r/Car_Insurance_Help

I was t-boned twice in two years by the shitty drivers in my area(Northern CA) and found not at fault both by the police AND my current insurance company. It was clear as day that both people ran red lights and struck me. The second incident totaled my car.

I got a used car worth half as much as my last car, I’m driving significantly less now, and somehow my insurance has gone UP. I went to shop around and nobody is even willing to offer me a quote even when I explain the accidents were not my fault???

It makes absolutely no sense that I pay so much when I’m an excellent driver with no accidents or tickets in the ten years prior to these accidents. I’m in my mid thirties.

What should my next steps be here?

I’m hoping someone here has dealt with a similar situation because I’m completely stuck between my insurance company, the DMV, and two lenders.

Here’s the timeline:

-Car stolen: September 2, 2025
-Car deemed total loss: October 2025
-Have been paying $200/month car insurance + 7 visits to the DMV and countless calls with Statefarm

I originally financed my car through Honda Financial.
I later refinanced with Bank of America, and Honda was paid off.

Unfortunately, the title was never updated to reflect Bank of America as the lienholder before my car was stolen.

The car was reported stolen to the police, never recovered, and has now been declared a total loss by State Farm.

I have since paid off my Bank of America loan completely, so there is no outstanding loan anymore.

Honda has provided me with a lien release.

Here’s where I’m stuck:

The title I have is not “perfected.” It still reflects the incomplete transaction from when the refinance happened. State Farm says they cannot pay my total loss claim until they receive a perfected/clean title. They will not accept the lien release to move forward.

I went to the DC DMV, and they initially told me I needed to obtain a salvage title. However, to get a salvage title, they require the vehicle to be inspected which is impossible because the vehicle was stolen and has never been recovered. They can’t update the title either bc in the system it’s flagged as “stolen.”

So now I’m stuck in a loop:
State Farm won’t pay because the title isn’t clean.
DMV says they can’t do anything. They’ve actually reached out to the police department to remove the flag so they can update the title but that’s been 2 months ago and I haven’t heard anything back.

I can’t get an inspection because I don’t have the car.
The car can’t be recovered because it’s still stolen.
Has anyone in DC (or another state with a similar process) dealt with an unrecovered stolen vehicle where the title wasn’t perfected after a refinance?

Specifically:
How did you get the title corrected or perfected?
Was there a special DMV process for unrecovered stolen vehicles?
Did your insurance company eventually accept another form of documentation?

Ive spent sooo many hours at the DMV trying to figure this out. I appreciate any insight or suggestion.

Hello, this is about my son, a recent college graduate. He went off to college four years ago without a car, then he obtained a car two years ago in his name. He bought his car here in California and drove it back to school in Washington. The car is registered in California and he has a California drivers license and California plates . Each time the car comes up for a registration renewal I go to the DMV and show them his Washington auto insurance (because California auto insurance was not possible since the car spends most of the year in Washington) and I tell the California DMV he is a student and they grant him an exception to the rule that California drivers have to have California auto insurance.
Except not last week. Apparently the rules have changed now he has to get California auto insurance before July 17 or his registration with California will be suspended. The problem is that he is not moving back home until late August. My local DMV told me to have him register his car in Washington for the next month and then register it again in California in August, which is crazy. Are there any other options? Thanks.

Hello. Looking for some help and or insight into why my policy would increase by 41%. Live in California. Owner operator of a 33lb gvw service truck, not for hire, travel within 200 miles of home, stay within the state, no accidents in last six years, one cellphone ticket last year. Total policy cost last year was $24,000 and had to pay in full. New price is $35,000. Why are they trying to fuck me?

I recent moved to a new state and got quotes for new car insurances. My wife had an accident from 2.5 years ago that was major (3 cars totaled including hers. She had the worst damage, but nothing lasting thank God).

My previous insurance company and all new ones quoted us $1,000 more than what we just signed which was with a major company that is well known. The new state has much higher uninsured drivers than the previous one so i get the jump in rates plus my wife’s accident.

