I backed into someone with a U-Haul Update:

[eLiu]

Hi all,
I managed to back into someone's newish looking Honda Accord with a U-Haul, good job me. I hit them with this big black rubber rectanglular thing sticking out from the back bumper (there are 2 of them) as I was reversing (idling backward, no gas pedal). Pics below. There was no damage to the U-Haul. This was outside my new apartment, but I'm not living there yet.

Pics of the fail.

I left them contact information. What I'm wondering now is what the best course of action is. Should I try to get them to let me pay out of pocket? I also carry comprehensive insurance, so would it be better to get insurance involved? I have 0 experience with this, so advice is appreciated.

Also, can any of you accurately estimate how much repairs will cost? If there's not enough info in those pics then fine, but I'd like to get an idea of what this will cost.

Thanks in advance,
-Eric

Update: The guy I hit contacted me a few minutes ago. He said the body shop he visisted estimated 1200-1600 bucks + rental car. He wanted to call his insurance, but on Agentbolt's advice, I asked him to let me contact my insurance first. I actually know the guy--he's the agent that sold me the apartment. (Hence the rental car... can't be a real estate agent if you can't move around.)

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

That will buff right out. Don't worry.

I'd always pay for repairs out of pocket if possible and if the amount is reasonable. You'll end up paying way more in the long run if your insurance covers it.

 

[Perknose]

There not Islamic, are they? Because, in Sharia law, I believe you would owe them a daughter.

Under the Code of Hammurabi, which luckily has long fallen out of favor, you would be lashed to an elephant and taunted for days.

Massachusettes civil law? No clue.

 

[RbSX]

Always better to pay out of pocket if the damage is sub ~500, the long term affects on your insurance will always exceed 500.

 

[DrPizza]

That's not going to be under $500 though; My guess is closer to $1500. New hood, grill, paint.

 

[d33pt]

hah, that's not sub 500. that's probably more like 2-3k. let your insurance take care of it. That's what you pay them for.

 

[Synomenon]

New grill, bumper cover and hood + paint job for latter two.

 

[lizardboy]

I had a furniture truck back into my car, damage looked pretty similar - cost around $2K to fix.

Also - you should blur out their license plate.

 

[thomsbrain]

You should definitely let your insurance cover this one for you. That's not going to "buff out." As others have said, it's probably a new hood, new grill, and possibly other stuff. It won't be cheap and your insurance protects you in case the person decides to take the opportunity to screw you somehow. It's also a hell of a lot easier, since you basically make one phone call and they do the rest.

 

[RbSX]

The thing is, see if you got insurance from U-Haul, like you do when you rent cars. That way it won't affect your car insurance.

 

[eLiu]

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi
New grill, bumper cover and hood + paint job for latter two.

Have a cost estimate? Agree with the 2 posters above you?


Also if it's going to be like 1500 or 3000, sounds like d33pt is right and I should go through insurance. Do I just give my victim my insurance info? Does the insurance company take care of everything for you?

 

[Synomenon]

Someone bumped into my bumper like that before (only the bumper cover and passenger side headlight were damaged though) and for a new passenger side headlight, bumper cover + paint, it cost ~ $1500. My car is an el-cheapo / econo-car too ('07 Toyota Yaris hatchback).

 

[mcmilljb]

Even yankees' cars get bent out of shape easily lol. Sucks for you, but at least you got insurance :thumbsup:

 

[Agentbolt]

Originally posted by: eLiu
Hi all,
I managed to back into someone's newish looking Honda Accord with a U-Haul, good job me. I hit them with this big black rubber rectanglular thing sticking out from the back bumper (there are 2 of them) as I was reversing (idling backward, no gas pedal). Pics below. There was no damage to the U-Haul. This was outside my new apartment, but I'm not living there yet.

Pics of the fail.

I left them contact information. What I'm wondering now is what the best course of action is. Should I try to get them to let me pay out of pocket? I also carry comprehensive insurance, so would it be better to get insurance involved? I have 0 experience with this, so advice is appreciated.

Also, can any of you accurately estimate how much repairs will cost? If there's not enough info in those pics then fine, but I'd like to get an idea of what this will cost.

Thanks in advance,
-Eric

That's a minimum of 2k of damage, unfortunately. Also your comprehensive insurance has nothing to do with this, it's your PD coverages that are going to be used.

Just make sure he uses your coverages instead of using his own collision. It's insane to do it through his insurance, because his rate will go up due to the subrogation work his company will have to do, but since I landed in the insurance biz I was shocked at how many people insist on doing this.

If his company sends subro demands to yours, your rates will go up higher than if he just used your PD coverages straight up. Just a tip.

 

[Agentbolt]

Originally posted by: eLiu

Originally posted by: IsLNdbOi
New grill, bumper cover and hood + paint job for latter two.

Have a cost estimate? Agree with the 2 posters above you?


Also if it's going to be like 1500 or 3000, sounds like d33pt is right and I should go through insurance. Do I just give my victim my insurance info? Does the insurance company take care of everything for you?

Give him your info but make sure he understands your insurance will be calling him after you report the accident. Call your own company and report the loss, they'll then call him and work with directly so you're no longer involved.

Just do whatever you can to make sure he doesn't call his own insurance until after yours has started taking care of his damages. Again, you DON'T want him filing a claim under his own collision coverages. Obviously he has the right to do so, so don't be a dick about it, but it's still in your best interest to have your own insurance handling him. He can call his own company all he wants after he starts getting his car fixed through yours.

