"Insurance companies often have internal procedures and checks they need to follow, even if the evidence seems obvious."
Yeah, that's spot on. I recently bought insurance for the first time and thought dashcam footage would be a silver bullet—turns out it's not always that simple. My cousin had a similar issue last year. He got rear-ended at a stoplight, clear as day on his dashcam, but the insurance still dragged their feet. They wanted police reports, witness statements, even asked about weather conditions... like seriously? It was sunny and clear! Eventually, he had to chase down a witness who luckily agreed to give a statement. Only then did things finally move forward. So yeah, dashcams are great, but don't expect them alone to speed things up much. Insurance companies seem to love their paperwork and extra hoops...
Yeah, dashcams aren't always the magic bullet people think they are. I've had one for years, and while it's definitely helpful, insurance companies seem to have their own checklist of things they need to tick off before moving forward. A friend of mine had footage clearly showing another driver running a red light and hitting him, but the insurer still asked for traffic camera footage and police reports. Makes you wonder—are they just being thorough or intentionally dragging things out hoping you'll give up?
I get that they have procedures, but sometimes it feels like they're looking for any tiny loophole to avoid paying out. Has anyone actually had a claim go smoothly just because of dashcam footage alone? I'd be curious if that's even possible...
Dashcams definitely aren't the silver bullet some folks make them out to be, but they can still save your bacon in certain situations. A couple years back, I had a minor fender-bender in my '68 Mustang (yeah, it hurt my soul). The other driver immediately claimed I swerved into his lane, and without witnesses, it was basically my word against his. Thankfully, my dashcam footage clearly showed him drifting over while texting—case closed pretty quickly after that.
But here's the kicker: even with crystal-clear footage, the insurance company still took their sweet time. They asked for police reports, witness statements (which didn't exist), and even photos of road conditions. Felt like they were just ticking boxes to slow things down or hoping I'd get frustrated and settle for less. Eventually, though, they did pay out fully based mostly on the dashcam evidence.
From what I've seen and heard from others in classic car circles, insurers often have these lengthy checklists because they're trying to minimize fraud or exaggerated claims. It's annoying as heck when you're on the receiving end of their "thoroughness," but it's not always malicious—just bureaucratic red tape at its finest.
If your claim got outright denied despite clear footage, I'd suggest pushing back politely but firmly. Sometimes escalating your case to a supervisor or claims manager can help move things along. And if all else fails... well, there's always social media pressure or consumer advocacy groups. Insurers hate bad PR almost as much as we hate rust spots on our classics.
Bottom line: Dashcams are helpful tools but not miracle workers. Still worth having one installed though—better safe than sorry when you're cruising around in something irreplaceable!
"Insurers hate bad PR almost as much as we hate rust spots on our classics."
Haha, true enough, but honestly, social media pressure doesn't always pan out. Had a buddy whose claim got denied even with dashcam footage clearly showing he wasn't at fault. He tried the whole Twitter-shaming route, and the insurer just doubled down. Sometimes it's better to get legal advice early rather than relying too much on public pressure... insurers can be stubborn as heck when they dig their heels in.
That's a fair point—social media outrage can be hit or miss. I've seen cases where insurers reconsidered after public backlash, but it's definitely not a guaranteed strategy. Dashcam footage usually helps, but insurers sometimes interpret liability differently based on policy wording or local laws. Getting legal advice early can clarify your options and might even prompt the insurer to take another look. It's frustrating, but persistence and knowing your rights often pay off in the end... hang in there.
