Hit while clocked in for work. At-fault insurance (State Farm) is stalling, personal insurance (Progressive) won’t cover tow/rental. Need advice.
Hi everyone, looking for some urgent advice on how to navigate a messy claims situation in Virginia.Last week, I was involved in a car accident.
I was actively clocked in, on the clock, and executing a mandatory work task/errand for my employer when the crash happened.I have the official police report, and it clearly lists the other driver as 100% at fault. My car (VW Passat) has severe front-end damage. The AC stopped working immediately, and the check engine light is actively on. I managed to drive it home right after the crash, but it is completely unsafe to drive now. It’s sitting disabled in my driveway.
Here is where I am stuck: The At-Fault Insurance (State Farm): They are officially stalling. They claim they "don’t have enough information to set up liability" (presumably because their driver isn't answering their phone calls). They refuse to authorize a flatbed tow or a rental car. My Personal Insurance (Progressive): They told me "no can do" because I don't have roadside assistance or rental reimbursement on my personal policy. Plus, personal policies typically don't cover commercial/on-the-clock use anyway. My Employer / HR: I’ve emailed HR requesting to route this through our company's commercial business auto policy. My boss knows I was clocked in but is currently out of town. HR hasn't gotten back to me yet today.Because of the July 4th holiday weekend, everything was completely shut down, so no progress was made.
Now it's Monday morning. I had to miss work on Friday (7/3) and today (7/6) because I am completely stranded. I do not have the upfront personal funds to pay out-of-pocket for a private flatbed tow to a shop and a rental car.What are my options here?
How do I force State Farm to look at the police report instead of waiting on their driver? If my employer continues to drag their feet on utilizing their commercial policy, what leverage do I have? Also, how do I go about recovering my lost wages/hours for the shifts I've missed?
Any advice from adjusters or people who have been through this is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Note: I used AI to help me write and organize this post because I am incredibly stressed out and stranded at home trying to deal with multiple insurance companies today. Here are the exact facts of my situation: