Would My Insurance Company Work With Another Party In An Accident Without Even Contacting Me?

I was in an accident yesterday we both decided that the damage was minor exchanged info took pics left now I’m getting calls that they want money for their damage in the amount of $400. I have a strong feeling they don’t have insurance i told them to contact my insurance if they want anything because i don’t believe i was at fault the woman calls me back up that she called my insurance company and they without even contacting me immediately told her to take her car to get a quote which sounds like a lie there is no police report and no ones contacted me from my insurance should i worry? Are they even allowed to do that without the insurance contacting me?

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Jim Winkler
CEO/Owner, Winkler Financial Group, Houston, Texas
That is a good question! I would certainly expect that your company would have reached out to you, especially if you have a good relationship with your agent. I would also expect that it would be a stock answer for someone calling in to your insurance company (I'm assuming that you told them who you use) to tell them to get an estimate, so they would know how to proceed. I would also expect that your company would have asked them who their insurer was/is. Without a police report, collecting anything may be like pulling teeth, as there is no solid legal proof that the damage was caused by your accident. That said, I wouldn't expect this to just go away, either. I'd call your agent, and tell them what happened. ask if a claim had been filed against you, and eplain why you didn't report it. If your damage was negligable, or would cost less than your deductible, they will understand why you did not report it. You want some sort of support if the people who are seeking damages start getting persistant about it, and your agent can be infinitely helpful if that becomes the case. I hope it works out well for you, thank you for asking!
Answered on June 11, 2015
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David G. Pipes, CLU®, RICP®
Business Development Officer, T.D. McNeil Insurance Services, Fresno, California
When your insurance company is notified of a claim they start processing the claim immediately in order to limit the damage. The cost of a claim is often closely tied to the time required to adjust the claim. The adjuster will contact you very soon to get your side of the story. There are some standard rules that they use to determine who the responsible party is and if they cannot agree on this matter with the insurance company of the other party then they will take the case to arbitration to determine fault. During this entire procedure they can and will operate without consulting you. The only type of insurance where the company is required to get the insured’s permission for anything is medical malpractice and that is certainly not the case here. The company will always be trying to get the claim closed as quickly as possible.
Answered on June 11, 2015
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Waltere Koti
Principal Agent, First Insurance Agency Inc, United States
Insurance companies will generally contact the other party to a claim before proceeding with a claim. The will in most instances take a statement from both parties before proceeding. Without speaking to the claims adjuster, it is difficult to know why the claims adjuster choose to proceed with claim without getting all the facts. This is not the norm. Generally speaking insurance companies will not pay a claim until they speak with both parties
Answered on June 11, 2015
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Ty Peck
Agency Producer, Farmers Insurance, Ferndale, WA
Great question! Your insurance company should reach out to you within a day or two if a claim has been filed regarding your policy. They would need statements from you and pictures of any damage done to your vehicle, so it would be strange if they did not contact you.
Answered on December 7, 2015
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