On the new coverage I told every company about the wreck and was very transparent and straight forward about the details (she was at fault). Every company the rates changed after going through things for 30 minutes after I got a price with the wreck included until it was time to add the drivers licenses right before paying which was frustrating when I told them everything beforehand.

On our new coverage on the phone it was stated that the wreck was included (it was not on the policy paperwork after we paid) and that we were all set to go. We have paid and are moving forward with this new company, but can they come back and change it if they realize their mistake. I’m willing to accept any issues I make but I told them several times and reclarified because they seemed too cheap to be true.

I’ve also spoken with several people who know good amount of car insurance and our coverage is what we asked for so it comes down to the company didn’t do their due diligence after I told them about the wreck and most do theirs before confirming the payment amount and accepting payment.

Also do most companies require agents to record their interactions with new clients?

So let me explain some key points real quick. I don't have a license but I have a car I got it about 2 months ago. And neither of my parents are licensed or can get their license. But I have a friend whose mom is going to help me get mine. But they won't let me drive their car so I got my plates and sticker and I studied for the drivers written exam but now all I need is insurance so that way she can drive me to the DMV and so I can actually get my license. Except this specific DMV I want to go to does not have driver's ed cars for people to use. But it's also really easy to pass in this DMV.

I heard there's some insurances but you don't need a license all you need is your registration info and all that but I don't know which brand specifically any help would be appreciated

Hey I recently moved to Florida and it looks like insurance rates for my Tesla model 3 here range from 400 to 700 dollars per month (at 25 years old). This is when I include my girlfriend, who is under 25 and has a learners permit only.

If I do not include her, the cheapest option is around 280 dollars per month. What’s the best long term strategy here? Do not include her for now and wait til she’s 25 and then have her get her permit? I want her to be able to drive my car eventually.

I am also hoping that Tesla insurance will become available, which has been significantly cheaper for me in other states.

Thanks for the help!

so i got into a car accidnet, i was 100% at fault, when the accident happened i was 17. Was just wondering if anyone can give me an estimate of how much my familys insurance will go up by as my parents aren't telling me. Guys what do i do ive been so anxious everyday over money its always money money in this world my anxiety is so bad i usualy sleep at 4 am and wake up at 7 am.

I have a major insurance provider in the US and I pay extra for roadside assistance. I’m currently 200 miles away from home (thankfully I am safe and have all of my camping gear) - also I’m in my early 20s and don’t have family members / parents who can guide me through dealing with this, so any help is good help.

I have an old honda. The key has been a little sticky and sometimes doesn’t want to turn in the ignition, so I usually just leave it in there. It accidentally got pulled out and it seems it won’t go back in. My partner and I tried for 2 hours & then it went into wheel lock.

I double checked my insurance app to make sure locksmith services are a part of roadside assistance, saw they were, submitted a request for help. Got connected with a nice lady who connected me with a service provider. Not even 2 minutes later I get a call saying “we don’t offer that anymore so we can only get you a tow for $1200.” I said well, that’s not what it says in the app or in my policy (which renewed last week). The guy kept saying the same thing, so I asked to speak to a higher up/person in charge and he refused and said oh we’ll just find someone. Waited another hour. Then they called and said oh we’ll send someone in the morning. Then the same guy called this morning and said they can’t help.

Through this process, a local locksmith guy who actually specializes in Honda’s called me and said he was going to quote my insurance $600 for the job because of the distance (I’m in the middle of the wilderness). The insurance people claimed he was going to charge “way over $1000” which just is not true. So they not only lied about not offering this service, but also lied about how much the guy quoted them for.

A nice man is going to drive us into a nearby town to try to get help, but it’s the 4th of july and I’m stranded 4 hours from home. I’m mostly just upset about the lying and inconsistencies and refusal to connect me with a higher up to get more clarity. I even stayed calm and kind in the phone calls (looking back I wish I was a little more aggressive) but I’m not sure how to move forward with my insurance company. I’m also overpaying for someone my age with a clean driving record which I just learned 2 weeks ago when comparing with other people my age.

