Auto insurance

[Jstpssng]

I have driven about 3 days without it in my life, I consider carrying insurance to be a responsibility to my fellow motorists. (I also have had 1 claim in 40+ years and over a million miles.) Saturday I was stopped for speeding, I didn't slow down soon enough going into town.
(no excuse, but they moved the sign back about 1/4 mile.)
That wasn't a problem; what was is that somehow my insurance company got the wrong serial # when I bought the truck 4 years ago. I got that straightened out but the update is effective today, and it appears that I still have a $186 fine for driving without insurance despite paying for it all of these years. The worst part is that the company will then charge me for what was most likely their error... causing me to drop them after 20+ years.

The good thing is that I found out this way, rather than getting into a major accident and ending up on the hook.

 

[aczlan]

I have driven about 3 days without it in my life, I consider carrying insurance to be a responsibility to my fellow motorists. (I also have had 1 claim in 40+ years and over a million miles.) Saturday I was stopped for speeding, I didn't slow down soon enough going into town.
(no excuse, but they moved the sign back about 1/4 mile.)
That wasn't a problem; what was is that somehow my insurance company got the wrong serial # when I bought the truck 4 years ago. I got that straightened out but the update is effective today, and it appears that I still have a $186 fine for driving without insurance despite paying for it all of these years. The worst part is that the company will then charge me for what was most likely their error... causing me to drop them after 20+ years.

The good thing is that I found out this way, rather than getting into a major accident and ending up on the hook.

Do you have any proof such as an email of you giving your agent or company the right number?
if so, that might be enough to either get you out of the ticket or get them to pay for it.
I always email my agent the VIN number just for that reason, that way I have proof that I sent them the right number if they end up getting it wrong on the paperwork.

Aaron Z

 

[KennyG]

I'm really surprised your agent didn't go to bat for you and straighten this out. Insurance agents make money by selling policies so driving customers away is bad business. I've generally found the agent to be on my side.

 

[Jstpssng]

I brought my paperwork to them 4 years ago and never looked at it since. Yesterday I dug out my original policy and the numbers didn't match then, and didn't match on the 3 policies since; so it's my fault for not checking. I'm just POed because this will give them an excuse to jack my rates, although my biggest mistake was in not checking their work.

Oh yeah, and I can think of a lot of things that I would rather spend that $186 on.

 

[kenmac]

was the vin # even close ? If it was. the cop was just an azz for writing the ticket.
The town likely needs more tax money and what better way to get it than to write a ticket such as no insurance

 

[oosik]

You better believe I checked the vehicle VIN numbers on my policies. Even with the incorrect VIN number - the insurance agent should have backed you. They sure willingly accepted your premiums with the thought that the number was correct.

I've been with State Farm for 55+ years. I would hope they could correct a situation such as this with little to no hoop-la.

 

[TractorGuy]

Stuff happens but if it only has a couple numbers or letters inverted it should be obvious to all it was simple human error. Hit the insurance company up to refund all the premiums paid. :dance1:

I recently received notice in the mail of a parking ticket I supposedly received and didn't pay on my tan jeep in Miami. Problem is I don't own a tan jeep and haven't been to Miami. Cop inverted two letters on the license entry on the ticket. Jackasses said I could come to the courthouse in Miami to appeal. Fortunately I pushed the right buttons to avoid that or having to pay a citation that wasn't mine. I did insist on and received notice via email that the situation was corrected.

"Please be advised that research of Citation ######### has indicated the officer may have misidentified the tag number. Liability will be removed from your tag and name pending further research. Please allow 1-2 weeks for processing. Unless you receive further notice by mail pertaining to this citation, you may disregard.



Thank you.



PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU

22 NW 1st Street 4th Floor

Miami, FL 33128"

 

[Jstpssng]

The VIN's from another Ranger downstate, just one town over from where I bought mine.
I sent my agent an email explaining the exact situation (again). I also made it clear that I won't be with them long if this isn't taken care of.
I've been with them for well over 20 years, including my commercial policies.

 

[lilranch2001]

I brought my paperwork to them 4 years ago and never looked at it since. Yesterday I dug out my original policy and the numbers didn't match then, and didn't match on the 3 policies since; so it's my fault for not checking. I'm just POed because this will give them an excuse to jack my rates, although my biggest mistake was in not checking their work.

Oh yeah, and I can think of a lot of things that I would rather spend that $186 on.

I suppose if you were as diligent in finding life's errors as you are at finding peoples typos and spelling errors, you would not be in this situation!
You could have FIXED it!

 

[Jstpssng]

I suppose if you were as diligent in finding life's errors as you are at finding peoples typos and spelling errors, you would not be in this situation!
You could have FIXED it!

You still haven't shown where all of these places are where I've allegedly found "people's typos and spelling errors"... because they don't exist. You apparently have me confused with somebody else.

