Geico
Question about filing when not at fault

I must preface by saying that I don't exactly feel like I've been "ripped off." I am regretting deciding to make a claim on my car insurance policy when the other driver was at fault and his insurance company will likely agree that it was his fault.

When I called GEICO to report the accident, she took my information and my statement and then asked if I wanted to start a claim with GEICO or wait for Travelers (the other guy's insurance) to decide their client was at fault and contact me. My instinct was to wait, but I went against it because she made it sound like it was no big deal to file with GEICO and they would just get the money and my deductible back from Travelers and it would be quicker and they have this new Express Program that is just fantastic and on and on...

Here is my question, and I have Googled for a day and have not really found my answer, although I'm afraid I probably know what the answer is:

Is making a claim on my insurance to pay for an accident that was not my fault the same as making a claim on the other driver's insurance? Do the insurance companies look at a claim on your insurance as a claim, even if the other the other guy's company pays them back? Does making a claim on someone else's insurance keep your "claim record" clean? Or do insurance companies just look and see that I was in an accident, there was damage, and therefore it is the same mark on my record whether or not I file with his or my insurance?

I regret starting this process because the Travelers representative was helpful and I don't feel like I will necessarily get a better result by going through my own insurance. I am afraid I have made a bad mistake that is going to show up as a claim and affect my rates for the next 5 years.

I decided to post on this website and ask my question because in Googling I found it and thought that nearly all of the responses I read were very constructive and informative, so I apoligize if this question is not really considered a ripoff.

Curious
Richmond, Virginia
U.S.A.

Company: Geico
Country: USA
State: Virginia
City: Richmond

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