The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Insurancesharp-mole-915

UPDATE: After weeks of fighting, the other insurance company finally flipped their decision 🙌

Wanted to come back and post this because when I was in the thick of it I kept searching for stories like mine and couldn't find enough of them. So here's mine.

Short version: Got T-boned at an intersection about two months ago. The other driver had a yield sign — I had the right of way, no question in my mind. She told her insurance I "came out of nowhere" and was going too fast. Her insurance did their little investigation and basically said it was a wash. Split liability. I was furious.

I filed through my own insurance to at least get moving, but I kept pushing back on hers too. Called probably six or seven times. Got the runaround every single time — "the investigation is closed," "no new evidence," the whole script.

Finally I just refused to accept that. Asked point-blank to escalate to a supervisor. Didn't yell, didn't get emotional, just calmly said I wanted to speak with someone above the adjuster level. Got transferred pretty quickly actually.

The supervisor asked me a bunch of specifics — visibility at the intersection, exactly where my car was when I first saw her, stuff like that. I answered everything as clearly as I could. She said she'd take another look.

Two days later they called back and completely reversed it. Other driver is now 100% at fault. I'm getting a rental, my car goes to my shop of choice, and the whole claim flips.

I'm not saying this works every time. But if you genuinely know you're right, don't stop pushing. Ask for supervisors. Stay calm. Be specific. It mattered.

12replies

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12 replies

  • 5
    spry-crow-648

    This is almost exactly what happened to me last year. The first adjuster just wanted to close the file and split the blame down the middle. The second I got a supervisor on the phone and walked through the actual timeline in detail, the whole thing changed. People really underestimate how much it helps to just stay calm and be precise. Congrats on getting this resolved.

    • 9
      clear-bison-866

      Good outcome. One thing worth knowing for anyone reading this — if a reversal like this hadn't happened, you can also file a complaint with your state's department of insurance. It's free, it creates a paper trail, and insurance companies genuinely do not like those complaints sitting on their record. It's a lever most people don't know they have.

    • 7
      plainspoken-overpass917

      Took me three tries but they finally budged. Don't give up.

  • 13
    clever-seal-678

    The "split liability" thing is such a classic move. It costs them less than paying out fully, and most people just give up and take it. You did exactly the right thing by not letting it go. Adjusters are not neutral — they work for the insurance company and saving money is literally their job. Always remember that.

    • 3
      patient-dreamer902

      Seconding this. The same approach worked for me last year.

  • 8
    tidy-marten-420

    Former adjuster here. When a supervisor starts asking very specific spatial and timing questions like the ones you described, that usually means they're re-running the accident reconstruction math. If your answers line up with the physics of where the damage was on both vehicles, that can override whatever the first adjuster decided. Sounds like that's exactly what happened. The first decision probably should never have been split in the first place.

  • 5
    clever-owl-731

    Really glad this worked out for you. Not legal advice, but just want to flag for others in similar situations: if the liability reversal hadn't come through, there are still options — demand letters, state insurance commissioners, and depending on the damages, small claims or a PI attorney consultation. A lot of people assume the insurance company's word is final. It really isn't.

    • 9
      gentle-optimist880

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

  • 10
    quiet-crane-453

    Honestly I teared up a little reading this. I have a friend going through something almost identical right now and she's completely defeated. Sending her this thread. You went through something stressful and unfair and you didn't give up. That takes a lot.

  • 11
    quiet-dove-359

    Key takeaway: always ask for a supervisor and do it early. Front-line adjusters have limited authority and a strong incentive to close cases fast. A supervisor has more flexibility and more to lose if a bad decision blows up later. Don't waste three calls on the same level — escalate.

  • 4
    warm-kestrel-627

    On top of the practical win, you now know you can advocate for yourself in a system that's genuinely designed to be confusing and discouraging. That's not nothing. Most people fold way before you did.

    • 0
      steady-driver347

      How long did it end up taking in your case?