 

[Storm56]

I owned an insurance agency for 22 years before I retired. I would havd gone to bat for you, even going to the hearing bringing all my records and testifying for you. This likely could have pretty easily been rectified. In fact we had a similar case at one time, if memory serves the police officer gave my client like 5 days to prove the mistake. All it took was documentation from our files to clear it up. Any agent not willing to stand up for you does not deserve to be an agent.

 

[Jstpssng]

I owned an insurance agency for 22 years before I retired. I would havd gone to bat for you, even going to the hearing bringing all my records and testifying for you. This likely could have pretty easily been rectified. In fact we had a similar case at one time, if memory serves the police officer gave my client like 5 days to prove the mistake. All it took was documentation from our files to clear it up. Any agent not willing to stand up for you does not deserve to be an agent.

The problem is that the serial number has been wrong from day one, and after 4 years I don't even remember how I provided it to them. In a court of law, I don't believe that I have a leg to stand on; the onus is on me to ensure things are correct. I sent my agent a note last night asking if it was the best they can do, but haven't heard back yet.

 

[lilranch2001]

You still haven't shown where all of these places are where I've allegedly found "people's typos and spelling errors"... because they don't exist. You apparently have me confused with somebody else.

you may be correct, I maybe getting you mixed up with someone else, if so I apologize

 

[KennyG]

The problem is that the serial number has been wrong from day one, and after 4 years I don't even remember how I provided it to them. In a court of law, I don't believe that I have a leg to stand on; the onus is on me to ensure things are correct. I sent my agent a note last night asking if it was the best they can do, but haven't heard back yet.

I guess my response would be that you paid them for coverage for four years. If they won't stand up and support that you did have coverage, they owe you four years of premiums. They violated an implicit contract to provide insurance coverage.

 

[aczlan]

The VIN's from another Ranger downstate, just one town over from where I bought mine.
I sent my agent an email explaining the exact situation (again). I also made it clear that I won't be with them long if this isn't taken care of.
I've been with them for well over 20 years, including my commercial policies.

That is why they have errors and omissions insurance, they should be on your side on this given that you paid your insurance in good faith.
I am also curious why the state hasn't caught this.
In NY the insurance companies have to report to the state which vehicles they are insuring and they will suspend your license for having a vehicle registered and played with no insurance on it. They will also not let you renew the registration without valid insurance.

Aaron Z

 

[Bird]

Many, many years ago, when part of my job was commanding the police auto pound, I received a complaint that the police had impounded a stolen pickup truck, then released it back to the thief a day or two later. It didn't take very much checking to find the story was true to that point, BUT that the pickup was already once again in our auto pound.

This was a late model pickup that the owner had bought recently and never compared the VIN on the truck to his title. So, when he reported it stolen, he gave the officers the VIN shown on his title, but the actual VIN on the truck was one digit different. The thief was caught stealing from a construction site, went to jail with the pickup impounded, but he was only charged with the construction material theft, so when he got out on bond, he wen to the pound and got the truck. Then he got caught stealing again, and when I got the complaint about us releasing that truck, it was already back in the pound again.

ONE DIGIT difference in what was reported stolen and what was actually on the truck. So, as you might guess, I carefully check the VIN on my vehicles against the sales papers, the title, the insurance policy, etc.

 

[Bird]

Many, many years ago, when part of my job was commanding the police auto pound, I received a complaint that the police had impounded a stolen pickup truck, then released it back to the thief a day or two later. It didn't take very much checking to find the story was true to that point, BUT that the pickup was already once again in our auto pound.

This was a late model pickup that the owner had bought recently and never compared the VIN on the truck to his title. So, when he reported it stolen, he gave the officers the VIN shown on his title, but the actual VIN on the truck was one digit different. The thief was caught stealing from a construction site, went to jail with the pickup impounded, but he was only charged with the construction material theft, so when he got out on bond, he wen to the pound and got the truck. Then he got caught stealing again, and when I got the complaint about us releasing that truck, it was already back in the pound again.

ONE DIGIT difference in what was reported stolen and what was actually on the truck. So, as you might guess, I carefully check the VIN on my vehicles against the sales papers, the title, the insurance policy, etc.

 

[Sigarms]

Insurance = legal organized crime

It's like playing the slot machine IMO. I you're lucky, it's your turn to get somekind of payout if you have a claim.

 

[kenmac]

Insurance = legal organized crime

It's like playing the slot machine IMO. I you're lucky, it's your turn to get somekind of payout if you have a claim.

It's like gambling and trying to beat the house. In the long run,The house will always win

 

[Citydude]

Or if you win the jackpot (file a claim), they kick you out ot the casino ( drop your poiicy)

Insurance = legal organized crime

It's like playing the slot machine IMO. I you're lucky, it's your turn to get somekind of payout if you have a claim.