Insurance Blues

As I wrote before, bike-wise I have been lucky when that lady tipped it over, but my laptop didn't survive the incident. I brought it to a local computer shop, and they told me repairing it would cost more than buying a new one.

So I contacted the other party's insurance company, Auto Owners, the next day, and the day after that got a message from them on my mailbox. They said I cannot file a claim because I didn't file a police report and was parking illegally, so I should file a claim with my insurance company. Well, I had tried to file a police report immediately after the incident, but when I called 911, the police told me they "don't do private property anymore." And regarding the parking, all slots were occupied, so I had parked at the border of the parking area with about 15 to 20 feet distance to the parking cars. There moreover was no sign prohibiting parking there or anything. It's a parking lot, after all. My insurance broker on the other hand says the other driver's insurance company should reimburse me for the damage to my bike and my property because the accident was 100% the fault of the other driver. I tried to reach Auto Owners in response to their message, but since all the person had left on my mailbox was "Sally from Auto Owners," I was transferred back and forth between Auto Owners and the other party's insurance broker, Brown & Brown, about seven times until I was given a phone number for Auto Owners' Detroit claims office that led to nowhere.

B&B says that according to Auto-Owners a police report is what will determine if my vehicle was parked legally or not, and Auto Owners needs that police report to settle the case. Both parties will have to meet in Ohio and file the report together. The police department of Findlay, Ohio, on the other hand says they don't issue police reports whatsoever, no matter whether at the site of the incidence or with both parties appearing at the police station. Therefore, B&B says, my insurance has to cover the damage.

When I wrote to my broker that it would be more efficient if they could directly get in touch with B&B to clarify the issue, rather than me going back and forth, they told me that unfortunately their office does not handle any type of claim that is done through the actual insurance company. Moreover, in case I decided to ask my own company to cover it, the claim I would need to submit is a collision claim which my policy does not cover. The other party's insurance company would be responsible for the damage. My broker's conclusion was that "If they will not accept your claim you might consider taking out a small claim suit against the other insured."

Yeah, right. That is exactly how I imagine to spend my holiday. The lady from Findlay police told me that the insurance companies get buckets of money for the work they now ask me to do, and I think she is absolutely right.

Later I thought about buying a new notebook, then looked into the warranty card of the destroyed one. There is an accidental damage plan for notebooks. So I checked whether I had registered my notebook; I had. But for the plan you have to register at a second website. So I did that, too. Then I called support to inquire about the program. The person on the other end acted with typical robot-like schematics: "I can't answer your question before I haven't opened a case and collected all your data." Of course... I couldn't interrupt him in his mind's algorithm. Then he repeated everything I said in the fashion of "c as in 'can'..." And I mean everything! After about twenty minutes, I could finally ask my question: "If the computer is deemed irreparable, is a new one sent to me or can I pick one up at a store?" - "Well, you have to send it in, it's received, that takes about five to seven business days, then it will be decided what repairs will be done." - "Yeah, I understand, but the question I asked was..." Dude! Turns out I can't pick it up. And mail is not helpful since I'm at a different place every day, and the duration of the procedure is too uncertain to estimate where I'll be and have it sent there (if it's possible at all to have it sent to, say, a post office, since I have no address along my trip's route). And if it actually gets repaired as opposed to replaced, the whole project will take too long anyway, I suppose. I need a computer soon! So three insurances are in play, two won't pay, one can't be used. I'll send it in anyway, maybe have it sent to the trip endpoint, then sell it. "OK Sir, for this you should note the RMA." - "I don't have anything to write right now, but it's enough if it's in the email you'll send me." - "OK, but we recommend that you note the RMA..." - "I HAVE NOTHING TO WRITE!"

So all in all I'm involved in a situation that was absolutely not my fault, but 100% the other driver's fault, three insurances are involved, and it still looks like I have to take the hit. Actually that quite well confirms all the stories about insurance companies you read almost weekly in the newspapers.

Update: Asus apparently has repaired the notebook and sent it back. Since I'll see it only at the end of the tour when I collect my mail, I don't know if it is actually repaired or if that was just some default mail for sent-back items. But if they actually fully repaired it, the fact that they stand by their word is probably due to them not being an insurance company! So let's hope it is working again, and I can sell my surplus computer (I have bought a replacement in the meantime) and at least recover part of the damage. Oh boy!