Insurance adjusters....HELP!

[kangareaux]

I have a new 2009 Toyota Corolla. DH and i were stopped at a red light, and the car behind us rearended us.

She got out of her car screaming at me, and i was furious

She caused this, and now she is screaming at me?? I said do you have insurance, she said yes, but there is nothing wrong with your car....Well DH and i had to block her car from leaving the scene while we called the police... (that has nothing to do with my question....that was just a vent

My bumper was damaged, and now one of my break lights dont work.....

I called her insurance company...They want me to get an estimate from someone affiliated with THEM, and this is in a horrible part of town?? I want to go to the dealership, b/c it is a new car!!!! Now they are saying that yes, i can go to the dealership, but i still have to have their people estimate the damages...I know their person will lowball the estimate. I would have to pay the difference in price

Do i have to get their person to give me an estimate. I dont mind getting other estimates, i just dont want to get a lowball from THEM!

Fellow DS resident here.... First off....

Now...I'm pretty sure that (BY LAW) you HAVE to report it to your insurance company. Also pretty sure that if you have state farm or allstate that they'll handle the claim and settle up with the other person's company. Since she was at fault (Did you get the police report?), that will mean you won't have to pay your deductible. I think farm bureau works the same way, but not very familiar with them. (And if you happen to be with Allstate, then the place they'll send you to get it inspected is right there on O'neal. And if you're with Geico (I think that's right) they will send an adjustor out to you.

Just curious....which company did she have and where are they trying to send you?


ETA: (It took forever to get in to edit though...apparently it's a slow connection night...) USAgencies....ugh....nuff said. We were rear-ended by a woman with Geico once. They were GREAT to deal with. If they are half as good with their own clients then you can't go wrong letting them handle it. (Still wanna know where they want to send you! LOL!)

 

[taylor1293]

Sorry about your accident and the crazy lady!

DH is a collision shop manager and has worked at independents and dealerships. Body shops at dealerships work on all makes and models, they do not specialize. . Pick the place, dealership or independent, that comes highly recommended by a friend/relative.

You may take the car to whoever you choose. The body shop can handle everything, including her insurance company, for you. Good luck!

ETA: Not sure if you have to call your insurance company, I think that depends on your state law?

My dealership has a separate body shop. I figured who knows a Toyota better than people who work on nothing but Toyota's all day long?

Also, I think my estimate for the damages (new bumper, muffler and the shock absorber between the bumper and the car) was about $1600. Might not seem like much when you look at it, but it adds up quickly. It's not just the parts, it's the paint, labor, etc. that also add to the total.

 

[wannabee]

Louisiana claims adjuster here....

In La. you can bring your car anywhere you want for repairs but they need to inspect your vehicle before repairs are started.

US agencies is horrible to deal with. If it were me, I would report to Geico, pay your deductible and let them subrogate US agencies.

 

[HighClass]

First of all-DEalerships never do body work-they farm it out.

I got 3 estimates and ended up using the cheaper guy who could fit me into his schedule faster.

 

[taylor1293]

Maybe where you live, but that isn't how it is here. They have full collision repair shops here. All work is done on site by the dealership.

First of all-DEalerships never do body work-they farm it out.

I got 3 estimates and ended up using the cheaper guy who could fit me into his schedule faster.

 

[robinb]

My dealership has a separate body shop. I figured who knows a Toyota better than people who work on nothing but Toyota's all day long?

In that case, I would go to the dealer ... however not every dealer has a body shop dedicated to that kind of car. For instance, my Mazda dealer does not.

 

[manning]

BY ALL MEANS GO THRU YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY!!!

I am insured by State Farm and got rear ended by someone who had All State. Not knowing any better I filed with All State. BIG MISTAKE!! After four weeks they finally got around to examining the car and fixing it at my dealer. Dealer thought I abandoned it.

When I told State Farm about this when I was in to pay the premium he said I should have filed with State Farm. They would have paid for the repairs and billed All State.

 

[manning]

My dealership has a separate body shop. I figured who knows a Toyota better than people who work on nothing but Toyota's all day long?

Also, I think my estimate for the damages (new bumper, muffler and the shock absorber between the bumper and the car) was about $1600. Might not seem like much when you look at it, but it adds up quickly. It's not just the parts, it's the paint, labor, etc. that also add to the total.

I have a '93 lincoln town car, old body on steel frame built. When it got rear ended the cost to repair was close to $2,000. The guy who hit me couldn't get his front doors to open. caved in his front end.

