Learn me: claims and body shop

Seriously?

You guys who work for the insurance A$$HOLES are kidding . . . . right ? ! ? ! ?

I'm sitting in the car, engine running and radio on when some chick hits me from behind and I get hit with a percentage of the accident ACTUALLY being my fault. WHAT percentage of blame is mine ? ! ? ! ?

I just sitting there ! I get hit with a percentage of blame and percentage of a sur-charge for doing nothing at all. I'm frackin' sitting still ! I get a surcharge for just being in the car?

Nice to know that you're paying for what you don't have to, since you're obviously making it back on the other end.

What is the sur-charge all about anyway? Forty five years of driving and this was my first "accident" in the past thirty years.

Are you seriously saying that the insurance companies are actually our friends in this?

When I put in the claim against her insurance I got four seperate calls, "Just going over you accident claim and I have a few questions. You wrote in your claim that your car was stationary, right?" How many time can I say it? It's right there in your claim report. They can ask a thousand times and it's the same answer. READ the damned paper in front of you, or are you just waiting for me to trip up here?

THAT'S why I urge anyone who makes a claim to write their statement down and just read it back time and again.

In as dead a voice as they can manage . . .

Insurance companies are only there to make as much money as possible. Insurance adjusters and the like aren't anyone's friend.

I was hit from behind while waiting for a traffic light to change. This knocked my car (my beloved old Trooper) into the rear of the car ahead of me.

The next day I got a call from State Farm, the girl was insistent that I had run into the rear of their insured. (FWIW, I had State Farm too.) After about a minute of this, I said 'go back and read the police report carefully, call me back when you have done so'.

I got another call later that day, now she's suddenly all nicey nice. I wound up paying no part of any claim out of my pocket, my rates did not go up, my driving record is still clean and best of all I got to keep the Trooper along with a sizeable check.

@TeamEvil

Please go berkeley yourself.

Sincerely, another guy who did insurance claims HONESTLY for 20 years.

Some years ago I got a notice from my insurance company that my rates were going up 220%. I called my agent and he told me that it was because of the 2 accidents where my parked car was hit and the damages were paid by the other insured. No claim was made through my company. I told the agent I was refusing to pay the increase and he told me I would be canceled. I told him to look up the applicable insurance law in the NJ Statutes and he later called me and said that it was unlawful to surcharge me for a non fault accident. He also stated that many of his clients were paying increased charges for similar circumstances. My rate increase was rescinded by the insurance company, hence my statement to do your due diligence.

Just a thought... city park might have city surveillance cameras. Best that could come from that is someone can identify the jackwad who did it. Worst case scenario is that you have a video to add to your arsenal of evidence in case insurance wants to get wiggy about it.

curtis73 wrote: Just a thought... city park might have city surveillance cameras. Best that could come from that is someone can identify the jackwad who did it. Worst case scenario is that you have a video to add to your arsenal of evidence in case insurance wants to get wiggy about it.

I hope so, the officer and I looked around the area and didn't see one, but I might go back during the day to look, and maybe ask the parks department folks.

ddavidv wrote: @TeamEvil Please go berkeley yourself. Sincerely, another guy who did insurance claims HONESTLY for 20 years.

I fully realize that the individual folks who work for the insurance companies are acting withing their own personal moral standards. Its not the people, its the company. As someone who worked in Pharmacy, managed a body shop, and been on the boned side of the auto insurance companies, I can safely say that the insurance companies are anything but moral. I know YOU are, but some companies are anything but.

Pharmacy: I would bet that fully 20% of the Rx submissions were intentionally declined despite being clearly covered in the patient's formulary. Almost all of the patients simply paid up assuming it wasn't covered without checking. Of course if I pressed the issue with the insurance companies, then all of a sudden it was an "accidental computer glitch" and "of course their script is covered, sorry for the inconvenience."

