by Emp » Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:53 pm
Hello,
I've just found this forum and I must say that there certainly is a wealth of information here. I hope that I'll be able to contribute as much as I'm learning.
I've used the search function and so far I've not found an adequate answer to my question.
Here's the scenario:
I was hit from behind in my '03 BMW while sitting stopped in traffic. The negligent party is at fault as per the police report. He's also uninsured. That means that my claim is filed with my insurance company (USAA) as an Uninsired Motorist Claim.
Since I'm pretty new in the local BMW community, I've asked the car club members to recommend a repair shop for my baby. As is my right, I selected a shop based on enthusiast testimonials and a look at some of their work, then took my car in to get an estimate.
The estimate came back just over $10K to fix the rear quarterpanel, trunk, bumper, trim, etc. Then the USAA adjuster took a look at the car and came back with a quote just under $7k to fix it. The discrepancy, according to USAA, is that the shop parts prices are higher than USAA thinks they should be and the labor is more expensive than they're willing to pay. This sounds like complete nonsense to me; if the labor and parts at this shop were far more expensive than any other shop, how would they stay in business? I have just received both quotes in writing so I'll be going over them as soon as I can. One interesting thing of note is that there are 11 fewer line items on the USAA quote versus the body shop quote. Another difference is that the shop wants to charge me for labor tax, and USAA hasn't included that (or it doesn't appear to at this time) on their quote.
I don't really know how to proceed from here. I would like my car to be fixed at this shop due to the quality of work they do, but I don't really think that I should be paying 1/3 of the cost to do so, when the accident was through no fault of my own.
Does anyone have any advice as to how to go about getting my insurance company to pony up the cash to fix my car to my satisfaction? Failing that, and ideas as to how I should proceed with this?
Thanks in advance.
Emp
I've just found this forum and I must say that there certainly is a wealth of information here. I hope that I'll be able to contribute as much as I'm learning.
I've used the search function and so far I've not found an adequate answer to my question.
Here's the scenario:
I was hit from behind in my '03 BMW while sitting stopped in traffic. The negligent party is at fault as per the police report. He's also uninsured. That means that my claim is filed with my insurance company (USAA) as an Uninsired Motorist Claim.
Since I'm pretty new in the local BMW community, I've asked the car club members to recommend a repair shop for my baby. As is my right, I selected a shop based on enthusiast testimonials and a look at some of their work, then took my car in to get an estimate.
The estimate came back just over $10K to fix the rear quarterpanel, trunk, bumper, trim, etc. Then the USAA adjuster took a look at the car and came back with a quote just under $7k to fix it. The discrepancy, according to USAA, is that the shop parts prices are higher than USAA thinks they should be and the labor is more expensive than they're willing to pay. This sounds like complete nonsense to me; if the labor and parts at this shop were far more expensive than any other shop, how would they stay in business? I have just received both quotes in writing so I'll be going over them as soon as I can. One interesting thing of note is that there are 11 fewer line items on the USAA quote versus the body shop quote. Another difference is that the shop wants to charge me for labor tax, and USAA hasn't included that (or it doesn't appear to at this time) on their quote.
I don't really know how to proceed from here. I would like my car to be fixed at this shop due to the quality of work they do, but I don't really think that I should be paying 1/3 of the cost to do so, when the accident was through no fault of my own.
Does anyone have any advice as to how to go about getting my insurance company to pony up the cash to fix my car to my satisfaction? Failing that, and ideas as to how I should proceed with this?
Thanks in advance.
Emp
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 04:45 am Post Subject:
George Earl's oldest girl rode a pig home yesterday.
Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 09:38 am Post Subject:
George Earl's oldest girl rode a pig home yesterday.
aaaaaaa, ok Dave :? did someone forget their meds? ( :lol: :wink: )Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 01:25 pm Post Subject:
Sorry, that was just a test. LOL. I laughed so hard when I read Mike's post on that other thread. I couldn't resist.
Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:00 am Post Subject:
Oh you boys...I thought poor dave, he's losin' it! :lol: :wink:
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:00 pm Post Subject:
Thanks for reading those Lori, They are older and I thought you might have already seen or read them. I don't gamble on, or expect anything. I just go over the ins. estimate with the car owner and explain it to them. I give them my opinion on how well or poorly it is written. If it is written for parts that I object to, I try to give them some options to help them. I usually tell them if they would like I am willing to make a call and find out if the reconditioned parts even exist. I called on a Porsche bumper the other day that did exist, but I asked what the rejection rate was, and was told 75%. I got it faxed to me, and the adjuster's supervisor ok'd new. I don't think the carriers should be forcing aftermarket and reconditioned parts on claimants, but often they are. I think used is fair, if it's cost effective, but I am surprised how often it is not. I guess you would have to agree with all of this, before I could ask you how uim claims (like the op here) differ in general from ones where at fault drivers are getting their own vehicles repaired.
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:20 am Post Subject:
I agree with everything you said in your post..with the possible exception that I think that a/m and reman and used parts certainly have their place in repairs...would it make my job about 50% easier if I didn't have to use them? sure it would, no phone calls, no supps (for that), no long conversations explaining everything....but fact of the matter is I doubt they are going anywhere, and there have been times, that I have used them that the owner was appreciative of it to save a vehicle from totalling...sounds like your adjuster or their supervisor did the right thing....on an odd ball car, or one I don't see alot of I usually remember to ask about the rejection rate, if it's over 25% I don't even write it...not worth the hassle, and we all know how quickly euro car parts arrive anyway :roll: re: UMPD or UIMPD it would be handled the same as collision or comp re: first party claim...
I think used is fair, if it's cost effective, but I am surprised how often it is not
Me too! it blows me away! I'm seeing more and more of this as oem drop their parts prices more and more....I get irritated, (as I'm certain shops do) when I go on a reinspect where another (young) adjuster has written used, and not even looked to see it was more cost effective...I had one just last week, similar, rep wrote to replace a front frame kit (ford f250)...well by the time you added everything NOT included (which she missed of course) it was by far cheaper to replace the entire frame with a used one..(which was a much better repair anyway and what the shop preferred to do as well).....in this case the vehicle totaled, and I knew it would when I saw it and it should...but again, what 'looks' like the most economical repair isn't always the case....Add your comment