 

[eLiu]

Agentbolt, what is 'PD'?

 

[Agentbolt]

Property Damage. Third party property damage coverage. Along with BI (Bodily Injury) it's part of your state minimum coverage.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

You go to MIT eh? I imagine you're moving into the dorms/apartments or something

Well, interestingly enough, when I was a college student someone hit my friends call while I was trying to move *out* of the dorms with a U-Haul... Not only did the guy w/ the U-Haul have to pay for damages but he was banned from renting U-hauls FOR LIFE. He was also put on a blacklist that rental companies use to decide how much to charge you for rentals (if they decide to rent to you at all!). A buddy that worked at enterprise told me that they regularly charge 50 to 70 percent more to people on the blacklist and it takes seven years to fall off it... sucks man

Also, I drive the same car as the car you damaged... Weird.

 

[Agentbolt]

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
You go to MIT eh? I imagine you're moving into the dorms/apartments or something

Well, interestingly enough, when I was a college student someone hit my friends call while I was trying to move *out* of the dorms with a U-Haul... Not only did the guy w/ the U-Haul have to pay for damages but he was banned from renting U-hauls FOR LIFE. He was also put on a blacklist that rental companies use to decide how much to charge you for rentals (if they decide to rent to you at all!). A buddy that worked at enterprise told me that they regularly charge 50 to 70 percent more to people on the blacklist and it takes seven years to fall off it... sucks man

Also, I drive the same car as the car you damaged... Weird.

Not sure about other rental companies, but this is 100% pure weapons-grade baloneyium as far as Enterprise is concerned. Enterprise charges the same rate for one of their cars if you're a 50 year old clean as a whistle driver, or if you regularly run over nuns in parking lots.

They do sometimes force people to buy the collision damage waiver insurance if they have a bad driving record, but they do NOT charge extra for the car.

 

[zinfamous]

wait:



is this recounting something you did back in ~02 or 03? cause some jerkoff in a U-Haul backed into my Accord and ran off. :|

(the tell-tale tail lite fragments left by the UHaul were a sure sign...)

--damn, how's that for homonym saturation?

 

[zinfamous]

damn. that accord is way too new to be mine. and you left contact info.


good for you, soldier
:beer:

 

[zinfamous]

anyhoo, try to do this out of pocket.

Only get insurance involved if it's serious. the slightest infraction could jack your premiums....esp if you have GEICO. hope to god that you don't have GEICO. please Lord, tell me that you didn't sign on with GEICO. ]

doesn't look too bad...sometimes you can find a good body shop with great junkyard access. If you banged up the radiator, then it could get hairy.

I'd say no more than 600 clams.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

Originally posted by: Agentbolt

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
You go to MIT eh? I imagine you're moving into the dorms/apartments or something

Well, interestingly enough, when I was a college student someone hit my friends call while I was trying to move *out* of the dorms with a U-Haul... Not only did the guy w/ the U-Haul have to pay for damages but he was banned from renting U-hauls FOR LIFE. He was also put on a blacklist that rental companies use to decide how much to charge you for rentals (if they decide to rent to you at all!). A buddy that worked at enterprise told me that they regularly charge 50 to 70 percent more to people on the blacklist and it takes seven years to fall off it... sucks man

Also, I drive the same car as the car you damaged... Weird.

Not sure about other rental companies, but this is 100% pure weapons-grade baloneyium as far as Enterprise is concerned. Enterprise charges the same rate for one of their cars if you're a 50 year old clean as a whistle driver, or if you regularly run over nuns in parking lots.

They do sometimes force people to buy the collision damage waiver insurance if they have a bad driving record, but they do NOT charge extra for the car.

Shhh

 

[eLiu]

Accrued, yeah I'm starting graduate school--so moving out of dorms and into an apartment. I went to Ikea today to get some furniture (since I literally had nothing); Ikea is nice b/c it's cheap & I live on the 3rd floor, so disassembled furniture is easier to get up there. Also hopefully agentbolt is right b/c I'd just as soon not be blacklisted from anything at the ripe old age of 22, lol.

zin, nope it definitely happened a few hours ago And I didn't break anything on the U-Haul. The huge, huge bumper made sure of that. Yeah I left name/phone#/inadequate apology. If the owner doesn't call, I'll go back over there tomorrow and try to find him/her or like post a sign on the apartment doorway.

Edit: I don't have Geico, lol. I'm covered by Amica. I hope you're right about the $600, b/c the other calls of like $2000 are worrying me. Don't think I hit the radiator. The damage seems to be exterior only.

 

[kt]

Originally posted by: AccruedExpenditure
You go to MIT eh? I imagine you're moving into the dorms/apartments or something

Well, interestingly enough, when I was a college student someone hit my friends call while I was trying to move *out* of the dorms with a U-Haul... Not only did the guy w/ the U-Haul have to pay for damages but he was banned from renting U-hauls FOR LIFE. He was also put on a blacklist that rental companies use to decide how much to charge you for rentals (if they decide to rent to you at all!). A buddy that worked at enterprise told me that they regularly charge 50 to 70 percent more to people on the blacklist and it takes seven years to fall off it... sucks man

Also, I drive the same car as the car you damaged... Weird.

Sounds like your buddy is pulling your legs, or it's a lawsuit waiting to happen.