In my own life I have been hosed massively twice by auto insurance. One was a $12k claim for hail damage that they declined because the national weather service disagreed with when I said the damage happened. I said 6pm, but the NWS said 6:30. I rounded up 12 of my acquaintances with similar claims ranging from 5:30 to 7pm, lawyered up, and lost. I had a break-in to my Impala SS that caused about $2000 damage. They declined it because I couldn't produce a witness to back up the story of what happened. I lawyered up and lost.

The first claim was on a $14k Mercedes that would have been totalled. Instead of giving me a check or repairing it, I was forced to repair the glass myself so I could sell it... for $4500. The second one I had to replace my own glass, replace the dashboard, repair the damaged bodywork on the door, replace the $300 stereo.

So yeah, when I hear "moral" and "insurance" I want to vomit a little. Again, David... absolutely nothing to do with you. I'm quite certain you are a very moral and honest person, and your particular insurance company might be flawless. But speaking generally, insurance companies are the least moral type of company out there.

... and I ran auto repair shops, so I know immoral

Klayfish wrote:

TeamEvil wrote: You want to get the car into a body shop as soon as you can. Let them deal with the insurance company directly, STAY OUT OF IT ! Seriously, don't get involved in any way that you don't have to. Write down your "statement" and read it back to whomever calls to ask you about what happened. You came out and found it this way, period. DON'T speculate on how or why it happened, DON'T offer an explanation or reason or solution or speculation. Just the facts, you were away, you came back, you saw it. Don't comment on anything at all related to what happened, NOTHING ! Don't want to seem paranoid, but with insurance companies, you HAVE to be. As Don49 points out; they are NOT your friend. And good luck ! Oh, and there will always be something wrong with the car after this, even if it's only an increase in wind noise from the new window.

Everything in the above post is wrong on pretty much every level. But what the hell would I know...I only do it for a living. They're likely not going to take a statement for a simple comprehensive claim like this. If they do, and you have any idea who may have done it, tell them. Telling them "nothing", unless you're committing a fraud, is about the worst thing you can do. But like ddavid said, this is a simple claim. Find a body shop, make sure they look the car over real well, let them and the insurance company handle it. Done.

Yes, I'm not sure where this paranoia around insurance companies comes from. Maybe people deal with some bad actors in the insurance industry, but I've never had a problem dealing with my insurance company and I wouldn't trust a body shop to deal with my insurance exclusively. I mean I have had body shops work with the insurance company so that I get what I want (ie new part vs repaired part), but that's just the typical nickel and diming that goes on.

TeamEvil wrote: It's right there in your claim report. They can ask a thousand times and it's the same answer. READ the damned paper in front of you, or are you just waiting for me to trip up here?

The people working for the insurance companies are forced to deal with countless upset people just like you every single day, only the other ass-holes are not all of the same superior moral fiber as yourself. Heaven forbid the insurance companies have procedures in place to take the most basic of precautions for identifying and preventing the insurance fraud that drives my (and your) rates up.

Please feel free to tell the class precisely which for-profit industry out there is 'your friend'...LOL!

Also, I was under the impression that the Massachusetts surcharge you're whining about is assessed by the state government and does not even go to the insurance companies...Or is there another surcharge you're referring to.

It sounds to me like some people should start looking for new insurance companies, or maybe move to states with more consumer friendly laws, if they haven't already. Even though by nature it's a bit of a pain in the ass, and not that every interaction has been thoroughly enjoyable, but in the end all of my claims over the years where my insurance got involved (be it at-fault or not) have overall had completely reasonable outcomes.

ddavidv wrote: @TeamEvil Please go berkeley yourself. Sincerely, another guy who did insurance claims HONESTLY for 20 years.

Hey, at least you were polite enough to say please. If we were swindlers, you'd have just said "do it and do it now".

TeamEvil, I don't know anything about your claim, nor do I want to. But you're clearly taking your personal situation and throwing a blanket across the entire industry, which is your choice to do so. Accidents are typically not black and white, tons of grey. Insurance adjusters pretty much never actually get to see the accident happen, they have to make decisions from statements, police reports, witnesses, etc... I'm an arbitrator who makes those decisions when insurance companies are arguing about fault. I should probably just resign, you'd obviously do a much better job than I...especially since I'm a swindler.

