The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Property damageclever-vole-832

Hit-and-run drunk driver totaled my car while I was asleep — insurance won't cover my rental yet??

I'm still kind of in shock writing this. Three nights ago someone drove through my apartment complex, jumped a curb, and absolutely demolished my car while it was sitting in my assigned parking spot. I was asleep inside my unit. Didn't even know until I went out to leave for work in the morning.

Police caught the driver a few blocks away — still impaired. They were cited and their insurance has already accepted full liability, so at least I have that going for me. The damage is pretty severe and the shop is saying parts are on back order, so my car is just going to sit there for probably two and a half weeks before they can even start on it.

Here's what's killing me: I asked the at-fault driver's insurance about a rental and they said they won't authorize one until the repair work actually begins. How does that make any sense? Their client destroyed my property and I'm just supposed to figure out transportation on my own for two-plus weeks?

I take care of my elderly mom twice a week. I commute 40+ minutes to work with zero public transit options. I've already missed two shifts and my job doesn't offer any paid leave. This is starting to feel like a financial disaster on top of everything else.

A few things I'm trying to figure out:

  • Can I dispute the rental start date and push for it to begin now?
  • Is lost income something I can actually recover, and how do I document it?
  • Does it make sense to get a lawyer involved this early, or is that overkill at this stage?

I've never dealt with any kind of insurance claim before and honestly the adjuster I spoke to felt like they were just reading from a script. Any guidance would be really appreciated.

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10 replies

  • 11
    clever-heron-672

    That 'we only cover rental when repairs start' line is a classic delay tactic. They're hoping you'll give up or figure something out yourself so they don't have to pay. The at-fault driver's insurance owes you a comparable replacement vehicle from the moment your car became undrivable — not from whenever their repair shop gets around to it. Push back hard and get everything in writing.

    • 20
      swift-elk-996

      Not legal advice, but this fact pattern — documented liability, economic losses, a vulnerable situation with no transportation alternatives — is exactly the kind of thing a PI attorney would want to hear about early. Most do free consultations. Even if you don't end up hiring anyone, a 30-minute call can give you a clearer picture of what you're actually owed. The lost wages piece in particular can get complicated to calculate and present correctly.

    • 8
      hopeful-walker493

      Appreciate the detailed write-up. Saving this for later.

  • 14
    plain-raven-406

    I used to work claims and I'll be honest — that policy about waiting for repairs to begin is something adjusters use when they think they can get away with it. Technically the liability carrier is responsible for your 'loss of use' starting from when the loss occurred. If you can show the delay is due to parts availability and not anything on your end, you have a reasonable argument that the rental clock started the day of the incident. Document every conversation, ask for the adjuster's supervisor, and send a brief written summary of what you've been told so far. Paper trails matter.

    • 3
      steady-dreamer492

      Curious whether you did this on your own or had help with it.

  • 10
    hearty-newt-864

    Lost wages are absolutely something that can be part of a liability claim — it's considered economic damages. You'll want to document everything: pay stubs from recent weeks, a letter from your employer stating your hourly rate and the shifts you missed, and any written confirmation from the shop about the parts delay. The more paper you have, the harder it is for them to lowball you. Also, if you have your own auto policy, check whether you have rental reimbursement coverage you can use in the meantime and get reimbursed later.

  • 12
    patient-swift-516

    I just want to flag — even if you weren't physically in the car, the stress from something like this is real and it adds up. If you're losing sleep or feeling anxious, it's worth mentioning that to your doctor and having it documented. Emotional distress from an accident (yes, even one where you weren't hurt) can sometimes be part of a claim. Take care of yourself through this, not just the paperwork.

  • 15
    swift-fox-470

    Went through something pretty similar last year — parked car destroyed, took forever to get answers from the other driver's insurance. The thing that actually moved the needle for me was calling my state's department of insurance and asking what my options were. Just making that call seemed to suddenly make the adjuster a lot more responsive. Might be worth a try.

    • 7
      sharp-bison-920

      I'm so sorry this is happening to you. The fact that you're dealing with all this logistics chaos on top of worrying about your mom's care and your job is a lot. Rooting for you — please update us when things move forward.

  • 17
    gentle-elk-084

    Stop calling. Start emailing. Every time you have a conversation with the adjuster, follow it up immediately with an email that says 'just to confirm what we discussed...' and summarize what they told you. If they said no rental until repairs begin, get that in writing. It changes the dynamic fast.