Jump to content
  • Welcome to AngelsWin.com

    AngelsWin.com - THE Internet Home for Angels fans! Unraveling Angels Baseball ... One Thread at a Time.

    Register today to join the most interactive online Angels community on the net!

    Once you're a member you'll see less advertisements. Become a Premium member and you won't see any ads! 

     

IGNORED

So I Got In A Car Accident Tonight - Advice


nando714

Recommended Posts

Cool so I can take my car anywhere to get fixed. Still waiting for insurance to come look at my damage.

 

Yep.  From what you described, this sounds like 3-5 days of work unless there's hidden damage.  I have no expertise in this, just comparing it to our recent body shop visits.  The other guy's insurance company should pay for a rental car while your car is being fixed.  Push them on this if they try to wiggle out of it.

 

Here's how the process worked for me back in September.  The other driver was at fault and had Geico.  Called our insurance first, let them know, and they put us in touch with Geico people.  I drove the car to Geico's preferred body shop where Geico's adjuster worked from.  He photographed the damage and selected the damaged parts on a tablet computer.  He crunched some numbers and fifteen minutes later I left with a check for $4200.  I drove the car down the street to a reputable body shop.  They found more damage, so the Geico adjuster went to the body shop for a closer look.  Not sure how this was arranged, but I had nothing to do with it.  Geico paid the body shop an extra $1100 on top of the $4200. 

 

Once the car was fixed, I uploaded a photo of the rental car receipt to Geico's website and they mailed me a check a few days later. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are found not at fault, by law you are entitled to a comparable rental car. If you are dealing with the other party's insurance company, most can set up direct billing with that rental agency. This way you don't have to worry about reimbursement.

 

I would consider recommendations from the insurance company of body shops. You aren't required to use them, but most insurance companies will partner with reputable shops. They work out rates with these shops, but the quality will be the same. An auto shop isn't going to jeopardize their reputation by allowing a vehicle leave their shop that was done poorly. You also will get a warranty on the work. There are some great body shops in your area: Caliber Collision, Skillcraft, Fountain Valley Bodyworks, Tho's Auto Collision.

 

Looks like a couple panels on your car will need work. Bumpers typically are quick to fix, but hoods normally take longer. My guess is you're out 5-7 days. If the weather gets cold and rainy, tack on another day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At least you don't share the same insurance provider. A young girl sideswiped me, gave a bullshit story to State Farm (the damage to our vehicles made absolutely no sense in the context she provided), and we ended up having to pay our own bills.

Damm that sucks.

So your adjuster wasn't gonna fight his own company he works for.

Ya this guy said I rear ended him to his insurance. Total bullshit if u look at the damage to his car (back driver side wheel crushed in, back driver side side passengr door hit). Their damage doesn't add up

His car insurance is under his wife's name too.

If they don't wanna pay for my car I'm gonna lawyer up. No way am I paying a dime for that idiots mistake.

His car wasn't drivable because his back tire was busted. I'm gonna drive my the scene of the accident to see if their car is still parked there and take pics. I doubt it though

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are found not at fault, by law you are entitled to a comparable rental car. If you are dealing with the other party's insurance company, most can set up direct billing with that rental agency. This way you don't have to worry about reimbursement.

 

I would consider recommendations from the insurance company of body shops. You aren't required to use them, but most insurance companies will partner with reputable shops. They work out rates with these shops, but the quality will be the same. An auto shop isn't going to jeopardize their reputation by allowing a vehicle leave their shop that was done poorly. You also will get a warranty on the work. There are some great body shops in your area: Caliber Collision, Skillcraft, Fountain Valley Bodyworks, Tho's Auto Collision.

 

You must work in the industry?  Yes / no?  Don't worry, I won't hold it against you. =)

 

I would never go to a "preferred" shop again for a couple reasons:  (1) their insistence on non-OEM parts. (2) refusing to inspect certain things in my presence -- like the frame, saying "we'll check it out later."  Yeah, right.  None of this means they are dishonest or do bad work, I just didn't feel they were looking out for my best interests.

 

In fairness, the adjusters weren't very interested in a thorough inspection either.  I had to persuade them to get on the ground with a flashlight to look underneath the car.  The private body shop I found for the second and third accidents said this is a very common tactic in the industry.  Your thoughts, mancini79?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you are found not at fault, by law you are entitled to a comparable rental car. If you are dealing with the other party's insurance company, most can set up direct billing with that rental agency. This way you don't have to worry about reimbursement.

