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Dealing with insurance

T2urtle

T2urtle

Diamond Member
Sadly I was in a minor fender bender. I was at the light. It turned green as I stepped on the gas. Boom from behind. 5mph tops. My bumper lost some paint and has spider webbing effect on bumper.

Person is with USAA. Seems very cool. Said sorry. Exchanged info. Waiting for them to contact them and get back to me.

There is an aftermarket bumper I'm interested in. I figure they will ask me to bring the car to their people for quotes and cut me a check. Then I can go my own way to get my bumper.

Is it common practice to haggle and etc? Say they just want to give me $300 for paint/ labor only as they think bumper is good. Can I argue I need a bumper as well and ask for $500?

Last time I was in one of these I went with the suggested body shop and I give the bodywork 7/10. But the insurance and body shop did all the numbers. I was told OEM bumper but saw the repair order saying otherwise.
 
Anything is negotiable. Once the USAA claims adjuster gives you a quote, go around to a few other body shops and get quotes independently. If USAA's quote is way off and they refuse to budge, you can sue them, but I doubt it would be worthwhile in your case.
 
Having USAA they are great, but not so sure how they treat the other side. IE they try to do what is best for their clients.

Have you contacted your own insurance yet?
 
If it's easily repairable, every body shop is going to just quote the cost for paint + some sanding. They're not going to write an estimate for a new bumper if there's no need to replace it. Also, the insurance company will pay you the insurance labor rate, not the labor rate that the shop might put on the estimate.
 
DeviousTrap said:
If it's easily repairable, every body shop is going to just quote the cost for paint + some sanding. They're not going to write an estimate for a new bumper if there's no need to replace it. Also, the insurance company will pay you the insurance labor rate, not the labor rate that the shop might put on the estimate.
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So my understanding after you posted this is. Say general public labor rate is $100 and insurance rate is $50. Bumper cost is $100. 1 hour to R/R and 1 hour to paint. So my price is $300 and the insurance only agrees to pay only pay for paint which is $100. They will only offer to cut me a check of $100, even tho cost to me is $200 or $300 with a new bumper. Say i came up with quotes in the $300 from 3 places. If they dont agree to come up i would either need to contact my insurance and/or sue for the difference... Kinda a lot cause for me in this case since its just a small incident.


If the paint is showing that spiderweb look, is that from the paint flexing or bumper. It does seem to a standard paint and sand.

The agent assigned called me today. Told me to get a quote from one of their local body shops. Its a BIG name chain around here.
 
Get a quote from a reputable shop. I like to look for places that do restoration and custom work (in addition to standard collision repair). They usually charge more than chains, and it's for good reason. If the insurance adjuster wants a quote from somewhere else, tell them to:

a) piss off

or b) do it themselves.

Then take the check and do what you want. If they insist on making a payment straight to the shop, see option (a).

I'd be a little nicer if it was your own insurance company and you were at fault. But still stern in resisting low-ball estimates from chain shops. The repaired car should essentially be like new, so you probably need: a new OEM bumper cover from the dealer, new foam for behind it (goes between the actual structural steel and the bumper cover; if the plastic flexed enough to crack factory paint, it's damaged), quality paint and supplies, and labor. Depending on the car, I would figure 500-600+.
 
I got the quote from their recommend place today. It was low $400 ish. Included like 3.3 hours of body work. They told me they would make all attempts to heat up the bumper and smooth everything out. They had a chart on the wall with labor rates, that matched up with my quote that i glance quickly.

The guy seems very positive that the bumper will return to normal. He said it doesn't shows signs of need anything UNDER the bumper like foam and etc. If they do the work and it needs it they will spring for it.

I might go hit up some other shops. I dont have a GO TO shop, i dont get things painted. The place they sent me got a 4.3/5 on yelp. There is a shop that does more with subarus and bmw's that i've seen gotten rave reviews from local forum members i wanted to give them a shot for a quote. Even tho i own a infiniti.
 
T2urtle said:
I got the quote from their recommend place today. It was low $400 ish. Included like 3.3 hours of body work. They told me they would make all attempts to heat up the bumper and smooth everything out. They had a chart on the wall with labor rates, that matched up with my quote that i glance quickly.

The guy seems very positive that the bumper will return to normal. He said it doesn't shows signs of need anything UNDER the bumper like foam and etc. If they do the work and it needs it they will spring for it.

