I totaled my car!!!

Well, not really me... but the two people that hit me did. Anyway, here's the story. I'll start off with the craptastic part first, just so you can level with how upset I am maybe.

So my insurance on my red 2001 Ford ZX2 was about 800 dollars for six months. That's full coverage, with a 500 dollar deductable. Well, I'm not making as much money now, so I dropped it down to liability back before New Year's Eve. That took the price down to about 320 dollars. So I was pretty damned excited to be saving nearly 500 dollars. Anyway, my old policy ended on the 5th, and my new policy was mailed to my parents house. So yesterday I thought I should brave the storm and get my new insurance. After all, I wouldn't want to be driving around with expired insurance, right? So the kicker is, if my car were totaled only a day before, it wouldn't have been a problem. Now I'm basically screwed, and have no car.

Now onto the accident. As most fo you know, there has been some major snow storms in the US recently. Detroit got hit mildly hard, about 8 to 12 inches in some places. We usually have one or two winter storms like that here a year, so nothing too out of the ordinary. I'm driving home to get my new insurance on I-96, which is four lanes wide. I was in the second right-hand lane, doing between 35 and 40. This woman in her minivan spun out from the far left lane and hit my driver's side with her front end. I saw the car when it was only a few feet from me, and knowing I couldn't swerve into the other lane (not enough time to check if anyone was there, and she would have hit me no matter what) I just let her hit me and hoped to keep the car going straight. Here are the two parts I'm glad for about this accident now. The force of her impact knocked my car into the right-most lane and thankfully no one was there for me to hit. Also, I managed to keep the car going straight. But so since I made it into the right hand lane, I just kept my car going off onto the shoulder. As soon as my car stopped, something rear-ended me. I thought it was her again, but it was another car.

So first thing on my mind was I'm okay, now to make sure everyone else is. So i got out, asked the guy behind me if he was okay, ran back to the woman who causes the accident and asked her. Another good thing, no one was. She stopped her minivan in teh right-most lane though, and refused to move it until the police came. Stupid on her part, if you ask me. The cop thought so too.

Anyway, my car basically needed a whole new left side, and new rear-end from the accidents. The amount it would cost to repair the car is several thousand more than the worth of the car, so it's being totaled. And since I only have liability, I get no money or new car now.

So yeah, I just had to rant. I suppose I could have put this in the "Rant" forum, but meh. Hopefully no one else on ATS got into any accidents these past couple days.

Hey. She lost control and hit you. Even if she had only liability, it should pay for the damage or pay you the blue book value and your medical bills. Contact her insurance and if they give you any trouble, contact an attorney.


Even though you could not afford to keep full coverage, you took out liability for other's sake. Also, if you stopped on the shoulder, who the hell hit you in the rear? What was he doing there? Get his insurance company involved too. If you kept you vehicel under control and made a stop on the shoulder after being hit, then he has to maintain control and not hit you either. You have 2 insurance companies to pay for you car. Her's for the left side damage and his for the rear damage.

Don't resign to let this go. Get your car fixed or get the value and buy another.

I don't know about in the US, but in the UK it is the responsibility of the one who caused the accident to make good the damage. That means their insurance pays, not yours.

It's just as well she didn't hit KayEm - she absolutely despises minivan drivers (I can understand why, seeing how badly they tend to drive in Oregon) and would have embedded her exhaust pipe somewhere ... well, you can guess the rest.

At least you're ok. When I got hit in the 90's I looked like one massive bruise. At least I walked away (ranting of course). The arsehole who hit me (later described by the paramedics and cops as 'stinking like a brewery') ended up with broken hips.

Good luck with the insurance claim

astrocreep is right, don�t let it go get your car fixed,

The person who hit you is responsible there insurance is liable and must replace or repair your vehicle plus and out of pocket expenses such as a rental, and any other items. There is no if and or buts. It is you right do not take no for an answer, also tell them the car will go to a repair shop of your choice, I �ve been through this type of thing many times stand your ground get your car back or right it off and get a replacement.

Well the thing about MI car insurance is that it's "no fault." That means your insurance company takes care of you, theirs takes care of them. So getting their companies to pay for it out of the question.

