Man, the “collision with animal” loophole got me too my second year here. I swear, if you haven’t had to explain to a claims adjuster what a pronghorn is, are you even a Wyoming driver? I’ve racked up more claims than I care to admit—deer, hail, one time a wind gust literally rolled my old Tacoma into a fence. That one was “weather-related,” but they still tried to say it was “driver error.” Like, what am I supposed to do, anchor the truck?
I’ve bounced between companies more than I’d like. State Farm treated me alright until my third claim in two years, then my rates shot up so high I thought it was a typo. Tried Progressive for a bit—decent prices, but their adjusters acted like I was trying to scam them every time I called. Not a fan of feeling like a criminal just because the wildlife here has no respect for personal space.
Honestly, local agents are the only reason I haven’t just given up and started biking everywhere (not that it’d help with the wind or antelope). At least when you walk in and tell them you hit an elk, they don’t look at you like you’re making it up. My current agent with Mountain West has been straight with me about what’s covered and what’s not—he even flagged some weird exclusions in my old policy that would’ve left me hanging during calving season.
Still, every renewal feels like spinning a roulette wheel. The only thing predictable is that something unpredictable will happen out here. If anyone ever finds an insurer that actually understands Wyoming roads and doesn’t treat every claim like a federal investigation, let me know... until then, guess I’ll keep reading the fine print and hoping for the best.
At least when you walk in and tell them you hit an elk, they don’t look at you like you’re making it up.
That’s the truth. I swear, half the time I feel like I’m auditioning for a reality show called “What Did You Hit This Week?” The adjusters from the big national companies just don’t get it—like, no, I’m not inventing wildlife for fun. I had a guy from GEICO ask me if “antelope” was a typo for “deer.” Not kidding.
I’ll second your point about local agents. They know what’s up, and they’re usually more upfront about what’s actually covered. Still, even with a good agent, I’ve noticed the rates creep up every year, even if you’re lucky enough to avoid a claim. It’s like they’re hedging against the next freak hailstorm or rogue moose.
Honestly, I’m not convinced any company really “gets” Wyoming driving. Best I’ve managed is finding someone who doesn’t treat me like I’m running a demolition derby. At this point, I just budget for the inevitable rate hike and keep my fingers crossed the next critter has better aim.
I had a guy from GEICO ask me if “antelope” was a typo for “deer.” Not kidding.
That’s wild. I’ve had similar run-ins—try explaining to a claims rep why your classic Mustang needs a new grille after a pronghorn encounter. They act like you’re pulling their leg. I’m curious, has anyone actually found a company that doesn’t treat older cars like disposable junk after an animal hit? I swear, half of them just want to total it out and move on.
I swear, half of them just want to total it out and move on.
You’re not wrong. I’ve seen adjusters look at a ‘70s Bronco after a cow hit and just shrug, like “guess it’s scrap now.” It’s frustrating, especially when you know the car’s worth more than the book says. Some companies will work with you if you push, but it’s always an uphill battle with older vehicles.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had a couple adjusters go the other way—like, they actually wanted to try and fix my old F-150 after a deer ran straight into the side. I was ready to just take the check and move on, but they insisted it was “repairable.” Maybe it depends on who you get or which company, I dunno.
Also, sometimes I wonder if we’re all just expecting too much from insurance when it comes to classic stuff. The book value thing is a pain, for sure, but unless you’ve got agreed value or some kind of collector policy, they’re always gonna lowball it. Not saying it’s right, but it seems like that’s just how the system’s set up.
Curious if anyone’s actually had luck getting a fair payout on something older without jumping through a million hoops...
