Vehicle repair problems

[OceanAnnie]

I'm frustrated. We were involved in a car accident a few months ago. Rear-ended, while sitting still. The driver didn't see us and was going the speed limit (around 45mph). The insurance company and auto repair shop underestimated the amount of damage. The repairs ended up costing almost the full value of the vehicle! And it still isn't right. How could they not "see" it in the beginning? Lots of issues. Had to return the vehicle because I'm afraid to drive it. It's been going on for months.

I wish it had been totaled, but it's a moot point now. I'm not confident it can be a reliable vehicle again. They have been working on the same issues for months.

I've been researching, trying to find out what we can do if it turns out it won't be a sound vehicle. The insurance company is heavily invested in the repair. I'm sure they wouldn't be receptive to doing anything more at this point. It seems to be a money pit. What is the tipping point for loss or repair after the fact (paid repairs)? I haven't found anything on this particular issue.

I wonder how long can this drag out? What if it isn't sound after all of this? If you have had any experience like this, it would be helpful to know how you resolved it.

TIA.

 

[java]

Have your insurance agent deal with it. It's why you have insurance. They will be able to fight with the shop.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Have your insurance agent deal with it. It's why you have insurance. They will be able to fight with the shop.

I did call him. He said it was a complex issue and in all his years he hadn't come across anything like it. And he wished us good luck.

So that's out.

 

[java]

Wow! What a jerk! I would go over his head then at the insurance company. I had some issues once when my car was stollen. I had to go up the chain of command to get what my car was worth. I'm sorry.
By the way didn't the insurance company inspect the car?

 

[OceanAnnie]

Wow! What a jerk! I would go over his head then at the insurance company. I had some issues once when my car was stollen. I had to go up the chain of command to get what my car was worth. I'm sorry.
By the way didn't the insurance company inspect the car?

I know!

I did contact our agent in the beginning, he said if they were working with us, he didn't need to be involved. In the beginning the other party's insurance and the body shop were working together and everything seemed to be in order. Babes in the woods, in retrospect. I can't get over the cost of the repairs almost equals the full value of the vehicle. How could they do that? We rejected the vehicle after driving it. The auto shop rep. said it isn't reliable now and is going over the vehicle again. I don't know how things will go after this new development. Ugh.

The way the repair process is set up from the beginning is key. It's standard practice I believe. They give an estimate based on what they "think" is involved prior to breaking down the vehicle. They issued a check to us (to hold) then all other findings/repair costs are paid to the body shop after the vehicle is broken down. So it's kind of flawed to begin with when you have extensive damage. It's incredible how out of touch the initial estimate was by both parties. The cost to date is almost 4xs the initial estimates.

 

[golfgal]

While your agent could have been a little more helpful there really isn't anything he can do for you. Insurance companies do NOT want agents handling claims issues because they are not trained to do so. I WOULD call the claims department with your company, explain what is going on and ask them to assist. This IS why you have insurance and it is the claims department's job to do this for you.

What will probably happen is they will file a claim with your company, talk with the interested parties (mainly the other insurance company) and figure out the best course of action to get you back to where you were before the accident.

It will take some time. If your car is not drivable, the other company should be paying for a rental car for you. If you don't involve your insurance company, the other company is going to try to get away with paying as little as possible because they can. When you throw the weight of your own insurance company into the mix, that changes the situation on the other side.

 

[OceanAnnie]

While your agent could have been a little more helpful there really isn't anything he can do for you. Insurance companies do NOT want agents handling claims issues because they are not trained to do so. I WOULD call the claims department with your company, explain what is going on and ask them to assist. This IS why you have insurance and it is the claims department's job to do this for you.

What will probably happen is they will file a claim with your company, talk with the interested parties (mainly the other insurance company) and figure out the best course of action to get you back to where you were before the accident.

It will take some time. If your car is not drivable, the other company should be paying for a rental car for you. If you don't involve your insurance company, the other company is going to try to get away with paying as little as possible because they can. When you throw the weight of your own insurance company into the mix, that changes the situation on the other side.

Thank you for the advice.