As for how the other guy hit me... When the woman stopped her minivan in the right most lane, he had to swerve onto the shoulder to miss her. He didn't know I was there, so he rear-ended me.

I don't like aggressive people. Like some of the people that posted here, no names. But it saddens me to see people that want to "get revenge" on the other guy by using the law to get the most money possible from them. "No fault" is something that I believe in. It's not her fault she spun out of control, and it's not your fault you couldn't swerve fast enough. Well, sort of I guess, on her part, I mean buying a minivan in Michigan isn't the greatest idea. Plus she sat in the right lane until the cops came. Now that's just stupid.

And the guy who rear-ended you isn't at fault either. He, being a good driver, swerved into the shoulder, and not into traffic. It just so happened that you were there.

[edit on 1/7/05 by diehard_democrat]

I could have swerved fast enough, but not if I wanted to make sure no one was in the lane next to me. Once I saw there was going to be an accident I just focused on keeping my car pointing straight, that's all I really could have done.

As for it not being her fault she spun out, it really was. She even told the cop that. Someone in front of her braked and she didn't notice right away, so she had to slam on her brakes. The wheels locked up, she started to spin.

Well, diehard, I guess you'd still be singing that same tune if someone hit you? I doubt it.

First, in assume control behind the wheel of an automobile in the US, you assume the responsibility for staying in control.

Second, if this is a no fault state, why were you and why did you purchase liability insurance which will only pay for the other person's damage done if you lose control and hit them? Hmmm? Why would you need it if everyone has to pay for their own damage?

Look, get a police report and seek legal advice. You were clearly not at fault and clearly the victim of negligent drivers. However innocent they may be and no one is insinuating they did it on purpose but they , like the rest of us, by law have to buy insurance in case we hit someone.

If someone told me I had to buy insurance to pay if I hit someone but that if they hit me, I was just SOL, I'd kick that fool to the curb.

Look, you're being snowed. Don't think that if it was you who swerved into her of you who hit him in the rear, you or your insurance company would be paying.

Not saying you should fake an injury because I despise that but insurance is in place because none of us can afford to replace cars out of pocket.


Your state may ne a no fault state but the definition of this might have been exaggerated to you. When a police report indicates someone else caused the accident, their insurance pays to repair you car. Full coverage will only pay if you say, hit a tree or pole. If you had full coverage, your company would never pay the claim with an accident report saying the other person caused it unless they were an un-insured driver. Even then, after your company paid, they'd try to make the person at fault liable.

Edit: And just who the hell said anything about revenge? We merely suggested that he pursue re-imbursment for damage incurred. Its real nice to try and remove blame from the other drivers but the fact remains, they both lost control of their vehicles.



[edit on 7-1-2005 by astrocreep]

Oh kid that sucks dude!

I know how ya feel dude I've been in a couple of car accidents in my life (none of them my fault, Im an excellent driver), and everytime its taken a lot of money to repair the car (1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee). Thank god that I have excellent insurance and the most I ever had to pay to get it fixed was $800 both times since the insurerance covered the rest. BUt i feel for you dude, I know what its like to be without a car.

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
Well the thing about MI car insurance is that it's "no fault." That means your insurance company takes care of you, theirs takes care of them. So getting their companies to pay for it out of the question.

If Minnesota has no-fault insurance, what is the point of liability? I had an accident like this two years ago on dry pavement going eighty miles an hour, except I wasn't rear-ended. The one thing that is in your favor, as it was in my case, is that you did not lose control of your car. The law requires that a person keep control of his car.

I think you should consult an attorney.

MI is Michigan, MN is Minnesota. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Anyway, I'm meeting with my family's attorney as soon as the report comes out. So probably by next Friday. We're going to try and get the damages from the two people, and hopefully me a new car.

My dad gave me his old car as a loaner until we figure something out at least, so I'm INCREDIBLY grateful for that. It's a '94 Mercuty Grand Marquis. I'm a bit standoffish to drive it in the snow though... I've never driven a big, rear-wheel drive car before. :-\

How are things going with the insurance case? While I was searching for somthing else related to auto registration, this popped up on the page so I thought I'd post it for you.


No Fault requirements in MI