mtn
MegaDork
6/21/16 1:52 p.m.
Our car was rear-ended the other day, a slow-speed fender bender. The paint is damaged and scratched, enough that you can't buff it out completely--the paint is cracked and there are gouges--but not enough to crack the bumper.
The ladies insurance is probably not good. It is a company I've never heard of, and we saw on her insurance card that there are drivers specifically excluded from the policy. The reviews for this company online are horrible.
State Farm (our insurance) told us we need to contact them, and if we can't get anything (or enough) we need to then go through State Farm--if that is the case, we'd have to pay the $500 deductible.
The damage isn't worth $500. I don't know how much it would take to make it whole, but it might be a total respray of the bumper--bondo and sanding and respray. If I saw it when buying the car, I'd have negotiated for about $300 to $500 less.
I'm pissed though. This car was near perfect, and now it isn't. I'm not going to be made whole. Is it worth pursuing with the presumably E36 M3ty insurance company?
Kylini
HalfDork
6/21/16 2:27 p.m.
Why would it not be worth pursuing? Take it to a body shop you trust and get a quote. Call the person who hit you and give them two options: 1) pay the repair out of pocket, or 2) their insurance will be contacted and pay the repair. If they seem sketchy or flakey, skip straight to #2 and don't even try. Call their insurance with quote in hand and if they aren't interested in settling it on your terms, either 1) get your own lawyer, or 2) use your insurance company's lawyers.
I would do exactly what Kylini said. Get a quote, and contact people on the at-fault party's end. Don't involve your insurance unless you have to and the quote is over $500.
If the insurance company gives you a hard time, contact the state ins. bureau.
Worked for me when Allstate was being stubborn.
Was it your fault? Then why eat the cost or work involved?
My son (at 16) slid into a Subie wagon after working all night in a resteraunt; he knocked on the door and told them the tale. My insurance went up $20 for six months.
This is why you pay insurance. Be polite, be professional.
Let the system work.
Dan
What?
Was this a talk with your agent I assume? Let me let you in on a little secret, the State Farm agents aren't nearly as knowledgeable on policy as they think. That's why even though Agent's have draft authority, it's limited and reviewed by a dedicated claim rep or team.
If you have full coverage, you can file against your policy and let State Farm go after them in Subrogation.
Javelin
MegaDork
6/21/16 10:09 p.m.
z31maniac wrote:
If you have full coverage, you can file against your policy and let State Farm go after them in Subrogation.
Do NOT do this! State Farm has one of the worst subrogation records. The berk heads didn't even bother to show up for mine when the lady ran the red light. It's why I dropped them!
Javelin wrote:
z31maniac wrote:
If you have full coverage, you can file against your policy and let State Farm go after them in Subrogation.
Do NOT do this! State Farm has one of the worst subrogation records. The berk heads didn't even bother to *show up* for mine when the lady ran the red light. It's why I dropped them!
A case study does not a generalization make. I can't find any info on that backs up your claim.
However, knowing how you respond in these threads, you'll provide 812 varities of 2nd hand, hearsay knowledge and claim it's demonstrable fact.
mtn
MegaDork
6/22/16 7:26 a.m.
z31maniac wrote:
Javelin wrote:
z31maniac wrote:
If you have full coverage, you can file against your policy and let State Farm go after them in Subrogation.
Do NOT do this! State Farm has one of the worst subrogation records. The berk heads didn't even bother to *show up* for mine when the lady ran the red light. It's why I dropped them!
A case study does not a generalization make. I can't find any info on that backs up your claim.
However, knowing how you respond in these threads, you'll provide 812 varities of 2nd hand, hearsay knowledge and claim it's demonstrable fact.
I hate the word demonstrable. Don't know. Why.
