A dim-witted driver hit me last Saturday causing an auto accident that tied up four lanes of rush hour traffic and nearly destroyed my new 2007 Ford truck. The body shop I had it towed to estimated more than $20,000 in damage and said the truck might not even be repairable.
Of course the accident left me pretty aggravated since it wasn’t my fault. Then the claims adjuster for the other guy’s insurance company took my rage to new highs when he told me the truck WAS repairable, but I couldn’t go to the auto body shop I wanted to go to…I had to go to an auto repair shop the insurance company recommended.
I thought there was a law that gave me the right to choose the auto repair shop instead of the insurance company. Not being certain of my rights I didn’t argue much. But if you tell me to the contrary that I am allowed to go wherever I want to have my truck repaired, I’m going to be calling that insurance company back and eating that guy’s lunch.
Rick
Akron, Ohio
About a month ago I had a fender bender with my car, a 1999 Ford Taurus. It wasn’t my fault. Fortunately, there wasn’t much damage and there were no injuries. I signed a release and settled quickly with the other guy’s insurance company. They wrote me a check for $844, the amount the auto repair shop said it would cost to fix. The next day I put the insurance check in my bank account. With school and everything I had a lot of bills to pay and I had to dip into the money I received for the car repair to make ends meet. Now the money is gone and the car isn’t repaired. I don’t want to get in trouble for spending the insurance check and not fixing my car, but I didn’t have much choice. Things were really tight. I wondered how long I have before the insurance company gets upset with me and demands I pay them back or get the car fixed? Eventually I should be able to put the money back, but it will be three or four months down the road. Is that too long?
Brian
Pittsburgh, PA
I’m uncertain what GAP Insurance is, or if I need it.
My wife and I have been shopping for a new minivan in Columbus, Ohio where we live. We haven’t yet agreed on a particular model, but we have narrowed our choices to three so the dickering won’t be far off. I’d prefer to buy the vehicle outright with 60 month financing, but leasing is not out of the question. My wife prefers the lease since it will allow us to drive a nicer vehicle while enjoying cheaper monthly payments than if we’d bought. Ideally, we would like to put 10% or less down on a new minivan priced around $30,000.
I am told GAP insurance is a must-have on a lease, but unnecessary when buying a new car outright. I need to know the purpose of GAP Insurance and if you would recommend it in my situation. If you can, please give me enough facts about this coverage to keep the dealership from sticking it to me. Your help is appreciated.
Paul
Columbus, Ohio
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