by Guest » Fri Jan 01, 2010 01:25 am
Please anyone with any good advise. I was in a 3 car accident in NJ almost 2 wks ago and just yesterday I finally received the police report specifying the driver who hit me from behind being at fault as I was driving the car in the middle. I received damage front and back. It is a 08 Infiniti G35. I've filed a claim with my own insurance company and so far their service wasn't good, I took a day off and drove the car to their drive in to get appraised only to be told he estimates around $8k in damage but he couldn't do a good enough appraisal so I decided to have it towed to one of their preferred body shop. This shop has since been urging me to sign a authorization to start the repair for almost 2 weeks and meanwhile I asked them to send me an estimate 1st and had lots of resistance to a point I'm thinking to go elsewhere as the car is actually still drivable. Their excuse was oh it will always change once they tare it down and start the work. Anyways he finally sent me a preliminary estimate totaling $13300 subject to go higher being that it omitted my request to fix seat thigh support, wheel alignment and re-apply Simonize which I guess to be worth an extra $700 together. Here are my questions:
1. I just filed a separate claim with the party at fault's insurance company, will this cause a problem or will I be best to drop the claim with my own ins since I've hard no matter who's at fault my ins premium may still get raised (in NJ we hear crazy things often)
2. the bodyshop is affiliated to the insurance company of the driver at fault, should I stick to my own ins company the fact they back the repair for life even if I move out of state. However I drive $35K miles a year so I don't hold a car more than 4 years anyways.
3. I would rather they total the car, the currently value is around $21 to 25K. Would this be possible considering the loss of market value after the repair, aka diminished value. How should I approach this.
4. the rental allowance from his ins is only $27/day up to intermediate sized car. My car is what I called near luxury and I'm currently in a compact rental that's costing me $40/day so if the repair takes 30 days which i'm told it might I'd be upside down by alot
1. I just filed a separate claim with the party at fault's insurance company, will this cause a problem or will I be best to drop the claim with my own ins since I've hard no matter who's at fault my ins premium may still get raised (in NJ we hear crazy things often)
2. the bodyshop is affiliated to the insurance company of the driver at fault, should I stick to my own ins company the fact they back the repair for life even if I move out of state. However I drive $35K miles a year so I don't hold a car more than 4 years anyways.
3. I would rather they total the car, the currently value is around $21 to 25K. Would this be possible considering the loss of market value after the repair, aka diminished value. How should I approach this.
4. the rental allowance from his ins is only $27/day up to intermediate sized car. My car is what I called near luxury and I'm currently in a compact rental that's costing me $40/day so if the repair takes 30 days which i'm told it might I'd be upside down by alot
Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 02:10 am Post Subject:
You should notify the insurer that you intend to place the car up for bid and give them an opportunity to bid on the salvage as well. Add your cost of repairs and salvage value, then subtract that from your pre-loss fair market value. Do not include items such as storage and any towing in the cost of repairs. Fair market value minus repairs plus sale of salvage and you have your loss in value. Insurers are always claiming you have to sell your vehicle before you realize your loss so, in effect, that is what you will be doing. It will not be presumed or a speculated loss after the sale.
You need no quotes from dealers. If you go that route, the insurer will then claim you suffered no loss and they can't help it if you lack the skill to negotiate for the value of your salvage. Do all of this in writing and be sure to get their responses in writing. If you choose to go to circuit court or small claims court to file a claim against the negligent driver, you will have to have correspondence in writing or it is the same as it was never spoken.
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 03:59 pm Post Subject: DV
Mike,
Are you sure what you suggest won't work against me? All along adjusters on here have been telling me not to take too much time and move along with the repair. At this stage S.F. has cut me a check and deemed the car repairable. I took it upon myself to not repair and sell it as is. Your proposal sounds like I have some leverage to claim about $4500 in DV after crunching the numbers. But will SF find me negligible for not repairing with the check they paid me(eventhough it's based on a visual inpection only).
I realize I would file for DV if I go ahead with the repair anyways, but with the don't care attitue I've been getting with my dealing with SF, I'm not sure if they'll take me up on it. I suppose I'll fax or emailing something and see what happens. . .
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 06:29 pm Post Subject:
Mike, since he is electing to not repair, a repairable vehicle...are you absolutely sure that he can proceed with the DV? with any hope of success, and in any timely fashion.
I know how most companys would respond to this... :(
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 09:06 pm Post Subject:
1) I would be more concerned that I'm not getting more help from my insurance company
2) I don't know how you could have been driving your vehicle legally with damages exceeding $15,000
3) If the Body shop is a Direct repair shop for the insurance company the Insurance company backs the shop's warranty. So if you don't like the repairs and you get nowhere with the shop you can call the insurance company to re-inspect and make sure the repairs are corrected.
I know of cases where the shop did not repair the vehicle correctly and the vehicle was taken to another shop to have the repairs done correctly.
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:16 pm Post Subject: Jake:
"1) I would be more concerned that I'm not getting more help from my insurance company"
This is a 3rd party claim, they're not interested in helping me more
"2) I don't know how you could have been driving your vehicle legally with damages exceeding $15,000"
I'm driving a rental car, my car is at the shop
"3) If the Body shop is a Direct repair shop for the insurance company the Insurance company backs the shop's warranty. So if you don't like the repairs and you get nowhere with the shop you can call the insurance company to re-inspect and make sure the repairs are corrected."
Understood, but I simply don't want to pay $500 deductible and risk my premium going up. my own agent recommends i claim 3rd party.
"I know of cases where the shop did not repair the vehicle correctly and the vehicle was taken to another shop to have the repairs done correctly."
Understood, happens people all the times and that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid.
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:45 am Post Subject:
You should notify the insurer that you intend to place the car up for bid and give them an opportunity to bid on the salvage as well. Add your cost of repairs and salvage value, then subtract that from your pre-loss fair market value.
Mike, you cannot pursue a DV claim if you are not having the vehicle fixed.
I would be more concerned that I'm not getting more help from my insurance company
Read the thread from the brgining. You'll understand why :roll:
If the Body shop is a Direct repair shop for the insurance company the Insurance company backs the shop's warranty
Actually, it's the other way around. Doesn't matter if the shop is a DRP shop, who performed the repair is completely responsible and that decision will be left in the hands of the vehicle owner, not the insurance company.
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 01:53 am Post Subject:
actually my own insurance company allstate did tell me if I go with their DRP, they'd back my repair anywhere in the continental US. To some people, this may be of value.
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 01:57 am Post Subject:
actually my own insurance company allstate did tell me if I go with their DRP, they'd back my repair anywhere in the continental US. To some people, this may be of value.
What that actually means is, Allstate would be reiumbursed from the shop that performed the original repair.
Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:40 pm Post Subject:
What that actually means is, Allstate would be reiumbursed from the shop that performed the original repair.
Yes, if the shops repairs were unsatisfactory. Depending on the circumstances, and how the warranty reads, it is still of great use, and I think comfort to the owner. Let's say for instance, (I have personally seen this at least three times), body shop repairs vehicle...two, three, ten years later, some 'issue' comes up (paint adhesion, or even another loss, that uncovers poor repairs), the body shop in question has sense gone out of business, and nobody can find the owner, (or he's died and the shop closed up). Rather than the vehicle owner trying to find and get this shop to make good on their work, or sue this (now) defunk shop, their carrier can take care of this under warranty without any (more) inconvenience to the owner, then the carrier will decide if they want to pursue legal action against this shop.Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 04:27 am Post Subject: thank you
hello, my car is sold, no need to worry about repair quality no more. will shop for a new car. thanks for all your tips. god bless.
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