Half Ton Towing

[SAD]

Originally Posted by labs4life

Like getting pulled over after you have had a few drinks....

If a drunk driver has an accident (single vehicle or otherwise) and is issued/cited for DUI/DWI, would he be denied coverage on his vehicle? What about if he damaged someone elses vehicle?

[Javi]

Originally Posted by SAD

If a drunk driver has an accident (single vehicle or otherwise) and is issued/cited for DUI/DWI, would he be denied coverage on his vehicle? What about if he damaged someone elses vehicle?

In Texas the insurance company would pay up to the limits of the policy, then cancel the coverage for the driver... After that you go into a high risk pool where the coverage is state minimums and the cost is astronomical.

As a note: once the policy limit is reached, any additional payout is on the individual...

Also, there is no prerequisite of an offence or criminal proceeding needed for insurance to deny a claim or cancel a policy.

And insurance companies have folks on their payroll who's sole purpose in life is to find a way to avoid paying a claim.. My brother-in-law is just such a person.. He spends every working day pouring over accident claims, reports, and hires investigators all in an effort to avoid paying... he often brags about the poor sap he denied a claim to this week...

[SAD]

Originally Posted by Javi

In Texas the insurance company would pay up to the limits of the policy, then cancel the coverage for the driver... After that you go into a high risk pool where the coverage is state minimums and the cost is astronomical.

As a note: once the policy limit is reached, any additional payout is on the individual...

Also, there is no prerequisite of an offence or criminal proceeding needed for insurance to deny a claim or cancel a policy.

And insurance companies have folks on their payroll who's sole purpose in life is to find a way to avoid paying a claim.. My brother-in-law is just such a person.. He spends every working day pouring over accident claims, reports, and hires investigators all in an effort to avoid paying... he often brags about the poor sap he denied a claim to this week...

Wow... Glad I don't live in Texas!

[Javi]

Originally Posted by SAD

Wow... Glad I don't live in Texas!

I'll bet that Oklahoma ain't that much different on DUI/DWI or on insurance policies.. Insurance companies are not in business to pay claims... they are in business to make money..

[x96mnn]

My 2 cents on this one:

If you hit someone and are over loaded I think your insurance company will pay and not investigate. It is not in their best interest to state that you were more negligent in the event as it most likely would increase the payout in damages to anyone hurt in the accident. Your main issue here is those hurt wanting more money and hiring a lawyer to go after you either personally or worse yet your insurance company. At this point you will not only have a lawyer trying to prove you were negligent but also your insurance company. Most policies have a fine print that relinquish their liability in a event that that dangerous operation of a motor vehicle is knowingly conducted which then have them suing you for their money back. These events are usually listed such as off road, unsafe loading and competitive racing if not specified at time of purchase, (You can get insurance for weekend track use, very expensive).

Now in the awful event you get into an accident and someone is killed, and it is determined that you were over the weight limit, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death. This may only come up if speed was a factor and stopping was in question or can be twisted in a 100 different ways. The difference between saying or it being proven you knew your vehicle was overloaded, (finding a post on a website where it was discussed in detail), would be the difference between being charged with Involuntary manslaughter and second degree murder. Two very scary words that depending on the victims families diligence in the matter could be pleaded down.

Just remember one of the most famous court phrases of all time, "Ignorance of the law is not a defence Sir!"

We can toss in hypothetical and what ifs all day long. I guess everyone takes some type of risks as some point and it depends on the individual what is justifiable and what is not. Towing with a half ton can be done safely and enjoy the ride. I am seeing more half tons though having big problems with length and wheel base with these long lighter campers being released.

[SAD]

Originally Posted by Javi

I'll bet that Oklahoma ain't that much different on DUI/DWI or on insurance policies.. Insurance companies are not in business to pay claims... they are in business to make money..

On March 17, 2005 I got in a wreck, was arrested for DUI, and totalled my vehicle - single vehicle accident.

Insuranced paid out $34,000 for my (then) 1 year old 2004 Dodge 2500 CTD 4x4.... I replaced it with a 2005 (that happened to be 2wd) - and my insurance went down.

True story.

