After leaving the grocery store there was light snow falling as I was driving my 2023 Ridgeline in the left lane on a 5-lane boulevard (2 each way with a center turning lane). Black Suburban ahead in right lane was slowing, almost stopped, like it was turning right into the lot. As I got along side I saw a small gray car had pulled out in front of the Suburban and now was going to T-bone me if it continued. With no one in the center lane I swerved left to avoid the car but it kept coming and hit my rear door and quarter panel spinning me sideways to a stop.

The car continued across the road and pulled off, I turned around and pulled beside it. The gray car had a NY plate and the guy who was on his phone, said "just a minute" and kept talking. After calming Sophie (my shaking dog) down I looked over my truck while calling the police. The right rear tire was flat, rim cracked I believe, with scrapes along the right rear door and side of the bed. The black Suburban, that had to stop when the gray car pulled in front of it, now pulled in beside me and they got out. They gave me their name and number and stayed around chatting for a few minutes which was nice of them.

I go over and talk to the guy who's now off his phone. He said he had been talking to Enterprise about getting another rental car because they close in 15 minutes. As it turned out he had totaled his own car yesterday and just picked up this rental car "right there" as he pointed to the Enterprise place.

The deputy's now here, looks at all of us and then comes to me and asks "what happened?" as I hand him my license and POI. When I told him he just rolled his eyes then went and talked to the owners of the Suburban, finally the other guy. Then he walks over to Enterprise. He comes back as I'm jacking up my truck and hands me the insurance info from Enterprise and says "my report will show the car that hit you failed to yield right of way".

Reflecting about it while driving home I'm upset about my truck but it could have been worse. Nobody was injured, guy did stop, the car had insurance, the witness's in the Suburban stopped, the deputy was professional and even asked if I needed help changing the tire. I'm not looking forward to dealing with insurance and actually wondering if I should deal with Enterprise's insurance or get mine involved? I've been told any of the better body shops around here are backed up months.

You’re a better man than me. I think the “Just a minute” from the guy on his phone that crashed into me would have set me off.

My assumption would be he was on his phone when he pulled out in front of the ‘burb and then crashed into you.

The Suburban guy probably saved your ass. Without his statement it could have gotten in to he said/he said and you both would have been at fault. Been there, got the t shirt. I put dash cams in all of our cars after that

My advice, having dealt with rental insurance claim in the past, is 100% get this managed through your own agent/carrier. Enterprise will drag feet and screw you every chance they get.

YMMV.

Get your insurance company to handle this. That’s why you pay them. I got hosed years ago by trying to handle a small fender bender on my own. Never again…

It would’ve taken a lot for me to not have shoved that guy‘s phone up his ass.

Props to you.

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
The Suburban guy probably saved your ass. Without his statement it could have gotten in to he said/he said and you both would have been at fault. Been there, got the t shirt. I put dash cams in all of our cars after that

Perhaps, but the damage shows the car's nose hit my truck in the side. I'm very grateful they stopped though.

Does "turning it into my insurance" mean they pay for the damage? If so I'd expect them to increase my rate.

quote:

nDoes "turning it into my insurance" mean they pay for the damage? If so I'd expect them to increase my rate.

It shouldn't cause your rates to increase. Twice I've reported accidents to my insurance company where the other driver was at fault and my rates didn't increase. Here's how it works....you file a claim with your insurance company, they pay to repair your car, your insurance goes after the at fault drivers insurance and gets reimbursed whatever expenses they paid to get your car repaired along with your deductible.

Thanks calugo. I have $500 deductible (maybe $1,000 I need to check). So my insurance would pay for the damage minus my deductible? Just seems like it'd be better to to let Enterprises insurance pay the entire cost and keep my insurance company out of it.

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:

Thanks calugo. I have $500 deductible (maybe $1,000 I need to check). So my insurance would pay for the damage minus my deductible? Just seems like it'd be better to to let Enterprises insurance pay the entire cost and keep my insurance company out of it.

Your insurance company will likely go after Enterprise for the full amount, including your deductible, so in the long run, you should not be out of pocket for the deductible.

As Georgeair said above, "Enterprise will drag feet and screw you every chance they get" if you try to deal with them yourself.

Years ago, I had a claim against Enterprise. They refused to act in good faith. I finally told their adjuster, "I'm going to give you two telephone numbers. The first one is mine. Call me back if you decide to say 'yes' or call my lawyer at the second number if you decide that you want to continue to fuck around." About twenty minutes later, she called me back on my number and offered a satisfactory settlement.

I had a rental car slam into my Jeep from behind, pushing me into the intersection totaling it.
Even though the rental was cited for following to closely/failure to yield, Enterprise insurance DENIED the claim because the renter had a bogus insurance card for their "car".. Forced me to go after the driver who had NOTHING and was from Miami.

Again with the "I don't want to involve my insurance." The other guy hit you. File a claim and they will go after him. While you might have to pay your deductible at the repair shop, you'll get that back.

^^^This is the way.

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:
Thanks calugo. I have $500 deductible (maybe $1,000 I need to check). So my insurance would pay for the damage minus my deductible? Just seems like it'd be better to to let Enterprises insurance pay the entire cost and keep my insurance company out of it.

I tried that myself and what ended up happening was the at fault drivers insurance, Geico, attempted to weasel out of paying the full claim and tried to give me less than what it would cost to completely repair my vehicle. So I tossed their check and filed a claim with my insurance company which paid in full to have my vehicle fixed and went after Geico and received full reimbursement. The issue is you don't know all the schemes insurance companies try to get away with while your insurance company does.

Do not let Enterprise handle your claim.
Do not let Enterprise handle your claim.
Do not let Enterprise handle your claim.

Go through your own insurance and let them collect from Enterprise!

You're getting good advice here, do not ignore it when you actually asked for it.

In fact, even IF you never got the $500 back the whole process will go better and the repair done better/faster if you go through your carrier/agent. They will probably get 100% from the at-fault driver, but don't make a stupid decision over only that amount being delayed or in flux.

When I took it to the body shop for an estimate I posed the question to the owner, whom I know. He said in my case with the other driver failing to yield right-of-way, I should turn it in to Enterprise insurance and keep mine (Geico) out of it. Estimate was $3,800 which included replacing the gouged up wheel.

But with everyone here in agreement that I should turn it in to my insurance I'll call Geico Monday to see what they say.

In 2006 and 2010 I had two different vehicles rear-ended and let my insurance handle them. The First, with AIG, was handled completely by them, nothing out of my pocket, even a rental car. The second, with GEICO, I did pay the $500 collision deductible, but I got it back, albeit some months later. (The circumstances of this accident were a little different, i.e., the car that actually hit me had been hit first and pushed into mine.) Neither made my insurance go up. Why should it?

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Neither made my insurance go up. Why should it?

I got hit by an at fault driver with the same insurance and they offered 1/3 of the ACV of my truck. I had to fight them in court and won.

THEN Allstate TRIPLED my premiums just to get rid of me.

quote:

Originally posted by 2Adefender:
Do not let Enterprise handle your claim.
Do not let Enterprise handle your claim.
Do not let Enterprise handle your claim.

Go through your own insurance and let them collect from Enterprise!

This. I've said this a bunch but, I worked for years at an insurance company including handling commercial auto claims. Do not attempt to use Enterprise for anything. I've dealt with them a bunch when their vehicles were involved in accidents and it's not worth it.


You pay for insurance for a reason. Never attempt to go through another person's insurance, even if you're not at fault. It's more hassle than it's worth and it can take a lot longer.