I might go hit up some other shops. I dont have a GO TO shop, i dont get things painted. The place they sent me got a 4.3/5 on yelp. There is a shop that does more with subarus and bmw's that i've seen gotten rave reviews from local forum members i wanted to give them a shot for a quote. Even tho i own a infiniti.
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Take it to a GOOD shop, referred by the dealer of your car. Have them write you up a quote, tell them it's for insurance adjuster.

Take ~$1000 quote to USAA and they should cut you a check.
 
I can't imagine PROPERLY refurbing your bumper cover is less costly than buying a new one. I would've figured they'd just quote for an aftermarket (factory replacement, but not made by vehicle manufacturer) cover. Which I would recommend against- they don't have the factory molds, so they just can't make a perfect part. Sometimes grilles, lights, and the like fit kind of poorly.

Again, if your bumper got the 'spider' cracks, it needs to have ALL the paint stripped, and then they can do the reshaping- which is a hell of a lot more difficult than it may sound. Once those plastics are deformed at all, they do not want to be right ever again. I would be afraid of them using filler to get it perfect. I am no expert bodyman, but I would think you would want to avoid even skimming filler on plastic. Maybe they make some special flexible stuff for that.

The nice thing about OEM bumpers is that they're (ideally) perfectly made and ready to go- paint and install. The shop probably just wants the labor since they likely can't charge much mark-up on insurance parts. Get what's best for you; not the shop, not the insurance co.
 
Well I can't go forward yet, as USAA can't reach the person whom hit me. But I will be getting second and third opinions.
 
Yeh go to 2 or 3 body shops. Make sure they are body shops not an all type of mechanic shop either. They will give you proper procedure and estimates. If you don't want aftermarket they should give you that option. For my car they asked if I wanted oem or aftermarket and I said oem. Cost was more but since it was the other person's fault your insurance will pay and go after the other guy's.

Hope USAA is good to you. I'm still waiting after 8 months to figure out what happen to the Arbitration case between my AllState and the other driver's Progressive. I was found not at fault but that other company does not have enough to cover all the damages so they may have to settle for something. Last I heard was couple months back. I just want my deductible back..and probably will be switching insurance after that if not sooner when the policy is about to renew.
 
Update!!!! not sure if this is being good to me or what YET.

So they accepted liability finally, communication was sub-par. Something i would expect from cheap/low-end insurance.

They automatically cut me for the low-ball quote THEIR own shop wrote up. So i have $400 ish in a check. Honestly all that is going to get me is a bumper!

Now i have two quotes one with a very known bodyshop they wrote up $900, very detailed about everything, i have a aero package quoted the little things. Plus maybe if i need the cushion behind the bumper as well. I'm leaning with them, turns out the bumper i wanted is dead. They dont make it anymore. So back to OEM bumper.

I got another quote for $805, a friend of a friend's shop. I've only see my friend's car as the only work they did and it looks very well done. They are a small shop and well i'll talk to them to see if they want to deal with insurance hassle.

My car doesn't have a aftermarket bumper option. Its a dealer only bumper for the G35. I dont have to pay any deduct (obviously it was their fault and they admitted). Its turning into a good thing right now, least on my end. They might give the body shop hell but that's their job.
 
Thats good at least they took fault. For me, the other company would not take fault even though my insurance found me not liable so I have no idea what's going on.
 
What is the itemization from their shop.

Go back to the insurance and show them your estimates.

Find out why the difference.

Also, yo might want to contact your insurance company and/or the State Division of Insurance to find out what your rights are.
 
sze5003 said:
Thats good at least they took fault. For me, the other company would not take fault even though my insurance found me not liable so I have no idea what's going on.
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If the other company will not accept fault; what does the traffic incident report state?

At fault is different than proper coverage (see post below)
 
sze5003 said:
Yeh go to 2 or 3 body shops. Make sure they are body shops not an all type of mechanic shop either. They will give you proper procedure and estimates. If you don't want aftermarket they should give you that option. For my car they asked if I wanted oem or aftermarket and I said oem. Cost was more but since it was the other person's fault your insurance will pay and go after the other guy's.

Hope USAA is good to you. I'm still waiting after 8 months to figure out what happen to the Arbitration case between my AllState and the other driver's Progressive. I was found not at fault but that other company does not have enough to cover all the damages so they may have to settle for something. Last I heard was couple months back. I just want my deductible back..and probably will be switching insurance after that if not sooner when the policy is about to renew.
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You are stuck with the limit that the other driver has.

If you have under insured; then you can file against your company.

Otherwise you have to go to court to try and collect more from the other driver.
 
They are cutting me a check for $400ish. This is if I was to to not repair it.

Now if I wanted to go to a shop and get it done. The shop and the insurance will duke it out and come to an agreed price.

I told them I had higher quotes and well, they told me the shop will have to call and work with them.

Kinda sucks because I wanted to do the repairs after winter. I'm driving the car in the snow and etc. And well stuff happens...
 
EagleKeeper said:
If the other company will not accept fault; what does the traffic incident report state?

At fault is different than proper coverage (see post below)
Click to expand...

Well as soon as the lady t boned my car because she blew a stop sign I called police. And in the city of great Philadelphia suburbs or so if you can call them that, if no one is hurt they don't come out. I was told by dispatcher to go to the district police office and file a report.

The next day when I went to do that they told me at the station that I should get all of the info from the other driver and go through the insurance.

Which is what I did. Total to fix my car and give me a rental for 30 some days cost like 4500. There are no limits I know of which are lower than 5k in both pa and nj.

All I want is my deductible back. I'll call them since they went to arbitration in march.

Was thinking of switching to geico in November since they offered me more coverage for less than what I am paying now.
 
sze5003 said:
Well as soon as the lady t boned my car because she blew a stop sign I called police. And in the city of great Philadelphia suburbs or so if you can call them that, if no one is hurt they don't come out. I was told by dispatcher to go to the district police office and file a report.

The next day when I went to do that they told me at the station that I should get all of the info from the other driver and go through the insurance.

Which is what I did. Total to fix my car and give me a rental for 30 some days cost like 4500. There are no limits I know of which are lower than 5k in both pa and nj.

All I want is my deductible back. I'll call them since they went to arbitration in march.

Was thinking of switching to geico in November since they offered me more coverage for less than what I am paying now.
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Your insurance company is following the rules; they are not supposed to return the deductible until liability has been established. (Other company accepting fault).

If you have evidence (photo's, witness statements, etc) that indicate the other party was at fault; notify your insurance company that you are going to small claims court; filing against both companies and the driver to get your deductible back.

I suspect that you will see a check soon; the cost of them going to small claims and getting ripped by the judge is not worth it to them.

However, you have to have every T crossed and every I dotted to back up your assertion that the other driver is at fault.

Send the letter to all three parties, certified; letting them know that in 30 days you will be filing.

Day 31; if no check; file
 
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Yeh its but 8 months since the accident. Were not talking 1 month here. And they recorded my statements saying that the other driver was sorry it wasn't my fault she was in a hurry and that she didn't know what was going on or what happened.

I didn't realize that arbitration can take 8 months.

Should I switch companies before my policy renews?
 
sze5003 said:
Yeh its but 8 months since the accident. Were not talking 1 month here. And they recorded my statements saying that the other driver was sorry it wasn't my fault she was in a hurry and that she didn't know what was going on or what happened.

I didn't realize that arbitration can take 8 months.

Should I switch companies before my policy renews?
Click to expand...

Arbitration does not take 8 months; It takes 1-2 days once scheduled.
It is low on their priority list for schedule because of the $$ amount and it will get bumped.

You should have no problem switching companies. You may wish to let the existing company know that you are considering switch because of this issue.

Send the letter to all three as soon as you have your ducks in order. Seeing how it has been 8 months; cut the lead time down to two weeks.
 
Thanks for that awesome info! I'm not planning to go to small claims court. Not worth the time as I barely have any free time due to my job/being on call.

I've been trying to contact the claims representative who I missed a call from a few days ago since I had previously sent a message online. Get nothing but voicemail.

When the case started they told me it would take a while since they were backed up about 4-6 months but that makes no sense.

I'm going to switch anyway as since I only have one car on the policy instead of two , sold the last one..my rate has gone way up. I just hope they don't try to screw me when I cancel.

OP hope you got better offers from your insurance and lucky you didn't have to deal with the crap I'm going through.
 
Contact your state Dept of Insurance and explain what is happening. they work for you - they may be able to light a fire.
 
Well a little update on my stuff.

THEY SUCK AT CALLING PEOPLE BACK.

So they gave assigned me an adjuster with a ext. number. Girl is NEVER there, never answer calls. I left messages and my bodyshop left message. NEVER replies. i figure if i leave a message monday afternoon, say your swamp with work. Come in tuesday and handle all your calls. NOPE.

I just gave up and called in to talk to ANY rep. So pretty much wasted about 5-7 business days waiting for a call back. I really hope they dont fight me on paying for a new bumper. Because this company will make it on my poop list.

My geico experience was 25x better then this, they called to check up on me, made sure the rental car was good and how i was feeling.
 
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