Any thoughts on how to proceed from here aside from switching my insurance company?

TL;DR: I’m stranded 200 miles from home after my Honda’s ignition failed. I pay extra for roadside assistance that explicitly includes locksmith services, but my insurance company repeatedly gave me conflicting information, refused to escalate my call, and denied help while seemingly misrepresenting what the local locksmith quoted them.

Hi Everyone,

I just purchased a new car today. I tried calling my insurance agent, but their telephone recording says they are closed.

Then I logged into my car insurance policy which is with Selective Insurance. There is no way to add a vehicle to your policy on the website. And it says to add a vehicle through your agent. Well, can't do that because they are closed!

So I tried calling a number on the Selective Insurance website. Can't get a real person to come on to talk to me.

I sent emails to my agent and to Selective Insurance, telling them about the new vehicle and giving them my policy number and all the new vehicle information. Trying to cover my bases with this.

What can I do? Am I covered to drive this new car? Or am I screwed until Monday?

Help! Thanks!

EDIT: Solved! Read my policy and it says I have 30 days to notify them. I'll notify them on Monday.

21M in CA with a very high insurance payment on my car.

2020 Model 3 (owned)

100/300/50

Comprehensive and colission with 2.5k deductable

No previous accidents or tickets, licensed since 16

And i'm paying ~171/mo... My car is worth about 17k. I'm wondering if I got too much insurance or if this price is bad.

Currently pay 282.25/month for full coverage on a 2017 Rav4 hybrid with low mileage. Progressive quoted me 600 for 6 months (if I pay in advance) for the same coverage.

My insurer told me my current rate is as low as they can go despite my great driving record, etc. When I brought up the Progressive quote they said “That’s only for 6 months — after that they will raise your rates. Lots of our customers have come back after switching.”

Is that just bs? Anyone who switched to Progressive care to share the experience?

In NJ, it was an intersection with a stop sign on my side. I made the stop and then began to pull forward, Other driver came through (no stop sign) We bumped very lightly, mostly cosmetic damage. He accused me of blowing the stop sign, i disagree— i think he was just going a bit faster and didn’t see me.

I filed the progessive claim, saying i did not blow the stop sign. I know he probably will say I did. What will happen? I know my premium will probably go up, but will i have to do something further? Thanks!

So i have a claim open with progressive in which i was determined at fault and the police report says that I admitted running the red light. I think i fumbled and made a huge mistake.I was panicking and I didn't know what i saying.

The issue now is that progressive is saying that the opposite party has 2 years to make a claim on me. My current insurance rate is 188$ for basic state liability in the state of texas and I am under 25 years old. What can I do to just close the case and probably my insurance doesn't go up. Please help me. Im having sleepless nights.

Hey everyone,

I’ll be 100% transparent here: I’m a digital marketer working on US auto/health insurance campaigns.

We all know the stereotype. Most insurance ads are either corporate gibberish, fake promises, or just plain annoying. I’m genuinely tired of making stuff that people just want to skip, and I want to build creatives that actually address real needs.

So, I’m asking you directly:

• What triggers you the most in current insurance ads? (What makes you instantly mute or swipe away?)
• What are your biggest pain points when dealing with insurance right now? (Is it hidden fees, terrible customer service, confusing policy language, or the nightmare of filing a claim?)
• What would actually catch your attention in a good way? (Clear pricing upfront? Explaining a complex clause in plain English? Real reviews?)

I'm not here to sell you anything or drop any links. I just want to understand the real consumer perspective so I can stop polluting the internet with useless ads and maybe create something that actually helps people make better choices.

Appreciate any honest feedback, horror stories, or rants you’ve got for me!