My car didn't even look like it was hit. The bumper cost the most. They are not cheap!!! Also had to have the tail pipe replaced as it was jammed into the rear wheel. It was the only reason I couldn't drive it. It was stainless steel and we could not move it away from the wheel.

 

[Pollito916]

I agree with many of the other posters that you should go through your own insurance company. I work for an insurance company (though none of the ones mentioned and am not an adjuster) and I think it is a requirement of many of them to report to them "timely" when you are in an accident.

 

[golfgal]

Sorry not sure about your state, but most states it is against the law to require you to go somewhere you don't want to go. They cannot force you to get three estimates like in the old days or to go to their garage. Check with your insurance company/agent they should have all the informations you need. If not try your insurance commisonor at the state level. Oh, by the way sorry you got hit.

In MN they still can require you to get 3 estimates if you don't use one of their approved garages. Approved garages are ones that the various insurance companies have checked out and know they won't overcharge insurance claims AND do a good job with the repairs. It is to the advantage of the garage to be honest about these things because they get a LOT of business from insurance repairs. It also streamlines the claims process--often you won't need an adjuster to come out, they accept the garages estimate for the claim.

Have you contacted your insurance company? In the beginning of April I had a drunk driver hit a car parked behind me, which pushed that car into mine (2008 Toyota Camry) and caused major damage to my bumper and muffler. I immediately called my insurance company. They sent out their estimator (if that's even a word). They indicated I could bring the car to their repair shop, also in a bad neighborhood. I asked if I could bring it back to the dealer's autobody shop and they said yes. Because I had such low mileage on my car, they allowed for all brand new factory parts. I needed a new bumper and a muffler. I had the car back within a few days and they didn't settle with the drunk drivers insurance company until recently. I had to pay my deductible, but once my insurance company received word from her insurance company that they were taking complete responsibility, my insurance company sent me a check for my deductible.

By law they can't make you use aftermarket parts and you can take it to any place you want.

OP,

You take it to the dealer and tell the other parties insurance adjustor to meet you there. As he's looking over the car start complaining about a sore neck! I'm sure he will be happy to get the car fixed your way!

TC

I wouldn't recommend doing this as insurance fraud is a federal crime and spending time in jail probably isn't fun.

OP, report your claim to your own insurance company and let them deal with it. In a rear-end accident unless your tail lights were out you probably won't be assigned any fault and it won't do anything to your rates. You pay your insurance company to deal with these things so let them.

 

[clutter]

You have Geico? Call them. They've got claim service 24/7. You can set up an appointment with an adjustor or go to one of their body shops that they do both the estimate and the repair at the same time. If you don't have rental coverage, the person who hit you will be responsible for it. So you may have to go out of pocket for your rental and your deductible, but you will get it back. Check their website for the locations of the Geico places. Geico rocks.

 

[lovin diz]

hey everyone...Just an update....

Went to the dealership, and another collision center. The estimates were not that bad. $650 -$800. I did call geico, and US Agencies will need to come estimate the damages. I did contact geico, and i will go through them, just as everyone suggested.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I cant wait until my car is fixed.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Glad it's all working out for you. Thanks for coming back and keeping us informed.

 

[onelilspark]

My parents & brother have Geico. They're apparently awesome at dealing with stuff like this, contact them!

 

[Green Tea]

OP, don't assume the worst about the body shop they want an estimate from. I've had fine experiences with similar things and the body shop they recommended. But, when asked they didn't care if that is where I went or not, but they had a relationship with the particular one that made it a pretty seamless day of fixing for me.

 

[TheBigBadWolf]

Sorry, OP. I just now read your post.

There is a little known insurance clause that states if your car is in an accident, you will never again be able to sell it as "never having been wrecked". I can't remember the name of the clause, and I'm hoping an insurance agent will chime in here and tell you the name of that clause. (I had the information saved on my last computer that got hit by lightening, and now I can't recall the name of the clause). Since your car can never again be sold without you disclosing it has been wrecked, you can claim this clause and get an additional 10% of the total insurance claim. Example, if your total claim is $5000, you would get an additional $500 cash paid to you, since your car has now been wrecked, which will bring the resale value down. I know this is fact as I have told several friends and family members about the clause and all were able to claim it and obtain the additional money. Most times their insurance agents didn't even know about the clause and had to do some checking into it, but in each case the insurance paid out the additional 10% claim. It's something they don't advertise and most people have never heard of it. I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the clause, but perhaps if you ask YOUR insurance company about it, they will tell you the name of the clause and you will get the additional money. It's not fair that you are now stuck with a new car that has been wrecked through no fault of your own, and you deserve the additional money for that reason.