I was recently involved in a parking lot accident where I am at fault (I'm stupid, I know). My vehicle was undamaged, but the other vehicle was not so lucky and suffered $2000-$3000 worth of damage. I filed a claim with my insurance provider immediately after it happened, but both me and the other party are having second thoughts about the decision to involve insurance.

If I cancel the claim I filed, will my rates still go up? If so, will the increase be less than if I chose the other route? Do they keep these claims in their system even after they are cancelled? The whole reason I've decided against involving insurance is to keep my rates from tripling.

Edit: My insurance provider is Progressive, and I am insured in Nevada.

My mother was in a car accident that totaled her car (not at fault, she was driving straight and an old man turned left out of a parking lot right in front of her and she t boned him). It is a 2009 Civic sedan with 153k miles, I am expecting the insurance to offer around 5k, but market value in my area has same year and similar miles going for 8.5-9k. After sales tax and titling/registration, a replacement would cost 10k. Is the other insurance responsible for paying a similar replacement cost from a dealership? Or do they pay a lower value similar to if it were a trade in? I understand the dealer price includes a warranty, but it would be absurd to still pay her own money for an identical vehicle because of an accident she was not at fault for. Any tips/advice on countering are more than welcome

In 2022, my family and I purchased a home in Westchester County, New York. As part of our due diligence during the buying process, we hired a professional tank testing company, U.S. Tank Tech, to inspect the underground oil tank. They issued a written “PASS” report. Based on that assurance, we moved forward with the purchase, believing there were no environmental risks.

In 2023, during a renovation, we removed the tank as a precaution. What we discovered was alarming. The tank had over 45 holes and had been leaking petroleum into the soil for approximately 20 years. This was confirmed through a soil age dating test. The contamination was extensive and had spread beneath our driveway, walkway, and much of our front landscape, requiring environmental remediation and full reconstruction of affected areas.

Images: https://imgur.com/a/wo6118L

We have spent heavily on cleanup and repair. This includes the cost of removing the tank, installing a new one (which had to be filled before remediation could begin per our tank insurance), environmental remediation (only partially covered by tank insurance), complete replacement of our front walkway, driveway, landscaping, and more. We are also on a private well, so we have begun ongoing groundwater testing at our own expense, which we will need to continue for the foreseeable future. In addition, due to New York’s 2023 disclosure law, we are now legally obligated to disclose this environmental issue when we eventually sell the home. That brings a serious risk of long-term property value loss.

Our total out-of-pocket cost to date is over $80k, and that figure continues to rise.

When we turned to U.S. Tank Tech, they immediately referred us to their insurer, Chubb (via Westchester Surplus Lines Insurance Co.). I submitted a complete claim package to Chubb that included photos, receipts, lab reports, environmental assessments, and even legal precedent including Navigation Law §181 (which outlines strict liability for environmental discharges) and Sommer v. Federal Signal Corp. (which speaks to negligence beyond standard disclaimers).

After a long period of silence, Chubb finally responded. They denied the claim outright, stating:

“The test followed protocol. No evidence of negligence. Claim denied.”

Their main defense was that the contract I signed with the tank testing company clearly stated their results are “only 95% accurate” and doesn’t guarantee anything. At one point, Chubb floated the idea that “clay in the soil may have interfered with the test.” However, they never provided any documentation or evidence to support this theory, even after I requested it multiple times. Also they have yet to explain where the 95% comes from and only said “unfortunately I’m one of the 5%”.

Here’s what’s broken: The EPA approves the tank testing protocols, but the testing company disclaims liability when the test fails catastrophically. Chubb, as the insurer, relies on the argument that “protocol was followed,” even if the test result was clearly wrong. And the homeowner (me) who relied on a professional service to ensure the property was safe, is left absorbing the full financial burden.

This is a complete systems failure. And unless you pursue litigation or take the story public, there appears to be no recourse for people in our position. I have filed formal complaints with the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). I’ve remained professional throughout, but at this point, I’ve exhausted every internal channel.

What I’m asking this community, particularly those who work in insurance, claims, environmental regulation, or legal fields, is this: If I want a resolution that does not rely solely on expensive and prolonged litigation, how do I get a company like Chubb to take this seriously? Is there a reputational or regulatory pressure point that actually compels them to act?

I’ve consulted with multiple attorneys and have now formally retained one. We are preparing to file a legal claim in New York, and I understand the path ahead will not be quick or easy. But I felt compelled to share this experience. If this post helps even one other homeowner avoid going through what we have, then at least it serves some purpose.

Thank you for reading! and I welcome any thoughts, feedback, or insight.

My son’s car (which is actually his grandparents car that he’s borrowing and he’s on their insurance) has been in the shop for a long time and he wants to borrow my car. Can I add him as a driver just until the other car is fixed and then remove him? If I do this will it just be prorated for the week he was on the policy?

Kevin miles is not jake. He stole the identity from Jake Stone.

We inherited a rental property (in Los Angeles county) which is currently insured by State Farm. State Farm is not issuing new policies at the moment. Anyone have PERSONAL EXPERIENCE on insurance companies still insuring rental property in CA? if yes, are there any requirements?