Without getting too deep, we have someone renting a room in our house. She was involved in a car accident and although the damage is mild to moderate, he is trying to find a lawyer to sue and get the car deemed a total loss. So everything’s on hold while he is working his angle. (So no rental)

I have an extra car with liability only that I don’t mind loaning her. I don’t think it’s a huge deal and she would be covered under permissive use if in an accident. My wife disagrees and thinks that if she is a resident at our address, must be listed on our policy.

Who is correct here?

I really do feel bad for her because her dad is pushing his agenda, leaving her without a car and relying on friends or Uber while he dicks around. She is a friend of our kids and circumstances led us to take her in at steeply discounted rate so she could stay local and finish school.

Update: Thanks for the feedback. Wife was right. It was just discussed between us and offer was not extended.

As far as accident involvement, was not the roommates fault. She was exiting the bank, yielding and waiting to merge into traffic. A truck was entering the lot and clipped the front corner of her car. Her dashcam is pretty clear. Max speed 10-15mph. No airbags. Sh drive it home without issue.

It seens to be an accident where the other driver cut the corner and clipped her. If it were me or my kid, I would open a claim and get it repaired. But don’t know if her dad is trying to make a buck or genuinely feels the car is unsafe. So will leave things as they are.

For those advising to put her on the policy as a resident, don’t see the need as she does not drive any of our cars and parks in the street. With 3 kids in their early 20s (and not the best driving history) I don’t see a need to complicate policy more.

Thanks for everyone’s feedback.

I am quite lost on how to proceed, mostly because of how I’m feeling right now due to an accident I got into two days ago. A guy did an illegal u turn and sped right in front of me as I was going north. I had no way of actually avoiding him and T boned him.

Police told me he admitted on scene that he caused the collision, they ticketed him
And included all of this on the police report. I know this doesn’t determine liability and that that is up to the insurance. I have a pounding headache, I’m nauseous, I’m dizzy, tired all the time, I’m anxious and can’t even get in an uber without being fearful an accident will take place. My neck hurts, my arms and wrists are sore.. legs are scratched up.

ER visit after the accident showed I didn’t have any fractures or internal bleeding. I completely am lost here on how to proceed. My insurance company knows all about this and told me they’re pushing to determine liability asap next week. I am so exhausted mentally that I just wa t some help here please

- should I speak to the other party’s insurance or wait for mine to determine liability first?
- should I hire an attorney or are my injuries not sufficient enough to justify hiring one?

Im in a pip state- NY. I am familiar with claims
And such. Just confused on how to proceed without shooting myself in the foot. Any advice would be appreciated

Long story short, I got auto insurance about two months ago. I missed submitting a required document, which caused my premium to triple. After I submitted the document, the insurer said they would see if they could restore my original rate, but later told me they couldn’t. By then, I was already past the 45-day window to cancel without a penalty.
An insurance agent suggested that instead of canceling, I stop making payments, let the policy cancel for nonpayment, and then either rewrite a policy with the same company or get a new policy before the cancellation becomes effective.
Has anyone heard of this method or had experience with it? My biggest concern is avoiding a lapse on my driving record. This all happened because of a simple mistake, some miscommunication, and a hectic work schedule.

Basically, like a year ago, I was driving, and I accidentally merged into this lady and hit her car. It was really small, and initially she was like oh it's fine, there's barely a scratch, it's not a problem.

Then, like a week later, we find out that she's claiming that the accident caused her some great like neck damage and a whole slew of other stuff.

We're thinking that originally she was fine, but then once seeing the other car I have on the insurance (we have one expensive car and one cheap one, I was driving the cheap one at the time), she realized that she could get a whole lot of money out of us. The problem is also that when the accident happened, thinking it was no big deal, I recorded a confirmation for her basically saying that I hit her car (a recording that only she has). And now she's suing me. Any advice?

I am extremely late bloomer as one can tell and I am shopping for insurance plan. I already know it will be expensive and I am prepared for that. I am most interested in full coverage. I am in Arizona. Ehilteit will cost me, I still would like to know who is the best and cheapest of all for car insurance?