Navigating Insurance After a Car Accident: A Single Mom’s Struggle
As a single mother and full-time student who relies on her car for work, dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be overwhelming. If you’ve ever found yourself lost amidst insurance claims and uncertainty, you’re not alone. This is my experience navigating a challenging situation after a semi-truck backed into my vehicle.
The Accident that Changed Everything
In June, while driving home, I found myself behind an 18-wheeler at a red light. Thankfully, I did not sustain any physical injuries during the incident. As we waited at the light, the driver of the truck began to reverse in an attempt to enter a cutoff lane approximately 50 feet away. Despite my efforts to warn him by honking the horn, he collided with my car and continued pushing me for about ten seconds before switching lanes at the intersection.
After the accident, I was understandably shaken. I pulled over to assess the damage; thankfully, the front bumper was hanging but it didn’t compromise the radiator. I quickly contacted the police to report the incident and sought footage from nearby buildings. A hotel conveniently had the entire event captured on video.
Insurance Claims: A Bumpy Road
With the police’s assistance, I was able to gather the semi driver’s insurance details from Progressive. To my dismay, I discovered that the claim was being mishandled. Initially, they claimed that the insurance policy was for personal use, not commercial, which is standard for a truck of that size. I followed the necessary steps, only to find that the commercial policy didn’t exist when I contacted them directly.
After several frustrating conversations, Progressive eventually confirmed that the driver was indeed at fault, yet they insisted there was no valid coverage for the accident due to ambiguous “grey areas” in his policy. As weeks turned into months, I felt like I was stuck in a corporate loop of unanswered questions.
Finding a Path Forward
Is there a light at the end of this tunnel? The crash team investigator from the police department suggested I file a claim through my own insurance as we had already been grappling with progressive for over three months. I reached out to my provider, only to discover that I would need to pay a $500 deductible and cover rental costs, which can be around $60 a day.
As a budget-conscious single mom, finding the funds for the deductible and rental car is a struggle. My car remains drivable, albeit
