Trailer improperly hooked up by uhaul, damaged my truck.

[bowestbrook]

I rented a U-Haul auto transport trailer. I paid an $8 charge to cover any damage up to $40,000. A U-Haul representative hooked the trailer up to my truck. I drove over 100 miles with trailer hooked up had no issues. While attempting to load car on to the trailer the trailer coupling popped off of the ball of my truck and scratched and dented the tail gate of my truck. Employees from the Goodyear service center in Topeka that were helping me load the car and they all witnessed that the trailer was not properly hooked up and that coupling was not properly mounted to the ball. Once we finally got the trailer hooked back up and the car loaded I went directly to a U-Haul center across the street from the Goodyear service center and told them my situation. They told me that I should be covered by the insurance that I purchased and to just call and file a claim. I then immediately called and filed a claim with Republic Western Insurance, the insurance of U-Haul. The lady told me the claim would be processed and that I could go ahead and get an estimate for the damages. About a week later Paul Bosse, a claim adjuster for Republic Western Insurance, called and asked me about the incident. Now its almost two weeks later and I called Mr. Bosse back inferring about my claim and he said it was denied because he say I could have unhooked the trailer or did something to it to make it come loose, which I did not. Would I win if I took this to court? And if I took this to court could I get U-Haul to cover the legal fees?

 

[mightymoose]

Can say if you would win or not... but you certainly have an very good argument to bring. Rather than pay you out voluntarily it sounds as if they won't pay you unless you obtain an order. There is a good chance that once you serve them papers regarding this incident they will be more cooperative. Get a few estimates for the repair and determine what the actual damages are then file in small claims.
Botoom line is you paid for the coverage and they weasled out on your claim. Yes, you COULD have unhooked it... but they also COULD have hooked it improperly... if they won't honor your claim, let a judge hear it.