What do I do if an insurance company is making a claim against me that I believe is seriously inflated?

I had a car accident not long ago in which I damaged another vehicle. I recently recieved the insurance bill for the damage and they want $18 300+ when all I damaged was the front drivers side guard and tyre? What can I do to prove this claim is bogus?

They are trying to say my car also hit the back of the other car and caused damage so extensive that it was a write-off, I was barely doing 50km/hr and only lost control because I hit an oil slick in the wet weather.

Is there anything I can do to avoid paying the full amount? I mean I accept responsibility for the actual damage, but why should I pay the rest?

BTW I would estimate the actual damage to be around $8000 max. I do know enough about cars to see that this one was not a write-off.
Additional Details
No I don't have insurance, and no I only got photo's of my own car, because I wanted to show the police that I had possibly been hit from behind by a 4WD coming off a sidetrack, but they didn't listen.

Dondi

get yourself an attorney and see what can be done.

oklatom

No I don't have insurance

Unfortunately, that says it all. You lost control of your car and damaged other property, and have no one to stand up for you. What does the police report say? I doubt there is anything you can say to make it go away. Try to set up a payment plan that won't kill you.

trybeingobjective

your own insurance company should be involved to not let a fraud occur. are there photos from the scene, police report, witnesses? you could contest it in court

His1&&only

Get a lawyer! They love these kinds of cases! They can make serious money, as well as help you out!

terrellfastball

1. Contest the amount, tell them to prove the figures and show actual repair receipts and estimate paperwork. Separate the figures by the area involved.

2. Request all photos related to this claim.

3. If the other car did not spin or slide into something else, ask them to explain how the damage occurred on different sides.

4. Tell them the claim goes no further until they comply with the above.

loving30

i take it you are in australia.

i work in insurance claims in australia and you would be suprised the amount of times i hear people say "oh, but it was only a scratch, how come it costs $3,000??!"

fixing vehicles is not a cheap excercise. thats why people have insurance.

That's also why an insurance company hires assessors to check out their clients claim to ensure that:

1) the damages are consistent with the accident (ie, there is no previous accident damage that is trying to be claimed for)

2) the repair costs are fair and reasonable.

damages to the front corner is an expensive area, as you are dealing with multiple panels that need to be taken off and apart to repair/replace and then put all back together again. it's not like denting a door which is one panel only.

in addition, if their chassis is twisted or otherwise damaged (which an untrained eye would not notice) then this would likely cause a write off, even if the vehicle didn't look that badly damaged. plus you'd be up for their towing costs.

no insurance company would EVER pay more on their clients claim than they had to because there is no guarantee that the money will be paid back by the at fault party. think about it, if YOU were in business, you wouldn't pay people more than they are entitled to, out of the goodness of your heart? most insurers have to answer to shareholders too. at the end of the day, insurers only pay the least they can to settle the claim and this is after the claim is looked over by the assessor, the claims officer and their supervisor.

if you do not believe that you caused damages to the back end of the vehicle, then let their insurer know. BUT if the back end damages are as a direct result of you hitting the front end - ie it all happened in the same accident - then you are going to be up for all the costs.

frankly, if you have no insurance, you will be personally liable for the whole lot. don't listen to the americans, property damage insurance on your car is not compulsory in australia.

try sorting out a payment plan with their insurer, or alternatively, if you can offer them a lump sum of half the amount, offer them that and they may agree to that.

R P

Save by telling them that you'll buy the 3rd car & drive it as is.

MSAD

If you had insurance at the time of the loss - turn in the claim to your company and they should handle it.

If you did not have insurance there is not much you can do.

Most insurance companies would rather get a lesser lump sum payment than monthly payments until the debt is paid in full. So, if you think the damage was only 8000- call and offer to pay them a lump sum payment for 8000 and see if they will accept that as payment in full.

If you don't have 8000 and have to make monthly payments - not much you can do. The insurance company will have documentation to support their claim.

gobonzzo

Funny, but this sounds like reverse insurance. You have a claim and you pay the insurance company instead of them paying you. Sounds frickacta to me.

Who needs that kind of insurance? You are better off without it.

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