So I got into an accident a couple weeks ago. I rear-ended someone, and yeah, I was at fault. It happened right after a snowstorm, and the roads were super slippery, which definitely played a part. The lady I hit called the cops, and they told me to file a claim.
Thing is, I was driving my sister’s car, and I’m not on her insurance, so she had to file the claim under her policy. My car’s damage isn’t that bad—just a broken grille and a dented hood. Nothing major, and the car is still safe to drive. We got a repair quote for about $1,450, which I’d rather just pay out of pocket instead of going through insurance, dealing with a deductible, and then seeing her monthly payments go up.
But since we already filed the claim before getting the quote, I’m wondering—is it too late to back out and just pay for the repairs myself? Or since the police were involved and the claim is already on file, is there no way around it? Last thing I want is to pay out of pocket and then still end up with a higher insurance bill anyway. Anyone who knows how this works, I’d appreciate the advice.
You don’t have to get your car fixed through the claim. Your sister can ask to withdraw that part, and they’ll close it. But keep in mind, the insurance is still paying for the damage to the other car, so her rates are probably going up either way.
Zoren said: @Diya
So would it make more sense to just pay the deductible and go through insurance since the rates are going up no matter what?
Yeah, since the claim is already filed and the other car needs to be fixed, her rates will probably increase anyway. If that’s the case, might as well just have insurance cover your damage too.
Zoren said: @Diya
So would it make more sense to just pay the deductible and go through insurance since the rates are going up no matter what?
No one here can tell you exactly how much her rates will go up. If you want to minimize the insurance payout, you can pay out of pocket for your car. Otherwise, just let insurance handle it and deal with the rate hike at renewal.