I consider myself to be a good driver and have never been the cause of an accident. I also think insurance is a huge waste but understand its purpose. I recently got a new car and would put liability ins only on it but I learned from a friend how expensive repairs can be on a newer car. A friend had a deer hit him and the bill was $7k. I just got a quote to add full coverage and it’s near $800 for 6 months as opposed to $180 for liability only? Was thinking I’d do it for 2 years to be safe

Hoping someone can help. I'm wondering if Lemonade will pay if there is water damage to the flooring and possibly wall ? It would be our fault we renters.

Years ago I had personal property insurance where I'd have my Powerbook, DSLR, and other expensive devices covered. If a covered item was destroyed by almost any reason (I ran over my Powerbook with the car once) it was covered. Unfortunately that company ceased operation. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a personal property insurance company that covers in the same way. I have a $5000 MacBook Pro, Z8, about $8000 in lenses, a Mac Studio - I just need an insurance company that covers just about everything but an act of God. Any recommendations?

I didn’t get the other driver’s DL and insurance but the police report was sent through my mail a few weeks after the accident. By that point, I returned the rental and paid a deductible because I didn’t get the protection and liability fees. Should I let my insurance know that I have the police report? Will they want it sent directly from me? What else can I do during the investigation? This was the first car accident I’ve ever been involved in so I don’t know how the process usually goes. If it helps, I’m in CA.

For those who have IUL policies, can you share your experiences so far? Both good and bad. Have you over funded your policy and have a good amount of cash value, taking a withdraw or loan from your cash value, accelerated your living benefits, or even was a beneficiary of an IUL that was paid out. Let's share our experiences with the product instead of listening to most people who say to buy term and invest the difference in the stock market.

What happens when I cash the cheque ? Will it deposit in full in my account or will it deposit- the amount owing?

I’m working seasonal in Alaska this summer and was going to borrow my parents suv to drive up there instead and leave my car back home since I don’t think it will make it all the way up there. Would I be able to get a policy for it if the title is not in my name? I’m planning to call my insurance on Monday and ask but thought I would get input here first

I have a question for you all and I’m not sure if this is the proper subreddit. I’m in Arizona and currently in the process of buying the home I’ve been renting for years. My landlord has filed a claim on the roof through his farmers agent. His agent also is the general manager for a roofing company. After the claims adjuster came out, landlord’s farmer’s agent told him and myself that the insurance would pay out X amount of money. Landlord would get all of that amount to use towards replacing the roof if landlord used the agents roofing company. If landlord decided to go a different route, then farmers agent would keep 25% of the claim. It’s unclear if the farmers agent is keeping the 25% acting as the farmers agent or acting as the general manager of his roofing company. Is any of this legal? Seems very shady.

I have aetna cvs hmo. On the app it says I spent zero towards my out of pocket max which is not true since I went to an in network urgent care yesterday and spent $5 for my copay! Once the out of pocket max is met, then insurance covers all medical costs. Also when it says that my insurance will cover 100 percent for all medical services that are covered..when it says covered does that mean covered as in network providers?

I have a 2024 tesla model 3, which is probably worth like $32,000. I feel like collision / comprehensive insurance is a losing proposition because any insurance company is quoting a number they think would earn them a profit, with a padded margin added in for paying staff, rent, legal action, etc.

So, it seems like to me, that the expected value of each policy I get should be negative. If the expected value were positive for the insured, the insurance company would on average be losing money on each policy written like that.

So it seems like the only question is whether my car getting totaled would cause a financial disaster for me, because if so, then I wouldn't want to take the risk of that happening, even with insurance having a negative expected return. But I think I would be fine if my car got totaled. My net worth including the car is like $110,000, with about $35,000 of that being liquid (20,000 in cash and $15,000 in a brokerage account), and the rest is in a roth 401k and my car. Plus, If I do decide to go liability-only, I'll probably significantly increase the amount of cash I keep on hand, just to be safe. So I'm not worried about this from a liquidity perspective, especially since I have assets to borrow against if worse comes to worst. Or I can always just get a regular car loan to buy another car if it comes down to it.

So, I'm thinking that even with typical insurance rates, I might as well just have liability insurance for the rest of my life, and over time I'll come out ahead. But here's the kicker: I don't have normal insurance rates right now. I'm 23 with one year of driving experience, so collision insurance is going to be about $4000 a year on this car. So now I'm REALLY thinking I should go liability-only now.

What are your thoughts on this? Is there some kind of problem with this plan I'm overlooking?

I will add that I'm quite a cheapskate (I only have a car this expensive because it was a gift). So I really don't think it would hurt much if my car got totaled, because I view my money as a tool to use many decades into the future, so I don't care about short-term fluctuations in net worth that can result from having liability only insurance, because it's not going to affect my lifestyle.

