Was Rear Ended, Considering an Attorney

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Don't sign any releases. Two months after I was rear ended, I wound up in the hospital with a subdural hematoma. If it wasn't for the VA, I'd be on the streets or dead. The VA was able to collect from the insurance of the person who rear-ended me.

Woody

 

[beast1989]

The irony is I have a custom plate bumper with a tire carrier on order. It will be here in two weeks. So I want a check and then I will have my bedside fixed and install my new bumper. Scrap the smushed one...

i've been hit and my gf has as well in two consecutive years. The insurance check is GOING to be a lowball, but it doesn't matter at all. Take it to whatever body shop you want and the shop will just tell you that they'll negotiate the difference with the insurance company.

 

[CHenry]

That's some scary stuff right there! I always look at things like that being hauled and think to myself how bad it would be to rear end something like that. Especially the trucks carrying rebar hanging way off the bed.

Or a slow moving tractor with a round bale spike on the back end.

 

[RidgeHunter]

i've been hit and my gf has as well in two consecutive years. The insurance check is GOING to be a lowball, but it doesn't matter at all. Take it to whatever body shop you want and the shop will just tell you that they'll negotiate the difference with the insurance company.

LOL. I'm too busy to deal with it, but I'll make time if that's how they wanna play.

Getting my estimate today. I will tell them I'll sign off on the whole deal in exchange for a check in that full amount. Any less and they can S my D, yo. I spend a lot of time in the car and I have hands free. I'll haunt them like herpes.

 

[RidgeHunter]

Just got my estimate from my body shop, who I believe is in their "network" anyways.

Claims dept has me set up to meet with an estimator tomorrow. Told her I want a check for the full amount of my estimate and I'll sign away on it.

I know this cat will lowball me. I am likely replacing the bumper myself with the custom bumper I have on order so I want the check, not them to pay the body shop. She said "sometimes" they can do that.

Any tips besides just saying "FU, pay me" relatively until they do? It's $2100 by the way, which seems reasonable to me. Like I say I'm not dancing thee worm at the E.R. I just want my **** that their texting driver broke paid for. No more.

 

[CHenry]

Any tips besides just saying "FU, pay me" relatively until they do? It's $2100 by the way, which seems reasonable to me. Like I say I'm not dancing thee worm at the E.R. I just want my **** that their texting driver broke paid for. No more.

They are obligated to pay you, you ARE NOT obligated to fix your car unless the bank has a lien on it. You can take the check and spend it on hors and blow if you want. I got paid for 2 different hail storm damage claims to my truck, I didnt fix it the first time, just banked the $4400 with intention of fixing it one day, then 2 years later, another hailstorm that got my truck and roof on the house. They never asked if I fixed the truck the first time but I would have told the truth had they asked. So another check but oddly it was only $3800 lol... I didnt argu that though. Got it fixed a month later for $4000. Some new sheet metal parts, some bondo on the top and 100% new paint job.

 

[dennishoddy]

If you own the truck outright with no Lien or consigner they have to write the check to you.

 

[RidgeHunter]

That's what I thought. Thanks guys. I own it free and clear.

We'll see what he says tomorrow.

 

[Mos Eisley]

I was talking to a coworker the other day about her new tow package she had installed. I asked her if she got a receiver lock for the ball mount. She said no because in NY state, where she is from, it is illegal to leave your ball mount in your receiver while not towing. Something about them injuring too many people's legs as they walk by them and the damage (to the offender) from getting rear ended. Frickin' nanny state strikes again!

 

[FullAuto]

The irony is I have a custom plate bumper with a tire carrier on order. It will be here in two weeks. So I want a check and then I will have my bedside fixed and install my new bumper. Scrap the smushed one.

If they lowball me huge on the check, fine. Then I want it fixed to stock with OEM parts. And a rental.

If they come close on the check amount I will accept it. I'm easy to deal with but hate being screwed.

Rush hour traffic slowed on the highway. I even put my hazards on before he hit me! Texting I assume.

State Farm is going to pay for OEM exterior sheetmetal and any safety parts. The only aftermarket parts they'll allow is mechanical parts like a condenser or radiator. If you need a rear bumper, taillights, etc., they will be OEM.

When you take it to your shop or ANY shop for that matter, even a State Farm approved facility, your estimate will intentionally be written high. That's standard in the business. Because you could get 10 different adjusters that write 10 different estimates, a shop will always write high because they want every penny the insurer authorizes. When they get the insurance estimate, they'll repair it for that. If they honestly feel they need more money, they will send it a supplement. The insurance company writes for what they can see. If there is additional damage found later, they'll come back and pay for it. A shop will write worst case scenario up front. The shop doesn't want you to drop your car off and then call you back the next day and tell you it will be an extra $1000. If they do, you will think you've been scammed because now your car is torn down and you can't move it.

About 25%-30% of repairable cars written by a staff adjuster in the field will have a supplement when it hits the shop. It's not because they intentionally low-balled you (usually). But after teardown, it's common to find additional damage. When an adjuster's supplement percentage is too low, that can mean he/she is over-writing up front and is a possible fraud indicator. When their supplement percentage is too high, it's because they are lazy or just not technically that good. You show me a guy with a 40% supplement percentage and I'll show you one sorry ass estimator.

I will warn you, if you're an ******* to the adjuster, you may get a conservative estimate. Now I had a coworker that no matter what you said to him or about him, he'd give you a 100% fair estimate every single time. You could call him momma anything you wanted and your estimate would be exactly what it needed to be repaired correctly. But not everyone is like that. We are taught to write everything fair and never to try and save the company a penny. We are told we will pay claims fairly and it's someone else's job to adjust rates based on what claims pays out. That's how a mutual company (non-profit) is supposed to work. When we get our reviews, we are NEVER awarded for being cheap. It's more about how much work I can do, not how much I spend.

Insurance companies have shops on their program because it's cheaper than hiring enough staff to cover those claims. Not all insurance companies require the shops to give them a discount. Some however, do. State Farm does not require a shop to give them a discount as a requirement to get on their program. What they do require, is the shop to give them the best deal they give another insurance company. So if the shop gives a 5% parts discount, they give SF that also. If they aren't a direct repairer for any other company, then there's no discount.

Most of the higher quality shops are on the programs. There are good shops that are not for various reasons, but it's typically the better ones for the areas that are on the program. A good number of shops that aren't on any insurance program is because they suck. With few exceptions, it's really that simple.

And another thing, State Farm will pay out MORE if you use their program than if you use their staff adjusters and a non-program facility. It's not even close. Being a DRP shop is basically a license to steal. You take your car outside of their program and I'll have it repaired for less money 99% of the time. There is a LARGE difference between staff averages and DRP averages.