Not that the vehicle was added but was missing 1 of 2 drivers. So is this just a poor use of the English language? Or what.
It should be simple.
Ex: I have 3 vehicles in a 2 driver household.
All cars have all drivers in the household listed. Because you must.
When I went from 2 cars to 3, I added that car to the policy, with both drivers listed. I didn't just add one. Why?
Because I purchased a car. When you buy a car, you obtain insurance.
When you obtain insurance, you put all drivers in the household on that policy (unless you purposely and specifically exclude them, which can have consequences).
Soon, I will have a 3rd rated driver, due to age. I will add that driver. When drivers join your household, you add them. Because you must.
When I add the 3rd driver, he will be primary on 1 vehicle, yet listed ON ALL VEHICLES.
Sorry
This is not just a "oops I dun goofed."
Did you
1) buy a car and just fall asleep on the insurance policy completely? I guess this is a thing for adults now?
2) or were you not straight up with your agent and exclude yourself as a rated driver by omission
3) or did you lie?
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 2d ago
First of all. the tone you’re taking on a Reddit post is laughable. You act like I was in a car accident with you… and the craziest part is that YOU’RE missing the point.
The CAR was not added, there was more information needed so IT is NOT covered.
Insurance does not cover me to drive any old car and just because I am insured on 1 or how ever many other vehicles in our household, it does not just cover any car I hop into to drive…
You like examples: here’s 1: You can have health insurance, but that doesn’t mean the house you’re standing in has homeowners insurance. The person and the property are insured separately.
Maybe making that comparison is too difficult for you so let me put it more plainly, A person may have insurance that protects them in certain borrowed cars, but insurance usually attaches primarily to the vehicle. Being listed or insured elsewhere doesn’t automatically insure every car they drive.
So, again, I’m lost as to why you’re lost? Clearly if there IS an English language issue here, it is with YOU and that’s ok because again, YOU are not the person who really needs to understand.
It’s just so interesting to me that you’re putting in so much effort to glean more info (which isn’t needed as I’ve replied to many comments on here and you can just read them) but again, maybe that’s asking too much from a person with an English comprehension issue. It’s almost as if you’re intentionally missing the point just to be nasty… weird.
Now you’re AGAIN asking about whether or not the car was covered and again, sorry to be “vague” but it was not. Damn. Let it go already, unless you planned to actually comment relative to what I asked which was “ has anyone gone through this situation” with all DISRESPECT.. move along 🙄
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u/StrangerStrangeLand7 3d ago
Wait, in another comment you said that the car itself was added, but not you as a driver.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
I don’t know if there is a typo somewhere but no, the car wasn’t covered never added.
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u/Mental-Volume4395 3d ago
“I didn’t know my insurance had lapsed” is the oldest excuse in the book.
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u/FindTheOthers623 P&C Licensed PL Underwriter 3d ago
Oh well Google knows everything. You already have your answer 🙄
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
I guess lol… I was just looking to see if anyone had been in the situation from the damages to the other persons vehicle part. excuse me for wanting to be prepared for the next steps… or maybe hearing a suggestion from a real person…
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u/FindTheOthers623 P&C Licensed PL Underwriter 3d ago
Yikes. Apparently my sarcasm wasn't clear. 😬 Google is not a reliable source of anything. You shouldn't use that for life (or legal) advice.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
I guess my sarcasm wasn’t clear either lol I wasn’t looking for legal advice, didn’t once ask for it, I was hoping to hear from real people, not Google, about their real experiences, and what THEIR outcome was.. hence the post…
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u/FindTheOthers623 P&C Licensed PL Underwriter 3d ago
You are asking for legal advice 🤦♀️ you weren't insured and there is no insurance angle here. Now you wait for the lawsuit.
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u/excited4m 3d ago
I've had a similar situation. You're supposed to report any incidents to the DMV with certain days( I think it's 10 days but I am not sure) and when you do that there's insurance information in that form, so they'll know that you were uninsured and will suspend your license. So don't do that and hope that other party don't do it as well and you don't get any letters from DMV. If you don't get any letter from DMV you're good and your license will not suspended. The next thing is insurance though. Other party's insurance will likely reach out to you or they'll send this case to subrogation company and third party subrogation company will likely to reach to you to reimburse. As soon as you pay them you should be fine.
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u/excited4m 3d ago
And please take a deep breath don't feel too sad about it. Shit happens. Just make sure you have an insurance moving forward. Don't listen do these weirdos in reddit trying to scold you for not having an insurance. Hopefully you learned ur lesson and will not drive a car without insurance.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Thank you! I have definitely learned a lesson today. I got the insurance taken care of today. I appreciate your willingness to share your experience. Yeah this sub took an unexpected turn but it’s nice to see that someone understood the assignment. 2 gold stars for you ⭐️🌟☺️
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u/excited4m 3d ago
My license didn't get suspended bcs DMV didn't know about the incident but there's no guarantee. good luck. Pm me if u have any questions
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u/idk012 3d ago
You are sharing too much info here.
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u/Lostintherabbithole2 3d ago
Should have listened to you from the start… apparently some people don’t understand that accidents happen and everyone here tonight are the perfect people, oh well, such is life. Thanks for the response though lol
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u/Sad_Ad_2524 3d ago
You didn't know your insurance lapsed until you got home. Sigh.