Been there myself, insurance can be such a gamble sometimes. Couple years back, I clipped a curb (yeah, totally my fault) and wrecked my wheel alignment and suspension. Thought I'd go through insurance to save some cash...big mistake. After jumping through hoops—photos, mechanic quotes, endless phone calls—they basically said it was "wear and tear" and wouldn't cover it. Ended up paying out-of-pocket anyway, plus dealing with higher premiums afterward.
Honestly, sometimes it's just easier to bite the bullet and handle it yourself. Sucks in the moment, but at least you skip the hassle of paperwork and waiting around for a denial letter. Sounds like you made the right call settling yours directly...lesson learned for both of us, I guess.
Yeah, insurance can be a weird beast sometimes. Had a client once whose claim got denied because the adjuster said hitting a pothole was "avoidable." Like, have they ever driven on city roads after winter...? Sometimes it's just easier (and cheaper) to skip the headache altogether.
"Like, have they ever driven on city roads after winter...?"
Seriously, right? I've done plenty of road trips through cities after winter, and potholes are basically unavoidable landmines. Insurance logic baffles me sometimes—hang in there, you're definitely not alone in this frustration.
Honestly, potholes after winter are a nightmare everywhere. A few years back, I hit one pretty hard on my way to work—bent the rim and everything. Insurance gave me the same runaround, saying it was "avoidable damage." Yeah, right... at 6am in the dark, good luck spotting that crater in time.
Ended up filing a claim with the city instead. Took forever, but they actually reimbursed me for repairs. Might be worth checking if your city has something similar? Insurance companies can be stubborn about potholes since they classify them as "road hazards," meaning they're usually not covered under standard policies.
Ever thought about going after the city instead of insurance?
Totally agree with checking city reimbursement. A buddy of mine did the same thing—hit a nasty pothole coming back from a road trip last spring. Insurance gave him the same spiel, "avoidable hazard," blah blah. He filed with the city and, after jumping through some hoops (photos, repair receipts, forms), they actually covered it. Takes patience, but definitely worth a shot if insurance is being stubborn.