We had a rental car. It was returned when the vehicle was deemed "done". Now that it is not "done", we are in a holding pattern until the status of the vehicle has been decided and regular business hours resume. I'm not happy with that.

 

[tlbwriter]

It's incredible how out of touch the initial estimate was by both parties. The cost to date is almost 4xs the initial estimates.

It's not uncommon for a repair shop to lowball an estimate in order to get the business. But yes, this was seriously lowballed!

Anyway, you need to talk to your claims department, not your agent. And you might need to get tough with them. Tell them the car is NOT acceptable and point out every problem. You can also talk to the claims department at the other insurance company and tell them you will keep bringing this vehicle back until you are completely satisfied, or they can total it now and be done with you.

Also, you should switch agents. Yours sounds like a dud.

 

[OceanAnnie]

It's not uncommon for a repair shop to lowball an estimate in order to get the business. But yes, this was seriously lowballed!

Anyway, you need to talk to your claims department, not your agent. And you might need to get tough with them. Tell them the car is NOT acceptable and point out every problem. You can also talk to the claims department at the other insurance company and tell them you will keep bringing this vehicle back until you are completely satisfied, or they can total it now and be done with you.

Also, you should switch agents. Yours sounds like a dud.

We haven't needed anything from him, so this new development was a rude awakening.

It has been such a headache! I was hoping the new year would put this all behind us. We seem to have a long way to go.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[bicker]

It sounds, actually, that you've got a dispute with the insurance company. In cases like that, it is important to remember who the insurance agent works for: The insurance company - the insurance agent is not an agent for you, but rather is an agent for the insurance company. The insurance agent's relationship to you is that of salesperson and customer service rep. So in case of a substantive dispute with the insurance company, the insurance agent is going to be a bit limited in what help can be provided from that direction. They can only help fix something that the insurance company is willing to acknowledge it broke.

At some point, you'll need to make the decision whether to escalate the issue further. It sounds like you feel that you've might have exhausted the chain of command at the insurance company; if not, then clearly that's the first step. Use "Who do you report to?" to find the next person to talk to until you get to the top. If you get that far without satisfaction, then go from there to your state insurance commission. Many of those commissions only get involved if there is a clear violation of something, not just a dispute between parties, but you never know. After that, it would be time to consider whether to get a lawyer.

Good luck.

 

[golfgal]

It sounds, actually, that you've got a dispute with the insurance company. In cases like that, it is important to remember who the insurance agent works for: The insurance company - the insurance agent is not an agent for you, but rather is an agent for the insurance company. The insurance agent's relationship to you is that of salesperson and customer service rep. So in case of a substantive dispute with the insurance company, the insurance agent is going to be a bit limited in what help can be provided from that direction. They can only help fix something that the insurance company is willing to acknowledge it broke.

At some point, you'll need to make the decision whether to escalate the issue further. It sounds like you feel that you've might have exhausted the chain of command at the insurance company; if not, then clearly that's the first step. Use "Who do you report to?" to find the next person to talk to until you get to the top. If you get that far without satisfaction, then go from there to your state insurance commission. Many of those commissions only get involved if there is a clear violation of something, not just a dispute between parties, but you never know. After that, it would be time to consider whether to get a lawyer.

Good luck.

No, the dispute is with the insurance company of the OTHER driver, not her insurance company. If she files a claim with her own company, they pay out/fix the car whatever, then the insurance company uses their attorneys, etc. to subrogate against the other company to recoup the money they paid out--all behind the scenes at no inconvenience to the policy holder.

 

[Luv2Roam]

From my own experience with health claims/insurance company, the state insurance board can be contacted. (By you.)
In the past when met with an insurance company (multiple times over the years) who would not resolve an issue after months, I wrote a letter to the state insurance branch and sent a copy to the insurance company.
It was always resolved IMMEDIATELY.
Any time I have done that, the issue was resolved once the paperwork hit both desks.
However I have not tried that over an auto accident.
Any auto accident I had was someone else's fault. (Twice like you, at a dead stop and got hit.)
Luckily I have had no issues. But my insurance agent will at first only provide some advice. After that he steps back -- as long as I am filing a claim against the other insurance company.
He has always been nice enough to offer for me to call him. But there really isn't much he will do when the claim is not filed through them.
Now, I did have the option to file through my insurance and they duke it out with the other company on my behalf. But I have not gone that route as I was concerned it would reflect on my rates and record.

