Switched insurers to save $40/month. Now I'm out thousands and the claim is 'closed' somehow??

Oh wow this hits close to home. Almost the exact same thing happened to me — insurer kept telling me to 'just wait for the adjuster to call back' for weeks, claim quietly got marked resolved without anyone telling me. What finally worked was filing a complaint with my state's Department of Insurance. Suddenly the company found my file real fast. Definitely look into that.

They do this on purpose. Delay, confuse, close. If you don't push hard enough, they just pocket the savings. Never accept a verbal promise from an adjuster — everything needs to be in writing via email or certified mail. From here on out, send every communication in writing and keep copies of everything.

I used to work on the claims side and I'll be honest — a claim getting 'closed' prematurely often happens when a file sits too long without activity and a supervisor just clears the queue. It's not always malicious, but it IS negligent. You have every right to demand a formal re-opening in writing. Cite the specific dates you were told reimbursement was coming. That paper trail matters enormously.

A few things worth knowing: First, if the other driver is at fault, you may be able to go directly after his liability coverage instead of fighting your own insurer. Second, keep a running log of every phone call — date, time, rep's name, and what was said. If this escalates, that log becomes really useful. Also, most states have a 'bad faith' statute that applies when insurers don't handle claims properly — worth googling your state's version.

Not legal advice, but what you're describing — being instructed to incur expenses with a promise of reimbursement, then having the claim closed without payment — is exactly the kind of situation where a free consultation with a PI attorney is worth your time. Many will look at insurance bad faith issues as part of an accident case. At minimum it costs you nothing to find out where you stand.

How is your mom doing physically? I ask because sometimes after a sideswipe people feel shaken but okay, and then neck or back stuff shows up days later. If she hasn't been checked out, she really should — both for her health and because any injury documentation needs to happen soon, not weeks from now when it gets harder to connect it to the accident.

Three things right now: 1) File a complaint with your state's insurance commissioner — it's usually a 10-minute online form and companies hate it. 2) Dispute any rental charge on your credit card if you paid that way. 3) If the other driver admitted fault at the scene, look into whether his insurance can be billed directly. Stop waiting for your own insurer to do the right thing.

I'm so sorry this is happening to your family. Your mom did absolutely nothing wrong and now you're all stuck dealing with this nightmare on top of the stress of the accident itself. Please don't just let it go — you deserve the reimbursement they promised you. Rooting for you.

Quick question — when they told you to get the rental, was that your own insurer or the at-fault driver's insurer? That distinction matters a lot for who's actually on the hook for reimbursing you. Also, do you have anything in writing (email, text, app message) where they confirmed the rental reimbursement? That would really change your options here.