This is the last I'm going to add to this insurance conversation.... Did you ever hear the saying, "If it's doesn't make sense, it's not true."? It applies in the this case... Maybe I'm misunderstanding you (quite possibly true)... But it seems (by the examples I've asked you about - 1 of which I have personal experience with), that you believe if you do something that is against the law - and are caught/cited for it, your insurance WILL cancel you. This is entirely NOT the case.

It is my belief that in EVERY SINGLE ACCIDENT on a public road, one of the participants broke the law. If insurance cancelled each time a law was broken, the insurance companies would do nothing but shuffle insurees back and forth between them because of the MILLIONS of cancellations. This is not what happens.

Over and out!

[Javi]

Originally Posted by SAD

On March 17, 2005 I got in a wreck, was arrested for DUI, and totalled my vehicle - single vehicle accident.

Insuranced paid out $34,000 for my (then) 1 year old 2004 Dodge 2500 CTD 4x4.... I replaced it with a 2005 (that happened to be 2wd) - and my insurance went down.

True story.

This is the last I'm going to add to this insurance conversation.... Did you ever hear the saying, "If it's doesn't make sense, it's not true."? It applies in the this case... Maybe I'm misunderstanding you (quite possibly true)... But it seems (by the examples I've asked you about - 1 of which I have personal experience with), that you believe if you do something that is against the law - and are caught/cited for it, your insurance WILL cancel you. This is entirely NOT the case.

It is my belief that in EVERY SINGLE ACCIDENT on a public road, one of the participants broke the law. If insurance cancelled each time a law was broken, the insurance companies would do nothing but shuffle insurees back and forth between them because of the MILLIONS of cancellations. This is not what happens.

Over and out!

I can't speak in first hand on the DUI/DWI but I can speak in first person on being canceled.... I have had it happen twice in my life.. once when I was 21... for a non fault accident in which I was sitting at a red light and another driver hit me... That time the excuse they used was high risk driver... went into the pool for 5 years, the second time was April 27, 1983 when I was hit head on at 70+ mph by a VA patient who was on the way home from receiving medication and became disoriented crossing two lanes of traffic... I was falsely pronounced dead at the scene and the other driver died a couple of days later... I was hospitalized with a shattered hip, the top of my head was scalped and I was paralyzed on my right side for 13 days.... spent 30 days in traction after more than 11 hours in surgery...
My insurance paid in excess of the other driver's minimum coverage.... then sent me a letter at renewal time that I would not be renewed... Fortunately this time I avoided the pool... and today I have excellent insurance rates... but I am very aware of just how easy it is to get canceled..


The fact that YOU didn't lose your coverage is great for you but it doesn't mean that others are not denied coverage for similar circumstances..

[SAD]

Originally Posted by Javi

I can't speak in first hand on the DUI/DWI but I can speak in first person on being canceled.... I have had it happen twice in my life.. once when I was 21... for a non fault accident in which I was sitting at a red light and another driver hit me... That time the excuse they used was high risk driver... went into the pool for 5 years, the second time was April 27, 1983 when I was hit head on at 70+ mph by a VA patient who was on the way home from receiving medication and became disoriented crossing two lanes of traffic... I was falsely pronounced dead at the scene and the other driver died a couple of days later... I was hospitalized with a shattered hip, the top of my head was scalped and I was paralyzed on my right side for 13 days.... spent 30 days in traction after more than 11 hours in surgery...
My insurance paid in excess of the other driver's minimum coverage.... then sent me a letter at renewal time that I would not be renewed... Fortunately this time I avoided the pool... and today I have excellent insurance rates... but I am very aware of just how easy it is to get canceled..


The fact that YOU didn't lose your coverage is great for you but it doesn't mean that others are not denied coverage for similar circumstances..

So.... I guess BOTH of our personal experiences - and how they differ - is reason enough to exclude from the forums discussion of insurance and the implications of our actions. And stick to RVing.

[Ken / Claudia]

On major crashes the police will take the vehicle computer if it has one. It will tell of speed before and at crash, seat belts useage, air bags, how hard, how long brakes where applied etc. and if possible they (police) will check brakes, steering, tires, wt. the wheels,aftermarket items installed, anything that does look like might be a cause of the crash. Check trailer for same type stuff. The lawyers get copies of the investigtion.