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Shane Said:

I've been turned to collections. I need help.?

We Answered:

Very doubtful that they'd sue over this amount....Paying off slowly won't really help your credit.

Offer a settlement of $300 and go from there. You may be able to negotiate the complete removal of non credit card debts like defaulted cell, medical, utility bills etc. from your credit report with a Pay for Delete agreement. This is a written agreement where you get a signed agreement from the debt collector (PRIOR to making any payment) where they offer to remove the negative items from your credit files after an agreed-to amount is paid. They will NOT want to do this....all they want is your money and their commission and they could not care less about your credit rating....Still, you have something they want (money) and that puts you in a position to negotiate on this issue. Example letter:

I am willing to resolve this issue if your firm sends me a written agreement that you will remove all negative notations from my credit report after the agreed-to amount is paid to you. Upon receipt of this letter I will mail you a USPS money order for this amount.
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- Get all terms of any settlement deal you reach with debt collectors IN WRITING BEFORE you give them your money. This letter should state the settlement amount and that the account will be “paid in full” upon receipt of this amount from you. Never accept settlement deals over the phone that are not backed up in written terms. If you don’t, the debt collectors will deny that any settlement was ever made once they get your “settlement” money and will come back demanding more money from you
- NEVER give out your checking account/bank routing numbers to debt collectors for making electronic debit payments. Pay only via USPS money orders.
- Debt collectors love to create a false sense of urgency...If they’ve waited months/years for your payment, they can wait one or two weeks for any payment or settlement agreement from you. Any “deadline” like 5PM to get any payment to them is bogus.
- Debt collectors love nothing more than to pretend to be (or represent) attorneys when this is not the case to scare people into paying them. This is a violation of federal law. If they threaten you with a lawsuit/legal action, then ask for their attorney’s full name and license number in the state bar association. Call your state bar association to confirm this info. If they refuse to give this info to you, then the legal threat is probably a bluff.
- By themselves, debt collectors have absolutely no legal power over you., they cannot garnish your wages or freeze checking accounts...only a court can authorize this and they’d have to go through the court system to do this.

Alice Said:

I got in a minor accident into a parked car and reported to the owner?

We Answered:

First let me congradulate you for reporting this accident to the
owner of the other car. Many people would have drove away , and said nothing. This tells me that you are an honest young man, and a responsible driver.

Since both insurance companies have already been made aware of the clain you might as well let them handle the matter. Many insurance carriers will not raise your rates because of one claim, or one moving violation. If the agreed damages is $400.00 it is probably less than the deductable amount of his policy.

If you still wish to pay for the damage yourself make sure that the damage amount is what both parties agree to, and definately make sure that the other party signs a "Release of Liability" so that they won't come back in the future, and ask for more money.

Ted Said:

What kind of Lawyer would I contact for the following reason?

We Answered:

First, I assume that your drivers license is from NH and that your car is registered in NH. Therefore you come under NH law. You really do have a Federal case here, because of the different laws in the two states. The collection agency can't suspend your license, only a judge can do that in NH. (they are just intimidating you so that they can get you to pay so that they can get there fees from the insurance company) - they have no teeth only big mouths., so they will have to take you to court. Tell them to take you to court, that is what you want - don't pay the collection agency. Keep all your documentation. The courts rely on detailed documentation to make decisions not verbal testimony. Tell the collection agency that they can try to extridite you from NH if they would like but that you are not coming into MA voluntarily to go to court. If the insurance company thinks that the whole thing might be too much trouble and too costly they will probably just drop the case, especially if they think that they will lose in court because of your economic circumstances. Most attornies will answer a few questions free of charge if you just ask. Ask them about the two State jurisdiction problem and your drivers license. Use a NH attorney. Any Accident attorney in the telephone book will do - when you call ask to speak to an attorney and ask your questions he/she will probably answer them free of charge over the phone.

Audrey Said:

I just moved and am looking to find some cheap Massachusetts Auto Insurance. Can anyone recommend a place?

We Answered:

You should research patiently, and get quotes from different insurers -take your time. A used car, and a clean driving record will definitively help you have lower rates. I had to do a lot of research and estimates because my old car broke, so I ended up leasing a new Honda, and insurance in NJ is ridiculously expensive. I strongly recommend you the website savingdrivers.com because it offers free and accurate quotes by e-mail; it is different from others because it is affiliated with just 4 excellent companies: Geico, Allstate, Century 21, e-surance; so after you fill 1 easy form, it will process all your estimates directly to the insurers and e-mail them to you (there will be no extra agents or unwanted stranger phone calls).
It's also worth to try more companies independently like State Farm, or Progressive. Hope this will help you.

Bessie Said:

I was found not to be more than 50% at fault for a motor vehicle accident.?

We Answered:

You should be able to recover 50% of your deductible. It depends though, I know that Massachusettes is NOT a pure comparative state, it might be best to contact your insurance company - discuss with your claims adjuster and have them explain the situation to you. if they are unable to refund the deductible to you or part of it, you SHOULD be able to recover from the other carrier.

Your insurance company is not required to reimburse you or waive your deductible, however if the other part is at fault, their insurance company should be the ones reimbursing your deductible.

If it were CA I'd be able to give you a better answer! sorry.