The accident of aught-one

In February 2001, I was sitting, not moving, at a red light at the intersection of Elmwood and Main, in Columbia, when a car plowed into the back of Priscilla.

The car was driven by a guy who was drunk and unlicensed, and there were 6 witnesses who stuck around to talk to the police. The driver was actually taken away in handcuffs, as were the other passengers. I figured this was a slam-dunk.

But one should never assume anything with insurance companies.


The driver that night was not the owner of the car. The owner was IN the car at the time of the accident, was even one of the guys arrested . . . but the owner's insurance company refused to take responsibility for the accident, because, and I quote:

"The owner of the car says he never gave the driver permission to drive the car. Therefore, the owner's insurance agency cannot take responsibility for the accident." 


So, let me get this straight: Six witnesses all saw what happened. The driver was drunk and had no license. The owner was IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. But my insurance had to pay for it because the owner said the driver did not have his permission to drive the car WHILE HE WAS IN THE CAR WITH HIM. 

It ended up being quite expensive, because my insurance company required me to leave my car at the body shop while the two insurance companies negotiated for a month over who would pay for what. I had to drive a rental car the whole time, to get back and forth from work. Then, my insurance company had to pay for both my rental car and the accident.


So my rental company dropped me. For an accident that was not my fault.



Oh, how I love insurance companies.

I just hope this doesn't turn into that. It makes me nervous that there's "uncertainty" (I'm being kind) about the owner of the car, and that they didn't give me insurance info.