Insurance company demanding information from accident that had nothing to do with them - No OT

Got a letter from my car insurance company Wawanesa demanding documentation from an accident that had nothing to do with them. I was driving a friends car, got hit by another driver with a suspended licee. Claim was filed through my friend's insurance company, the two companies handled their business, and the other driver's company ended up paying the damages exceeding $1000.

This letter says:
__________________________________________________________________________
"Records obtained from DMV indicate that this driver was involved in an accident on the date shown...please provide us with documentation from independent source such as insurance, attorney, police that the accident was found to be:
1) not at fault for the driver listed above
2) At fault, for the driver listed above, but total loss or damages not exceeding $1000
3) At fault,for the driver listed above, but total loss or damages exceeded $1000, did not involve injury or death to any party

If proper documentation cannot be obtained, we will accept the following declaration attesting to the facts regarding this incident:
I, was the driver involved in this accident, hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the following is true regarding the accident:
1) I was found to be 51%, or more, at fault for the accident Yes No
2) A person was injured or killed in the accident Yes No
3) The total damages for the accident exceeded $1000 Yes No
Note: This company reserves the right to cancel this policy and may take any other action authorized by law if it is later discovered that the information provided isfraudulent or contains material misrepresentations

Then it asks for signature and date, and adds at the bottom:
"Please supply documents or signed statement within 30 days...failure to return may result in accident surcharge on your policy
__________________________________________________________________________

In just 1 page, they have demanded documents about my business with people unknown to them, demanded that I answer some statements, threatened legal action if I lie to them about any of it, and threatened to charge me if they don't get what they want.

I can easily get insurance documents and just this here, which I will probably end up doing, but I don't see why this is any of their business, and why they raise your insurance premiums based on the DMV point system for accidents/tickets, but can't seem to figure out that 0 points means I wasn't at fault.

Comments? Opinions? Advise?

You license was pinged because you were the driver in an accident. I think your insurance is just trying to make sure they are not obligated to pay someone or to make sure you are not trying to do something such as not reporting an accident to them.

Plus, if you had anything to do with this accident, they might be able to raise your rates...

Just fill it out and forget it. Nothing will come of it.

They want an excuse to raise your rates. Fill it out, show that you weren't at fault, and then (IMHO), get yourself a new insurance company that's not so excited about finding things to charge you extra for.

You have made an incorrect assumption. You say that the accident has nothing to do with them. They are insuring you, and that rate is based upon (among other things) how many accidents you have had. The fact that they did not have to pay out on the claim does not change the fact that by having that accident you have now had more accidents in the last 18 months than you did beforehand.

At this point it is in your best interest to send them the documentation since it sounds like you were found completely not at fault and if you show the insurance company that then they are more likely to overlook the accident.

Quote from wmelnick : You have made an incorrect assumption. You say that the accident has nothing to do with them. They are insuring you, and that rate is based upon (among other things) how many accidents you have had. The fact that they did not have to pay out on the claim does not change the fact that by having that accident you have now had more accidents in the last 18 months than you did beforehand. At this point it is in your best interest to send them the documentation since it sounds like you were found completely not at fault and if you show the insurance company that then they are more likely to overlook the accident.

I agree. If the OP was at fault he would made a claim on his insurance which would have likely covered him driving his friends car. There are temporary vehicles usually built in to most policies. Fill in the form.

from your description, they are inquiring if you were at fault during that accident - thus it was about you and your role in that accident.

besides, they are merely inquiring if you were at fault. if you weren't, just circle NO to the question 1) I was found to be 51%, or more, at fault for the accident

but i do wonder what kind of documentation would prove that you are not at fault, perhaps a police report filed?

What state is this in?

Stop over complicating other peoples lives.

When you got the insurance policy you claimed no accidents in the last however many years and they did their due dilligence and found one.

Quote from wmelnick : You have made an incorrect assumption. You say that the accident has nothing to do with them. They are insuring you, and that rate is based upon (among other things) how many accidents you have had. The fact that they did not have to pay out on the claim does not change the fact that by having that accident you have now had more accidents in the last 18 months than you did beforehand.

No I haven't made that assumption. The accident may well give them the right to raise my insurance premiums, especially if I was at fault. They can easily find this information from the DMV, which they have already used to find the history of this accident. Drivers are given points on their record for being at-fault in accidents - it's not hard to do the math.

The issue I have is with the private communication/documents between me and other parties that they are demanding. That was between me and those parties. Whatever they need to know is available through DMV records.

Quote from LiquidRetro : I agree. If the OP was at fault he would made a claim on his insurance which would have likely covered him driving his friends car. There are temporary vehicles usually built in to most policies. Fill in the form.

Happened a few years ago in my sister's car. I called my insurance company (AAA at the time) to report it, they said I was calling the wrong people and told me to call the company that insures the vehicle. Regarding fault, once they found that I wasn't at fault, they simply returned the deductible. My insurance company never had anything to do with it.

Quote from homer2324 : from your description, they are inquiring if you were at fault during that accident - thus it was about you and your role in that accident. besides, they are merely inquiring if you were at fault. if you weren't, just circle NO to the question 1) I was found to be 51%, or more, at fault for the accident but i do wonder what kind of documentation would prove that you are not at fault, perhaps a police report filed?

Line 3 would be circled 'Yes'. I wasn't at fault, that shouldn't hurt me, but why would I ever want to volunteer a statement like that to my insurance company?

Once the adjuster makes their evaluation, they usually send you a letter listing each driver and how many % they were at fault in the accident. Police report works too.

Quote from Nollywood : What state is this in?

California

Quote from Scampsters : Stop over complicating other peoples lives. When you got the insurance policy you claimed no accidents in the last however many years and they did their due dilligence and found one.

Policy/contract was created long before the accident. Renewed last May, accident in August, due to be renewed this May. Once may comes around and they require that information for me to renew, then sure I'll have no choice but to fill it out if I want to renew.

It's the law to report accidents with injuries/certain amount of damages, but the insurance sure is making it seem like I broke a law by not reporting it to them.

Quote from CarsNoHomo : It's the law to report accidents with injuries/certain amount of damages, but the insurance sure is making it seem like I broke a law by not reporting it to them.

Does your policy contain a clause that you have to report any accident in which you are the driver, regardless of whether you file a claim with them or not?

Quote from gunnerusa : Does your policy contain a clause that you have to report any accident in which you are the driver, regardless of whether you file a claim with them or not?

I plan to look through the contract later, but maybe someone here has had a similar experience and knows of such a clause. The wording of this letter makes no indication I'm required to send them anything - just that they want me to, and that bad things can happen to me.

Quote from CarsNoHomo : Line 3 would be circled 'Yes'. I wasn't at fault, that shouldn't hurt me, but why would I ever want to volunteer a statement like that to my insurance company?

Will your insurance make assumption about the incident if you don't provide them that statement?

i would assume that the letter your insurance company sent to you was IN RESPONSE to some information they obtained - and, obviously, i don't know from where and in what form.

i would assume that by sending you the letter, your insurance has the inclination/potential TO TAKE ACTION on your account, perhaps depending on information you will, or will not, provide.

i would also assume that you DON'T WANT ACTION to be taken against your account.

thus, i think it would be prudent to proactively prevent the insurance company's action from happening - either responding to the letter and call them to question why you are receiving the letter.

All you have to do is provide proof that you weren't at fault for the accident. It's not that hard. And yes, it IS their business, because just like wmelnick said, they are insuring you.

This is pretty standard practice. There's really nothing "unfair" or "invasive" about it. At least not anymore than everything else they require.