I don't work for the insurance companies or in the industry. But I have had many claims and I use my insurance for what it's intended without fear of the consequences.

Same company since I started driving. I don't rate shop or hop from company to company looking for the cheapest deal. I stick with a company who has always fixed my car right, never given me a hard time about it and done the right thing.

If you feel your insurance company is berkeleying you then maybe you should stop being a cheap date and pay for a company that will do the right thing.

Sure, ultimately they are there to make money, no E36 M3, so are the rest of us. But the good companies know they make money by doing right by their client. My apologies to those who have had terrible experiences, but I can't believe that in my almost 30 years of driving and 6 or 7 claims I've just been lucky.

JThw8 wrote: I don't work for the insurance companies or in the industry. But I have had many claims and I use my insurance for what it's intended without fear of the consequences. Same company since I started driving. I don't rate shop or hop from company to company looking for the cheapest deal. I stick with a company who has always fixed my car right, never given me a hard time about it and done the right thing. If you feel your insurance company is berkeleying you then maybe you should stop being a cheap date and pay for a company that will do the right thing. Sure, ultimately they are there to make money, no E36 M3, so are the rest of us. But the good companies know they make money by doing right by their client. My apologies to those who have had terrible experiences, but I can't believe that in my almost 30 years of driving and 6 or 7 claims I've just been lucky.

Exactly. I got rear ended a couple of weeks ago in rush hour during a snow storm. Got to work, called my insurance company who my wife and I have been with for over 20 years. My agent asks what insurance the person that hit me has, I tell him and he say good, be glad they did not have one of the ones you see on TV all the time. Everything has been going great so far. Not everyone is a shyster.

In spite of the few insurance salesman's protest to the contrary here on the forum, it seems that I'm not entirely alone in my opinion of their profession:

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=I+hate+my+insurance+company

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=insurance+companies+are+swindlers

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=insurance+companies+are+rip+offs

I could go on and on . . .

Face it guys, insurance peddlers have a bad name ! Not you guys for sure, I doubt that you're anything other than honest, regulars guys who look out for their clients (! ! !) but the industry in general is NOT very well regarded.

Google search results said it, so it must be true.

https://www.google.com/#q=bigfoot+is+real

Maybe it's just because I've had USAA all my life, but I've never had a problem with my insurance company.

Why are you trying to make a big fight out of this. You've made you point clear long ago, and now just come across poorly. Let it go, none of this helps the OP with his question, and degrades the usually decent discussion on this board.

TeamEvil wrote: In spite of the few insurance salesman's protest to the contrary here on the forum,

Just FYI, we're not salesmen. We're claims. No door to door briefcase for me.

I worked for insurance companies for years and am now retired. I represented insurance companies in auto, property damage and personal injury claims.

They are not your friend.

Wow. This really touched a nerve.

I'm taking the car in tomorrow. Work has been super cool about me being away, and the advice here has helped greatly.

I'm guessing I'll have a better idea of how this will go tomorrow after meeting with the adjuster.

I just want to pay my deductible and be made whole, within the confines of my policy.

I have a handful of questions for the body shop tomorrow about how they'll handle several aspects of the job: do they know to not cook my lithium ion hybrid battery, how are they going to get the glass out of the door, that sort of thing. I'll post an after photo when it's finished.

Seriously, thanks everyone.

In reply to Mike:

Glad to hear things are moving smoothly. My experience also brings a struggle to trust insurance companies. I was once rear ended by a drunk driver while working. At first I was told massage therapy would be covered, but as soon as I received services at a licensed location with a chiropractor, my claim was denied (workmans comp). Also, the accident broke the gas gauge in my car. The insurance company (other drivers) claimed I could not prove it was from the accident and I was on the hook for that too. All told, getting rear ended by a drunk driver while working cost me around $1000 (they covered the cosmetic/body damage to the car).