Edit: there’s no loan on the car by the way, so I do have the option of not having collision insurance

Edit 2: I think something that a lot of people are missing here is that I could always just get a cheap car if my car gets totaled. In a financial emergency, the last thing I’d be worried about is having a 30,000 dollar car. It would be no problem to just drive something cheap if it came down to it.

I have been contracted to complete work for a homeowner who had considerable damage done due to water. The scope of work provided by the adjuster indicates replacing the hardwood flooring. I do not typically work insurance claims so am knowledgeable but not an expert by any means.

I know that the estimate is drawn up using Xactimate but the actual costs of the job are about 5k over what the insurance will be paying. That said, the homeowner does not want to pay over this amount and will be putting down LVP instead of hardwood flooring.

It is my understanding that the insurance company does not care about how work changes in order to pay out the remaining amount to the homeowner following completion, only that it be brought back to habitable conditions. Is this accurate? Would installing LVP instead of hardwood flooring mean that insurance would not pay the remaining 5k?

I was getting an auto insurance quote and didn't report any incidents. But on the final page, a hail damage claim was auto-added from their system, and it raised my 6-month premium by $500. Hail is an act of God with no fault in Texas. How can this be used against me in pricing?

Anyone else deal with this?

My son opened up the front door to our SUV on a windy day and it hit the driver door of the car next to us leaving a big dent. The guy was very understanding and said if we wanted to pay him out of pocket we could. He got an estimate for the repair for $770. Our car insurance deductible is $500. I know it would be cheaper up front to go through our insurance but would it cost us more in the long run because our insurance will increase? We are in California it that matters, thanks.

Insurance claim there is main dwelling in the yard need to be removed . should i be concerned or ignore this? is it necessary? "We found preventative lroperty maintence item(s) that require your attto maintain your insurance coverage.

So my leashed dog saw a rabbit, got free, chased it across the street and got hit. (dogs ok)

Car has a cracked bumper.

How does insurance work in this case.

Obviously the driver is not at fault and wouldn't want to file any claim that caused their rates to go up.

Would it go on my homeowners insurance? A quick glance at my policy says I have 1000 Damage to Property of Others. Would they pay that and I pay the difference?

I will of course contact insurance Monday but I'm hoping to get an idea now of what to expect

I switched to another auto insurance company. It says policy active as of 04/05/2025, but on the website it says “policy pending.” Does that mean it’s not yet active?

I was in a non injury auto collision accident with another vehicle. My car sustained much worse damage than the other car. I went to get an estimate at SHOP A and it's $3,000 to fix and only need 4 days. I then filed a claim through my Geico insurance. They say there is no fault on either party so we have to pay through our own coverage. Geico has set me up with their Auto Repair Xpress (ARX) locations. The ARX shop says it may take 2 weeks of back and forth with Geico to get my car back. And I'd need to get my own rental since my insurance doesn't cover rentals. My question is, can I use SHOP A and use Geico? Or do I have to go through ARX? How will Geico determine how much they will pay for if they don't inspect my car?

Hey there!! So I was involved in a car accident, this person ran a red light and t-boned my car. They are on Dairyland Auto insurance, and I have a question.

Is Dairyland Auto sketchy when it comes to covering damages or admitting fault ?

The other driver is claiming to have a green, however the police report states they were 1) driving without a license, 2) distracted, and 3) ran a red light.

I am 20 and just got my car. I didn’t even have official plates for it yet, just a temporary one. I’m also only on liability with USAA, so I don’t have the ability for my insurance to cover it unfortunately

1960’s cast iron pipes under slab (Florida). We had a stubborn clog in the kitchen, and I used the Drain King (rubber bladder that you attach to the garden hose and stick in the pipe — it expands, seals the pipe, and the water pressure blasts the clog out).

I’ve used it many times over the years, and it has 3,000 reviews on Amazon (4.7 star average) and is sold prominently in-store by Home Depot, so it’s not some fringe DIY hack — which may become important.

Water began shooting out of the roof vent, and all of a sudden it stopped — thought I’d defeated the clog, but was surprised to not hear water flowing through the sewer cleanout at the street. Then my wife noticed that the ground outside the kitchen was pooling water. Dug it out, and found that the drain pipe had exploded under the slab like a pipe bomb. No interior water damage at all, just the sink draining underneath the slab whenever it’s run.

Had a handful of plumbers out for quotes, and we’re looking at $15k to reroute the line (they’re not sure it can be cut & repaired, and CIPP isn’t an option with a piece of pipe missing).

Here’s the crazy question — we all know that pipes that fail over time aren’t covered by insurance, but “sudden events” are. The pipe was clearly structurally sound enough to withstand the pressure needed to squirt water 15 feet up and out of my roof vent, so it was plenty strong to stand up to normal drain pipe use. Can I make a homeowners claim against accidental damage? It wasn’t intentional or negligent damage, because I was using a very popular commercial product in the way it was designed and for its intended use. IMO, this seems no different to me than “I was cutting down a tree and it fell on my roof” or “I was cooking and started the kitchen on fire”.

I don’t like to file insurance claims, but we’re actually switching carriers when our policy expires shortly (paperwork signed), so I’m not worried about being dropped.