hail damage and auto insurance

I am in Austin, TX and yesterday's hail left 20 minor dent on my truck. It is not too bad because I have comprehensive coverage of auto insurance.

I am currently holding policies both from Geico and Allstate (because I recently switched to Allstate but didn't cancel the old geico's policy).

I have a crazy idea, can I take a cash settlement from one of company and get the truck repaired by the other? Is it illegal?

 

My truck got hailed on. It wasn't that noticeable and I wound up just taking the money and letting it be. I don't even think about the little dents anymore, and frankly hardly anyone sees them unless they look really hard.

 

I think 2 seperate claims for the same damage would be considered insurance fraud.

 

It hailed in Austin yesterday?! I'm in Georgetown, about 20 minutes away, and all we got was some moderate rain. Must've just bypassed us!

 

I'm not sure- but if you claim it for both you might end up gettin investigated by the company you drop.
You are paying for two policies...but ::shrug::

Just the fact you were worried about it enuf to ask...prolly reason enuf to not do it. Claim it one or the other...and be done.

 

Thanks for all your inputs!

I think I won't take any risk collecting money not belong to me. Yes, I have had both policies for 2 days now, I bought Allstate policy 2 days ago without canceling the Geico one.

Hail sucks.

 

Exactly... My wife's SUV got a cracked windshield and 30+ big dents! It looks like the car was shot by a shotgun...

Actually I am not sure about the shotgun thing, I've never seen one...

 

can we see the pics?

 

^what he said...

 

Making dual claims is like asking for some metal bracelets.

 

A buddy at work sent me these

 

I'm going to modify what I said. My mom is a NYS insurance agent....and she tells me that if you make two claims as you fill out the paperwork, including signing the Affidavit of payment, you should come across a clause that states you have not collected money from anyone else.

She also tells me that (at least in NYS) it's illegal to have the same car on two policies at once.

SO- I'll recommend you NOT put in two claims even more strenuously and suggest either A) canceling a policy ASAP or B) double checking TX law and making sure that having the same car on two policies is legal.

 

Ouch!!!!

 

It is absolutely insurance fraud, you cant legally insure on vehicle with 2 separate companies and you cant legally profit from an insurance claim. When (not if) the insurance companies find out they have both paid out on a claim which they can cross reference by the date of loss they are going to come after you to get it back. Either company or both could then prosecute you for insurance fraud since you knowingly filed the same claim with two companies. I am not sure what the penalty for insurance fraud in Texas is but here in Ohio it is up to 5 years in prison and a 10,000 fine. Not worth a few bucks in my opinion not to mention they wont issue a check directly to you if you have a lein-holder anyway.

 

as a licensed insurance agent i can promise you that if you try that crap you WILL be facing some serious charges for insurance fraud! possibly jail time. dont mess with insurance, dont get greedy and dont try to weasel out of paying your deductible.
if it were me i would file the claim with the old company, there is a lot less chance they would raise your rates with the new company. i would also call your new agent and ask if they can re issue the policy forward a couple days to avoid haveing coverage from both companies.

 

Good Freakin' God!!!!! That shit was big! Poor 350...

 

Just as I got in my truck to go to work yesterday it started to hail so I went back in the house and waited it out. Wife said it looked like it snowed in Leander with the hail covering the ground.

 

Eeek! That's horrible

 

This I'm sure would be a felony, there are enough LEO's on this site to correct me if I'm wrong.