WTF? 4 points for a parking lot fender bender????

[chuyler1]

So my new SDIP statement came in today (Mass Safe Driver Insurance Plan).

Amanda went from having a step 99 excellent driver discount to having +4 points all because she let her foot off the brake in the parking lot and rolled forward into the car in front of her (it was on a hill). WTF? How does that make her an unsafe driver? 10 years of a perfect record and this is how Mass treats its safe drivers? I am pissed. This should be at most 1-2 points.

Is there anything we can do?

 

[vindication]

i thought parking lots where no fault places. but it must vary state to state.

 

[Astral]

Yes, the new SDIP plan really f's over anyone getting any tickets/points, and in a hurry. I think it's 15% increase in premium for each surcharge point for a 6+ years of experience driver.

According to my calculations, you will have 4 points until 2009, then 3 points from 2010 until 2011, then to 1st discount step 98 in 2012, 2nd discount step 99 in 2013 (assuming you renew your policy after the incident date in that year... e.g. when you renew in 2008, a whole year has actually passed).

So it seems that the math is that 4 surcharge points is a 60% increase over base rate. Given that you were at a 17% discount, you'll be experiencing a 72% increase. That's only on specific parts of the policy though, so I don't know what the actual increase over the total amount would be, but you can probably calculate using your existing policy. 3 surcharge points is a 54% increase.

 

[chuyler1]

Yes, 15% per point. Do the math: That is a 60% increase for a ******* fender bender. If our insurance was $1600/yr (two perfect records, 800 each), wham! it's now $2080. Lets see, that means the state gets 480 for each year those points remain on our record. s***, they get more money than what the accident actually cost me. ******* sleezy bastards. The system allows you to remove one point per 3 years of safe driving. Let me do the math so I can get more pissed off:

Year 1-3: $480 = $1440
Year 4-6: $360 = $1080
Year 7-9: $240 = $720
Year 10-12: $120 = $350
Total: $3590 extra out of our pockets
+ the 500 deductable.

So that is $4000 for a $1500 repair job on one car and prolly a $600 repair job on the other. No wonder people hit-and-run. Yay Massachusetts.

 

[vindication]

damn that sucks. one thing I likw about car related payments here in europe....insurance. went from $4200/yr in NY to about $800/yr here. Both full coverage. Plus, insurance don't go up unless it's a big accident, neither for fenderbenders nor speeding nor other traffic infractions.

 

[Astral]

Yes, 15% per point. Do the math: That is a 60% increase for a ******* fender bender. If our insurance was $1600/yr (two perfect records, 800 each), wham! it's now $2080. Lets see, that means the state gets 480 for each year those points remain on our record. s***, they get more money than what the accident actually cost me. ******* sleezy bastards. The system allows you to remove one point per 3 years of safe driving. Let me do the math so I can get more pissed off:

Year 1-3: $480 = $1440
Year 4-6: $360 = $1080
Year 7-9: $240 = $720
Year 10-12: $120 = $350
Total: $3590 extra out of our pockets
+ the 500 deductable.

So that is $4000 for a $1500 repair job on one car and prolly a $600 repair job on the other. No wonder people hit-and-run. Yay Massachusetts.

Actually, the numbers are more like:

Year 1-3: $576 = $1728
Year 4-5: $432 = $864
Year 6: $96 = $96
Year 7: $0 back to 99 full discount

So that's $2688 total, I'm not sure where you got year 7-12 from.

Still sucks!

There is something about appealing the major at-fault accident decision, but the cutoff point is $2000 in damage, and so maybe you can convince them to make it a minor at-fault accident.

 

[KronixKid22]

Wow, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

 

[bazooka joe]

another reason to get out of this state....fast! (freak)

 

[Reitrof]

another reason to get out of this state....fast! (freak)

Oh yea, hoping to be in NH next year. I wonder if they have a similar system

Sorry to hear Chris. That sucks. Is this starting this year or does it include previous years?

 

[Crazee D]

Yeah, where is it more motorist friendly?

 

[1sty]

undeclare your citizenship so you don't have to pay and they cant make you.
As a bonus you will get free health care in Mass.

or move to Nh and dont put up with that crap.

 

[1sty]

Oh yea, hoping to be in NH next year. I wonder if they have a similar system

Sorry to hear Chris. That sucks. Is this starting this year or does it include previous years?

Its all idependt insurance up here. The policy and penalty is at the descretion of the company you use for insurance so you can shop it to get a better rate.

No Commy BS

 

[xxmikkoxx]

Sorry to hear that man. My dad had that happen for a gas station fender-bender like 6 yrs ago the cracked thier headlight then 2 days later they claimed he totaled thier car,,,his fault for not calling the insurance company for FFS a cracked headlight on some old 1980s car not worth the effort. Is there anything you can do like dispute that surcharge?

 

[NDN]

thank god i didn't change my residenty when i move up here Va ftw. but to get back on point man that is bad

 

[chuyler1]

You can only dispute whether you were more than 50% at fault. Since she is at fault there is apparently nothing we can do. I lectured Amanda last night... "Next time you ******* drive off...I don't give a s*** if there is blue paint on the other car!"

 

[CTt3P5]

Wow!!! That sucks Chris!!!

What a vicious circle --- people who just don't give a damn hit and run causing such stupid polices as this to be put into place which in turn make a good person 'contemplate' the hit and run after getting f'd by the system!

 

[chuyler1]

I've been trying to research but I can't find anything that talks about at-fault %s when in a parking lot. It seems that Mass really doesn't care. The only situations where people have been granted an appeal were when bad weather was involved. The process is very slow (often taking years if you need a court hearing) and you don't get the $50 appeal fee back if you are not found at fault.

So if anyone can dig up more information...or even a lawyer that specializes in accident points I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[vlrussian]

lol i dislike the laws especially the way insurance goes up after that its like we eat your money for 10 years and u messed up yes more money to take of your hands!
that sucks
anyways i should be talkint i got two strickes (2 points for street racing) i was stupid arg now atleast i learned

 

[Reitrof]

Its all idependt insurance up here. The policy and penalty is at the descretion of the company you use for insurance so you can shop it to get a better rate.

No Commy BS

Thanks good to know.

 

[chuyler1]

So I've got the final numbers in from my insurance company. The yearly premium goes from $1,683.00 to $2,220.00 and it will stay like that for at least three years. A difference of $537. Nice. Real nice.