Current Events > Not sure what I should do with this check from my car insurance

(+) Yeah! (+)

I had hail damage and ended up getting an estimate from the insurance company. They then mailed me a check for the estimate.

When I took the car to an actual body shop, they said that estimate was too low and they ended up talking with the insurance company and getting all that sorted out.

I've picked up my car and the body shop and insurance company have already done all the money stuff. All I owed when I picked up the car was my deductible.

But...what do I do with this check I have that they mailed me?
The check is address to me and my auto loan company is another thing. Would I even be able to cash it by myself? Should I cash it?

Or call the insurance company? This is obviously the "correct" answer, but... Could this be a mistake I should (wrongly) take advantage of?
---

Cash it.

---

Call just to be safe

---

Either deposit it now and pay that amount to the body shop later or hold onto it and sign it over when you pick up the car.

---

Paragon21XX posted...

Either deposit it now and pay that amount to the body shop later or hold onto it and sign it over when you pick up the car.

I already picked the car up.
All the body shop asked for is my deductible.
---

They probably stopped the check when they handled the payments with the body-shop directly so cashing it wouldn't work.

I would call to be safe.

---

gunplagirl posted...

Call just to be safe

This. As an aside, it's odd that they'd send a check to you in advance at all rather than work with the body shop directly. It's obvious that they can seeing how they did.

---

Compsognathus posted...

They probably stopped the check when they handled the payments with the body-shop directly so cashing it wouldn't work.

I would call to be safe.

---

Why call to be safe? Is there a risk I cash it, it doesn't work, and I get in trouble or something?

Or could I cash it, and just hold it aside for a few months for if the insurance people realize it
---

emblem boy posted...

Why call to be safe? Is there a risk I cash it, it doesn't work, and I get in trouble or something?

worse case they may ask you to repay the amount of the check if it allows you to cash out (disregard if check doesn't clear the bank).
best case: you keep the money. insurance companies make a great deal of money from monthly premium's.
---

I don't see a point in trying to cash it. Even if it works, the odds are very low that they don't make you repay it. Insurance companies make a lot of money, but they're also very stingy with their money.

---

Lol, comment I just got from someone else

Shred it and read up on cases of how people got fucked once they were found guilty of insurance fraud to soothe over your what could of been vibe
---