Is This Strange? - Page 2

**SF Cfan** · #21 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveN007

My passionately left-leaning friend was a die-hard casual commuter. Until he was broad-sided in his Subaru by an uninsured motorist in SF. A guy ran a red light and plowed into him. Not here legally. No license. Pretty typical in CA.

Each of my friend's three granola munching passengers sued him. They all had "soft tissue" injuries. His insurance paid the first $300k. The next $200k came out of his house, which he had to sell. Now he has a $250k judgment outstanding for the last bit. He is paying $4000 a month to pay it off. Half his take-home pay.

The kicker? The girl in the passenger seat is now a full time activist for "immigrant rights", now that she doesn't have to work.

Just don't forget that YOU are financially responsible for anyone you pick up. Review your insurance. Once they run through your coverage, they will come after you if you have any assets.

If this isn't an example of no good deed goes unpunished, I don't what is. On the evening commute side the car pools are not so casual. There are destination signs posted on Beale St allowing drivers to find riders headed to the same town easily. I know that doesn't make the City responsible for accidents involving car poolers. However, the implied endorsement seems a little duplicitous under the circumstances.

rrosen · #22 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swancoat

I can't understand why they would try to shut it down. The whole POINT to HOV lanes is to encourage carpooling!

IIRC it was some combination of the various district's police departments; concerned about the traffic jams and potential for pedestrians getting hit at the gathering points.

Nothing to do with the Federal Government. We have our own interesting initiatives, like Frank Wolf cutting departmental budgets if they don't get X% of their staff to telecommute.

rrosen · #23 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tme110

A non car related insurance story. I was very surprisingly reactivated and sent to Iraq 18 months or so ago. When I got back I found out that my furnace tripped off line, pipes froze and I had a new pool in the basement. I have USAA insurance which specialized on military. They denied my claim and said I waited too long to file - you know because I was too busy getting shot at in Iraq. The real point is that I love how it doesnt matter if you do have insurance, they try to screw you just as much as anyone else.

You might contact your state insurance commissioner. They love to get involved in these kinds of things. Might also be a law violation since serving on active duty suspends due dates on lots of things.

**TX-KmanS** · #24 (**permalink**) 06-06-2007, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tme110

A non car related insurance story. I was very surprisingly reactivated and sent to Iraq 18 months or so ago. When I got back I found out that my furnace tripped off line, pipes froze and I had a new pool in the basement. I have USAA insurance which specialized on military. They denied my claim and said I waited too long to file - you know because I was too busy getting shot at in Iraq. The real point is that I love how it doesnt matter if you do have insurance, they try to screw you just as much as anyone else.

This really suprises me. I too have USAA and they have been great! Low rates on our home and cars and really go out of their way in my opinion to make sure we are happy.

This really annoys me considering you were off protecting us. Thank you for your service and I would definitely escalate this to an insurance commisisoner or your state representitive. This is outrageous to deny a claim under these circumstances.

YellowBirdII · #25 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveN007

My passionately left-leaning friend was a die-hard casual commuter. Until he was broad-sided in his Subaru by an uninsured motorist in SF. A guy ran a red light and plowed into him. Not here legally. No license. Pretty typical in CA.

Each of my friend's three granola munching passengers sued him. They all had "soft tissue" injuries. His insurance paid the first $300k. The next $200k came out of his house, which he had to sell. Now he has a $250k judgement outstanding for the last bit. He is paying $4000 a month to pay it off. Half his take-home pay.

The kicker? The girl in the passenger seat is now a full time activist for "immigrant rights", now that she doesn't have to work.

Just don't forget that YOU are financially responsible for anyone you pick up. Review your insurance. Once they run through your coverage, they will come after you if you have any assets.

Dave, if I read this right, your friend had only $300,000 in liability coverage? In today's litigious climate that amount of coverage may be considered financially irresponsible. Your friend is exhibit A with regard to how easy it is to rack up a $300,000 claim.

At least in a state like California, and likely in most, I believe that $1,000,000 in auto liability coverage should be the minimum one would consider reasonable (at least most of the guys on this forum based on the posts I've read over the last year and half, and based on my assumptions of their assets.)

It does not matter which side of the political isle you stand on, it is too easy to get such coverage, with a substantial umbrella policy on top of that, that if one has stuff to protect one had better buy the insurance.