TeamEvil wrote: I'm sitting in the car, engine running and radio on when some chick hits me from behind and I get hit with a percentage of the accident ACTUALLY being my fault. WHAT percentage of blame is mine ? ! ? ! ? I just sitting there ! I get hit with a percentage of blame and percentage of a sur-charge for doing nothing at all. I'm frackin' sitting still ! I get a surcharge for just being in the car?

Of course some percentage of the accident is your fault. If you had just stayed home, it wouldn't have happened right?

Sorry, had to go there....

Quote is finalized, and it's a hair over $6000, with almost 65 hours of labor!

The shop I went with has an agreement with my insurance, and the adjuster has been really great to deal with. He gave me a run down of the work they're doing, and it all seemed very thorough.

My only worry is when I heard paint in the quote, but didn't hear hybrid battery removal, I asked him to make sure the shop knows the car is a hybrid and has heat restrictions on the battery pack.

Okay, thanks everyone. I got the car back a week ago, and haven't had any time to take a photo or anything.

Cost at the end was just a little over $6,300!

The car, overall, looks great. They had to remove and replace the front and rear bumper covers, antenna, and headliner. Trim parts were replaced. Wheels were refinished.

There are a few nits I could pick. Honda seems to put a sticker with the car's VIN on every body panel. The one on the rear bumper cover is particularly visible when the rear hatch is open, and they painted right over the sticker. I'm worried this will catch the eye of a buyer, and I'm not sure how to do anything about it now. I'm sure Honda doesn't sell replacement VIN decals, and I'm sure the paint isn't going to come off of the existing decal.

There is a very slight new noise when the door is shut that suggests a small amount of glass wasn't removed.

They replaced a pair of aftermarket vent visors that came with the car when I bought it CPO. I had been considering removing and throwing them away before this whole ordeal. The new ones have an obvious white logo, where the old ones didn't, so they're uglier. I still like them on rainy, hot days, so I'll probably keep them.

The rear badges weren't installed when I went to pick the car up. They both wrap around a complex bend, and one is lifting. I'm going to get them to fix this.

The passenger window makes a slight scuffing noise. The point in the travel where the scuffing occurs shifts from pass to pass. I'm going to have this addressed soon.

They did contact me to say that there was some pitting to the front and rear glass. Replacement of the glass would be considered "betterment" and so I'd have to split the cost with the insurance company for replacement, or accept a check for their part of the responsibility. Based on the insurance rep's advice, I chose the latter, and the check ended up covering my $1000 deductible, and I can't see any meaningful damage to the glass on either end.

I'd rate the work overall as positive, and my insurance company was good. My only out of pocket was renting a Dodge Dart, which is the best sounding rental car I've ever driven, for a week and a half.

Datsun1500 wrote:

Mike wrote: There are a few nits I could pick. Honda seems to put a sticker with the car's VIN on every body panel. The one on the rear bumper cover is particularly visible when the rear hatch is open, and they painted right over the sticker. I'm worried this will catch the eye of a buyer, and I'm not sure how to do anything about it now. I'm sure Honda doesn't sell replacement VIN decals, and I'm sure the paint isn't going to come off of the existing decal.

This is only a problem if you are trying to hide the fact that it's been hit and painted.

I dislike it, because it's different than original, and in an obvious way.

And then, there's that word. Hit.

Do you consider my car as having been hit? I hate this prospect. I fear it lacks a proper sense of scale. I have photos and documentation from the body shop, and I'm not going to lose them, because I'm expecting an ordeal when it's time to sell in a few years.

When someone says a car has been hit, which thing do they think of as having done the hitting?

This?

Or this?

Or this?

In reply to Mike:

I'd be miffed about the sticker too, but I doubt anyone will do anything about it. Just keep the photos of the incident for when you go to sell the car. The likelyhood of the buyer noticing when you are selling the car is slim, and if they do notice its not at all weird that you 'didn't disclose the painting over the sticker'.

p.s. who knows what carfax will show for this....