What to do if a car owner double-dipped after an accident with their vehicle?
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What to do if a car owner double-dipped after an accident with their vehicle?
I borrowed a friend’s car and was in an accident that was my fault. I filed a police report at the time of the accident. Upon returning the car, my friend insisted that I pay for the repairs out of pocket at a garage of her choosing, so her insurance policy would not be affected. Feeling guilty, I complied, overpaying for the repairs and placing great financial strain upon myself. I learned later that she also received a check for the damages from the insurance company. I don’t think this was due to simple oversight but due to calculations on her part. What can I do to recover any monies lost? If I were to report her for insurance fraud, would I be entitled to recover any of the money that I spent?
Asked on June 26, 2012 under Accident Law, Illinois
Answers:
MD, Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Here, she did not reimburse the insurance company for the amount of money obtained by you. The insurance company would then go after you to obtain reimbursement of monies it paid out. At that point, you inform and provide proof of payment. You can short circuit this by contacting the insurance company, showing what occurred and providing proof she collected twice for the same event.
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