Hit and run drivers suck...

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PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,582
162
106
Sorry to hear about that man...that really sucks. Good luck with finding the person and getting the car back into tip-top shape.
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
19
81
except now your car is worth less on resale.

Accidents suck.

OP why post such a large pic though?

That's why you claim diminution of value too. Sue them if they don't pay. My wife got an xtra $9000 when her SL was smashed even after it was fixed perfect.
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
That's why you claim diminution of value too. Sue them if they don't pay. My wife got an xtra $9000 when her SL was smashed even after it was fixed perfect.

I'm going to speak with the insurance people now.

How do you claim diminished value and does it impact your rates? Also, someone told me most insurances allow you to claim one hit and run claim per year without impacting your rates. Is this true? I hope so...
 

bruceb

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
8,874
111
106
Doesn't matter if insurance allows only 1 hit / run per year without a rate hike or not. Most people don't get in that many (hopefully). And even if it did happen to you, look at it this way:
Would you prefer to pay the rate increase ? ? (If you got one) or
Would you prefer your insurance to cover the damages ? ? or
Do you want to fix it "out of pocket" presuming the other driver
can't be located, has no insurance or can't / won't pay you ? ? ?
 

KentState

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2001
8,397
393
126
I'm going to speak with the insurance people now.

How do you claim diminished value and does it impact your rates? Also, someone told me most insurances allow you to claim one hit and run claim per year without impacting your rates. Is this true? I hope so...

Insurance rates are impacted mostly when it's your fault. They have a grace period of a hit and run because that's probable. If you claim 2+, then it's probably more than just dumb luck and probably more likely that you are liable. Diminished value is just part of the entire payout for the claim.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
not all insurance companies / states have easy ways to get depreciated value back. Most will require you to at least bring forth an attorney. For most vehicles it's simply not worth it.
 

JoshGuru7

Golden Member
Aug 18, 2001
1,020
1
0
Contrary to popular belief, insurance companies generally do not raise premiums in an effort to "get their money back". They raise premiums in response to new information which is provided by traffic infractions, claims, etc. As such, paying any claim yourself is very rarely the right move no matter how often it is recommended by the insurance company.

I would expect the premium to go up slightly here since there is new information of a worse driving locale than expected (your risk was estimated in NJ).
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
Contrary to popular belief, insurance companies generally do not raise premiums in an effort to "get their money back". They raise premiums in response to new information which is provided by traffic infractions, claims, etc. As such, paying any claim yourself is very rarely the right move no matter how often it is recommended by the insurance company.

I would expect the premium to go up slightly here since there is new information of a worse driving locale than expected (your risk was estimated in NJ).

Thanks.

Actually, my rates were cheaper when I lived in NYC (Queens). I think NJ has the highest insurance rates in the country. Thanks Newark!
 

hanoverphist

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2006
9,867
23
76
LOL, yeah, just get a new bumper cover and trunk lid and install yourself! I'm sure it'll buff right out.

Seriously though that sucks ass, unfortunately I'm not sure what you can do. If the trucking company is denying everything and you don't even know which of their employees did it, you can't really do much, can you? Since you do have that witness would it help? Or is it not worth it compared to just filing a claim with your own insurance?

you would think the insurance on the truck was owned by the company, not the driver. with a witness the insurance co should be able to get some leverage on the company somehow. regardless, the cops should take the witness info and go after the company as the responsible party, regardless of finding the driver. the company is responsible for its drivers actions while in their vehicles.


sucks your car got hit, hope it gets fixed without much cost to ya
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
did you post this on e90post awhile back? looks familiar to me

Yeah, I'm a member there. I'm a long time member here though. I needed to vent :)

Just spoke with my insurance company. They assessed the damage at $5,500. They said I can't get diminished value from them. They said I have to pursue that with the offending party's insurance company. She said they will get them though and not to worry. I'll pursue it when I they find them.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Yeah, I'm a member there. I'm a long time member here though. I needed to vent :)

Just spoke with my insurance company. They assessed the damage at $5,500. They said I can't get diminished value from them. They said I have to pursue that with the offending party's insurance company. She said they will get them though and not to worry. I'll pursue it when I they find them.


You give them the information the witness gave?

Also are you having to pay any out of pocket?
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
You give them the information the witness gave?

Also are you having to pay any out of pocket?

Yeah, the police spoke with the eyewitness on the phone for about 15 mins and took down the information. I have to pay the $500 deductible so my check will be $5000. If they find the guy that hit me I can go after them for the deductible and the diminished value. This might take some time though.

The one good thing is that the adjuster adjusted for my aftermarket bumper and not the stock one. That was nice of him.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
Yeah, the police spoke with the eyewitness on the phone for about 15 mins and took down the information. I have to pay the $500 deductible so my check will be $5000. If they find the guy that hit me I can go after them for the deductible and the diminished value. This might take some time though.

The one good thing is that the adjuster adjusted for my aftermarket bumper and not the stock one. That was nice of him.


Go to a couple good shops. Many times it can be fixed a little cheaper and still be good quality. Just make sure they know it is insurance work. Insurance pays less then they the "normal" rate.
Soemong rearended my Corvette and the check was a little more then they would have charged, So I had them fix one other thing and it equaled out.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
Go to a couple good shops. Many times it can be fixed a little cheaper and still be good quality. Just make sure they know it is insurance work. Insurance pays less then they the "normal" rate.
Soemong rearended my Corvette and the check was a little more then they would have charged, So I had them fix one other thing and it equaled out.

well around here most of our good shops don't take anything but insurance work unless you want to wait.
 

exdeath

Lifer
Jan 29, 2004
13,679
10
81
Doesn't help much with parked cars, but always carry a camera and a gun. Get involved in a collision, immediately start snapping pictures and make sure to get the plates. The gun is for if the person WAS going to run, when they get infuriated that you have them by the balls on camera and they confront you and attempt to road rage because they don't want to get busted.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
you pull a gun on a hit and run that you persued chances are most places are going to find you are guilty.

You get the tag and call the police, pulling a high-speed chance over minor property damage isn't worth the risk.

I bet you are one of those fucktards that snap pictures of guys like me on the road as if you are going to do something later on.
 

AstroManLuca

Lifer
Jun 24, 2004
15,628
5
81
The gun is for if the person WAS going to run, when they get infuriated that you have them by the balls on camera and they confront you and attempt to road rage because they don't want to get busted.

WOW, nice idea. Enjoy getting tasered and gang-tackled by six police officers. That's if you're lucky and don't get shot.
 

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
I got my bumper and trunk fixed. It was $5,500. I had them paint my diffuser matte black vs. the original unpainted gray.

Too bad they never caught the guy. Karma is a bitch though so I'm sure he'll get his unless I did something wrong and got something back.

Newrear.jpg
 

Imdmn04

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2002
2,566
6
81
I got my bumper and trunk fixed. It was $5,500. I had them paint my diffuser matte black vs. the original unpainted gray.

Too bad they never caught the guy. Karma is a bitch though so I'm sure he'll get his unless I did something wrong and got something back.

Newrear.jpg

That sounds about right for the price, I got hit almost the same way on the rear bumper and the trunk lid of the 335i, the bill came about $5900.

But it sucks yours was a hit and run, at least the guy who hit me was man enough to admit fault on the scene. Hope whoever did this rot in hell.
 
Sep 7, 2009
12,960
3
0
No way the bumper is crooked as hell.. Look at that gap on the right vs left


Great pics btw.. In a thread like this it lets us look at the details like that
 

compman25

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2006
3,767
2
81
Don't know if it's the angle of the pic or not, but I'd be going back and making them fix that trunk. Those gaps are not correct on the left.