I would consider recommendations from the insurance company of body shops. You aren't required to use them, but most insurance companies will partner with reputable shops. They work out rates with these shops, but the quality will be the same. An auto shop isn't going to jeopardize their reputation by allowing a vehicle leave their shop that was done poorly. You also will get a warranty on the work. There are some great body shops in your area: Caliber Collision, Skillcraft, Fountain Valley Bodyworks, Tho's Auto Collision.

Looks like a couple panels on your car will need work. Bumpers typically are quick to fix, but hoods normally take longer. My guess is you're out 5-7 days. If the weather gets cold and rainy, tack on another day.

Mancini thanks for the info. Waiting to hear back from their insurance. Crossing fingers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I completely dispute Mancini's second paragraph.

 

About a decade ago I was in an accident and my car was totaled.  I was not at fault.  When my insurance company adjuster came out to look at the car the deemed it totaled but the person who was at fault's insurance company insisted we take it to a body shop.  They quoted just $100 under what would have been considered totaled and convinced us to have the car fixed.  Six months later we got the car back and it always was crap to drive.  Hindsight we were fools not to pursue it being totaled.

 

Nando, I suggest asking around and finding a really good body shop in your area and taking it there.  Since the insurance will be paying for it you do not need to take cost into account.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My insurance called me and told me that the guy and his insurance (geico) are taking full responsibility for the accident. My agent told me geico told him that their story of me speeding and rear ending him and the damage just didn't add up.

So relieved. I should be getting a call from geico soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since it was not your fault, look into diminished value. It might be worth it in your case, just do a lot of research as there are some online companies that over reaches making your case harder.

I had to lawyer up, but in the end I was able to pocket $2k from being rear ended that resulted in $5k worth of damage. This was after the other insurance company paid for repairs.

When I traded the car in, I didn't even really take a hit for the prior accident history, but you know damn well a private party sell would be much lower because of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since it was not your fault, look into diminished value. It might be worth it in your case, just do a lot of research as there are some online companies that over reaches making your case harder.

I had to lawyer up, but in the end I was able to pocket $2k from being rear ended that resulted in $5k worth of damage. This was after the other insurance company paid for repairs.

When I traded the car in, I didn't even really take a hit for the prior accident history, but you know damn well a private party sell would be much lower because of it.

I might look into this. I was thinking of trading my car in around July maybe a little later. But now if you're saying a car dealership is going to diminish the value of my car IF I traded it in that would suck.

Geico gave me a rental starting tonight. Picking up my car tomorrow from my house and taking it to start work on it. They're adjuster is going to call me with all the damages

Link to comment
Share on other sites

just an fyi...

if you are not 100% satisfied with an estimate take it to a different shop and get another one.

For the person who accepted the $100 under "totalled" limit, that was just crazy. You should have never agreed to that amount. You knew it was a scam and allowed them to get away with it.

Edited by Lou
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Insurance, not the cops, determined who was at fault in my accident. They got my story, the other guys story, and did their own investigations and determined the other guy was 100% at fault for attempting an illegal turn into my lane.

you didn't report it to the police?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as places using OEM parts (most do), read your policies.

 

That doesn't help when the other driver's insurance company insists on non-OEM. 

 

Geico (not my insurer) pulled this with me on the initial estimate.  They wanted to use aftermarket bumper pieces.  I had the body shop argue with them and finally they relented. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That doesn't help when the other driver's insurance company insists on non-OEM. 

 

Geico (not my insurer) pulled this with me on the initial estimate.  They wanted to use aftermarket bumper pieces.  I had the body shop argue with them and finally they relented. 

 

Do you live in CA?  If so, you can go anywhere you want. If they give you any problems, file a complaint with the insurance commish.

 

Allstate tried to push me to their repair guy. I filed a complaint and they contacted me within two days, backpedaling like a guilty politician.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you live in CA?  If so, you can go anywhere you want. If they give you any problems, file a complaint with the insurance commish.

 

Allstate tried to push me to their repair guy. I filed a complaint and they contacted me within two days, backpedaling like a guilty politician.

 

Read further up in this thread.  I was suggesting exactly the same thing -- use your own body shop, not the one recommended by the insurance company. 

 

In the Geico instance, the adjuster specified non-OEM parts for the bumper.  The private body shop I went to (not Geico's preferred shop) fought to get that changed.  Not only that, they identified $1100 of damage that Geico's adjuster didn't see or flat out ignored. 

 

I seriously doubt Geico's preferred shop(s) would have done that on my behalf. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When someone crunched my bumper cover (hit and run), Allstate (my insurer) let me pick my own shop BUT they only had a lifetime warranty on work from their preferred shop. Their shop was some hole-in-the-wall place with multiple crunched cars in their parking lot. And the receptionist or whoever actually asked me if I was going to get it fixed (or take the money?). Uh no.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...