Good luck. I feel for you.

 

[bicker]

No, the dispute is with the insurance company of the OTHER driver, not her insurance company. If she files a claim with her own company, they pay out/fix the car whatever, then the insurance company uses their attorneys, etc. to subrogate against the other company to recoup the money they paid out--all behind the scenes at no inconvenience to the policy holder.

I was going based on this reply from OP:

Have your insurance agent deal with it. It's why you have insurance. They will be able to fight with the shop.

I did call him. He said it was a complex issue and in all his years he hadn't come across anything like it. And he wished us good luck.

So that's out.

 

[golfgal]

I was going based on this reply from OP:

She hasn't filed a claim with her own company and until she does there isn't anything they can do though. Yes, her AGENT is a dork but that doesn't mean the insurance company won't step in and help. Hiring your own attorney is premature and and expense that doesn't need to happen.

 

[bicker]

It would have never occurred to me not to file my claim with my own insurance company, from the outset - period. That's part of what I'm paying them for - to handle the issues with the other insurance companies out there.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[OceanAnnie]

From my own experience with health claims/insurance company, the state insurance board can be contacted. (By you.)
In the past when met with an insurance company (multiple times over the years) who would not resolve an issue after months, I wrote a letter to the state insurance branch and sent a copy to the insurance company.
It was always resolved IMMEDIATELY.
Any time I have done that, the issue was resolved once the paperwork hit both desks.
However I have not tried that over an auto accident.
Any auto accident I had was someone else's fault. (Twice like you, at a dead stop and got hit.)
Luckily I have had no issues. But my insurance agent will at first only provide some advice. After that he steps back -- as long as I am filing a claim against the other insurance company.
He has always been nice enough to offer for me to call him. But there really isn't much he will do when the claim is not filed through them.
Now, I did have the option to file through my insurance and they duke it out with the other company on my behalf. But I have not gone that route as I was concerned it would reflect on my rates and record.

Good luck. I feel for you.

Thank you for the information. When I first called my agent we discussed my options and I was told if I used our insurance our rates could go up, but he couldn't tell me how much. He stated if the other party's insurance is working with me it was unnecessary to have him involved. I went by what he said.

It would have never occurred to me not to file my claim with my own insurance company, from the outset - period. That's part of what I'm paying them for - to handle the issues with the other insurance companies out there.

Thanks for the clarification.

I went by the information my agent gave me. It has been a complete mess.

 

[bicker]

Yeah, then just file. Make it official and work your way through your own insurance company. What's the point of having insurance you're not going to use? If you are aiming to avoid an increase in premium, then that would only make sense if you took the very highest deductible - otherwise you're paying for a lower deductible for nothing.

That's the way I'd look at it.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Yeah, then just file. Make it official and work your way through your own insurance company.

Thank you.

Everyone has been very helpful. I really appreciate it.

 

[undertheradar]

Did you choose the repair shop? How long was your vehicle in the shop? It is not unusual for added damage to be found once repairs are started. Depending upon the vehicle involved and the exact impact, much is learned when taking the vehicle apart. As for not filing against your own company, you are the second poster in the last several months to be having an issue like this. The other poster didn't want to file a claim with her own company and then complained that her company wasn't doing anything. The poster was in Indiana, I believe, and she has never updated what took place on any of her multiple threads about her accident. You pay for insurance and you should use your company to represent you. Your agent isn't involved in this process. Most insurance companies have a claims division and that is who you would deal with. If I were you, I would make an appointment with my agent and see who he can contact at your insurance company to get clarification on your claim. It may be too late and your company may refuse to get involved if the repairs have been handled by the other company. Good luck.

 

[tvguy]

I'm also not clear on why getting your insurance involved would have any impact on your rates if you were not at fault.
Maybe it has to do with state laws.