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Steve_Jones
Steve_Jones SuperDork
1/2/23 2:51 p.m.
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

Latest update, other driver has State Farm, asked us to get an estimate since she is considering not submitting it to her insurance.
 

I'm close to a few body shops. 

The body shop will ask if it's a cash or insurance claim, the cash estimate will be higher and might scare her off from paying out of pocket.

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter)
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) UltimaDork
1/2/23 3:33 p.m.

We'll see, I'm willing to at least take it for the estimate. I'll be back at work, my wife has an appointment with the body shop on Thursday morning. 

Toebra
Toebra Dork
1/2/23 5:18 p.m.
codrus (Forum Supporter) said:
Mr_Asa said:

This sounds very much like why I never go through the other person's insurance.  Never ever. 

Yup.  I always file under my collision policy and let my insurance company worry about dealing with the other guys, that's what I pay them for.

How it is supposed to go

Toyman!
Toyman! MegaDork
1/2/23 6:19 p.m.
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

I've priced some of the pre-painted bumpers, $592 delivered from the site linked above ("unfolded"- I can't imagine dealing with having it folded and not cracking the paint).

 

My daughter ordered the folded one. The paint was fine and the bumper unfolded perfectly. 

 

 

Toot
Toot Reader
1/2/23 7:19 p.m.

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

All she has to do I call State Farm and tell them she hit your car.  State Farm will just send your car to a shop and fix it, give you a rental, without any hassle.  I had 1 car hit twice in parking lot this year in  1 week.  Never contacted my insurance ever.  The body shop replaced everything without any hassle.   My damage was only on bumper but still cost 4K to fix.

codrus (Forum Supporter)
codrus (Forum Supporter) PowerDork
1/2/23 7:54 p.m.
Toot said:

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

All she has to do I call State Farm and tell them she hit your car.  State Farm will just send your car to a shop and fix it, give you a rental, without any hassle.  I had 1 car hit twice in parking lot this year in  1 week.  Never contacted my insurance ever.  The body shop replaced everything without any hassle.   My damage was only on bumper but still cost 4K to fix.

Until State Farm asks her for a statement and she decides to lie and deny having hit you, or claim you were backing out, or something to that effect.

John Welsh
John Welsh Mod Squad
1/2/23 8:23 p.m.
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

We'll see, I'm willing to at least take it for the estimate. I'll be back at work, my wife has an appointment with the body shop on Thursday morning. 

You're gonna be fine.  This is simple body shop work that they'll be happy to do and the body shop will hold most of the conversations with the insurance company.  When your wife goes in on Thursday just have her ask, "when should I bring the car back and how many days will you have it?" 
She should be offered a rental for the day or two the car is in the shop at no charge to you.  If you want to be a dick about it demand a rental car that seats 6 (like the car you have does.)  If not, just accept the Nissan Versa or Chevy Trax that Enterprise drops off to the body shop which should be just fine for the day or two.  

Don't be surprised if it's weeks before they have an opening for you.  

PS: save the written note. (admission of guilt)  

ddavidv
ddavidv UltimaDork
1/3/23 8:25 a.m.
Datsun310Guy said:

1. Insurance company dragged on said they were waiting for their clients statement.  I mentioned the client confessed to the officer in front of me that it was his fault.  (My insurance card says to not admit fault)

Bam - authorization the next day.

Here's the truth:  an insurer MUST get a statement (if possible) from their insured before committing to paying the other party. The insured is their customer; their first obligation is to that person. Once they click that 'at fault' button there's no reversing it.

I've had an uncountable number of claims where the insured is (usually) lazy and disinterested in the whole claim because they aren't claiming any damage. They figure, Why should I return those calls, emails and letters? Other times they are just stupid and think the claim will go away if they don't respond. We are legally required to make various efforts to reach the insured and obtain a statement. If we have no success (after, I think, 30 days) we can find them at fault through non-cooperation. Until then, the claim has to sit.

SKJSS (formerly Klayfish)
SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) PowerDork
1/3/23 8:41 a.m.
ddavidv said:
Datsun310Guy said:

1. Insurance company dragged on said they were waiting for their clients statement.  I mentioned the client confessed to the officer in front of me that it was his fault.  (My insurance card says to not admit fault)

Bam - authorization the next day.

Here's the truth:  an insurer MUST get a statement (if possible) from their insured before committing to paying the other party. The insured is their customer; their first obligation is to that person. Once they click that 'at fault' button there's no reversing it.

I've had an uncountable number of claims where the insured is (usually) lazy and disinterested in the whole claim because they aren't claiming any damage. They figure, Why should I return those calls, emails and letters? Other times they are just stupid and think the claim will go away if they don't respond. We are legally required to make various efforts to reach the insured and obtain a statement. If we have no success (after, I think, 30 days) we can find them at fault through non-cooperation. Until then, the claim has to sit.

Yup.  The carrier must make all reasonable efforts to contact their insured.  As ddavidv said, sometimes you get lazy or disinterested insureds.  

An admission of guilt from the driver on the PR or something like that can definitely be helpful, but it is not binding.  It's not the drivers' decision, it's the carriers.  Much more often than not they do go hand in hand, but not always.

Duke
Duke MegaDork
1/3/23 9:30 a.m.
ddavidv said:
Datsun310Guy said:

1. Insurance company dragged on said they were waiting for their clients statement.  I mentioned the client confessed to the officer in front of me that it was his fault.  (My insurance card says to not admit fault)

Here's the truth:  an insurer MUST get a statement (if possible) from their insured before committing to paying the other party. The insured is their customer; their first obligation is to that person. Once they click that 'at fault' button there's no reversing it.

This.

DD#1 got rear-ended in one of our cars.  It took forever to get the claim paid because the other driver stuck his head in the sand, and his insurance had to wait for 90 days to expire without his statement before they could / would proceed with the claim, even though it was clearly 100% his fault.

 

84FSP
84FSP UberDork
1/26/23 9:30 a.m.

Interesting read as I got rear ended the other week.  No injury, minor bumper damage that is probably a bumper cover repair and repaint.  Starting it off thru my insurance and letting them handle it via the other person's insurance.  
 

Wishing I would have moved vehicles to a safe place, we were in a bad spot, and done a police report.  I had kids in the car and sports practices to deliver to them to.  We simply exchanged insurance info and went about our night.  To be continued I guess.

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