[azrael201]

I was driving pretty confidently with snow tires on and I thought it was just another day of soft slippery snow. The main roads were pretty clear, but when I was driving through a unplowed/lightly plowed residential section entering a long easy left turn, I didn't even notice the understeer until it was too late. I didn't slam on the brakes but assessing the situation to the best of my split second decision making, I must've judged it was best not to flick the wheel and try to fight it and potentially spin out of control. I didn't down-shift or anything I just increased braking and held the wheel firm while steadily turning to the left and hoped ABS would save me. I guess the snow tires helped me a bit since I didn't just exit the apex up someone's drive way and into their house.

However, I did fly into a '94 purple Civic that was parked on the right side of the street. The owner said it was unregistered and uninsured he said it's been just sitting there for months. He was quite nervous. The only damage I did to it was a drooping left side of the bumper. Unfortunately for me, the panel above the front pass wheel was smashed into the wheel well. Front pass wheel basically obstructed. The way my car impacted the Civic was front and then bouncing off and hitting the rear pass door. The door took the brunt of the impact as it was completely smashed in.

I have Geico and they towed my car to a AutoXpress repair center where it sat in their lot for four days (I called them everyday) neglected by their onsite Geico adjuster. I had a field agent (I don't know their title) call me and said he was going to take care of it. The estimate was $6400. I couldn't believe it. I left a voicemail asking for an itemized list of the cost. I can't believe bodywork costs so much.

I know my premium is going to skyrocket through the roof, and it's already egregiously high. Should I try to take it to another place to fix to minimize the cost and hopefully their underwriter won't screw me, or should I just get it fix and switch insurance and hope the new company won't raise the premium as much? I was already prepared to switch when this happened cause I know they are charging me quite a lot more than other companies.



Oh yea, it wasn't just snow there was ice underneath the snow, and the guy with the Civic was pretty scared and wanted to just cut a deal with me...by the time he drew up the courage I was already on the phone with the claims department. Lucky for him Geico will be calling him to give him money.

 

[azrael201]

I got the list it was about $3000 for parts and then $3000 for labor and $400 in taxes.

The weird thing is the right headlamp assembly was working perfectly after it was hit. Yet it was itemized. I wonder if I can prove that they broke it. When they dissembled the panels to inspect for interior damage.

 

[azrael201]

Mods, maybe you guys can move this to a more general forum like the lounge so I can get more feedback?

They said there was a crack in the headlamp assembly which I didn't see on the outside so maybe it was on the inside? Maybe I should put that off until I notice fogging in my lamps or something? In fact, I should probably save on labor and just replace the headlamp myself when the time comes.

I want to argue with them and get a discount on labor cause I know it's all a predetermined rate and although replacing a rear pass door panel can take 14+ hours of labor, I just don't think it takes them that long. I just want to know that I can threaten to take it elsewhere and know it won't cost as much.

 

[sandman2]

That sounds right for the cost. Body work is always really expensive, repainting alone usually runs about 1500-2000 just for 1/2 of the body panels.

 

[5port]

Sorry to hear about your accident. After reading your description I assumed there was ice under the snow. One would think the DSC would kick-in and try to rotate the car. On ice it wouldnt help I guess.

One thought about the Civic owner...is it possible he was not the owner? Just a guy that showed up to try to get quick cash off of you (thus his nervous condition).

 

[galvatron]

Nickel and diming them to try and make it cheaper is just silly. Your insurance is covering it, let them replace everything that needs to be replaced. Your rate is not going to go up any less because you convinced them to save a few hundred on the repair.

 

[azrael201]

yea i'm sure it was his. his neighbors pointed him out, but that's pretty good point.

ok i think that's true. i really don't know how this insurance stuff works but i was trying to tell them not to replace the headlamp and let me save the 2gs and i would just get it replaced on my own when it break. i figure the insurance company is giving me 5400 that way that would cover the deductible until the lamp truly broke down (said there was a hole in the back or something).

however, the shop says that's like fraud and i should speak with the adjuster and the adjuster just talks in a roundabout fashion saying he doesn't want to get involved or complicate things. Instead he says I can tell them to give me an allowance of $500 on a headlamp repair instead of a replacement to save me $500 on the deductible. Otherwise he said he would have to remove the item from the estimate. I would have to fix it eventually but it would be nice to save money now and have the money to fix it down the road from now either myself or at a cheaper shop.

what exactly am i missing here? am i asking them to commit fraud or they just don't want to lose money?

 

[galvatron]

I still don't understand why you don't want them fixing it. Its not saving you money, its saving them money. You have insurance for a reason, for them to cover all repairs needed.

 

[azrael201]

i would save money on the deductible and i'm guessing the headlamp is an easy replacement that i shouldn't have to pay close to close to a grand to have them do it. don't people take out their headlamps all the time to bake in the oven?

 

[galvatron]

I still don't get it. You have to pay the deductible no matter what to have your car fixed.

 

[t-time]

what you dont get is the ms3 headlight costs about a grand. if my car got wrecked i would be making sure they replaced more stuff not less. get your moneys worth for your deductible and higher premium

 

[azrael201]

yea i think there's really nothing i can do i'm just going to go ahead with this. i have exams next two weeks i don't want to have to worry about this. thanks for the input. any good insurance companies to switch to next? I like geico's online service they put the estimate and pictures online for me, but i heard their underwriter might be less forgiving than another insurance companies...will it still be nickels and dimes at that point?

 

[cinoeye]

Sorry for everything and good luck!

What kind of tires do you have?

 

[Sacrilicious]

[quote author=azrael201 link=topic=134283.msg2887684#msg2887684 date=1232815297]
i would save money on the deductible and i'm guessing the headlamp is an easy replacement that i shouldn't have to pay close to close to a grand to have them do it. don't people take out their headlamps all the time to bake in the oven?
[/quote]

am i misunderstanding here, or are you just not understanding how deductibles work? you pay the deductible per accident...not per item that needs to be fixed.

 

[galvatron]

[quote author=Sacrilicious link=topic=134283.msg2889245#msg2889245 date=1232905134]
[quote author=azrael201 link=topic=134283.msg2887684#msg2887684 date=1232815297]
i would save money on the deductible and i'm guessing the headlamp is an easy replacement that i shouldn't have to pay close to close to a grand to have them do it. don't people take out their headlamps all the time to bake in the oven?
[/quote]

am i misunderstanding here, or are you just not understanding how deductibles work? you pay the deductible per accident...not per item that needs to be fixed.
[/quote]

I think thats the problem.

 

[icspots]

[quote author=Sacrilicious link=topic=134283.msg2889245#msg2889245 date=1232905134]
[quote author=azrael201 link=topic=134283.msg2887684#msg2887684 date=1232815297]
i would save money on the deductible and i'm guessing the headlamp is an easy replacement that i shouldn't have to pay close to close to a grand to have them do it. don't people take out their headlamps all the time to bake in the oven?
[/quote]

am i misunderstanding here, or are you just not understanding how deductibles work? you pay the deductible per accident...not per item that needs to be fixed.
[/quote]

I think this is the miscommunication. To the OP. The repair estimate is $6,400. Let's say your deductible is $1,000. If you have damages that cost less than $1,000 to repair then you basically pay for them out of pocket. If you have damages that are more than $1,000 to repair then you only pay $1,000 and insurance picks up the rest. This means that regardless of dropping the headlight off the bill you'll still be paying your deductible (unless your deductible is $6,000 in which case you'd be saving money and getting ass-raped at the same time). If they pull a $800 headlight off the bill then that doesn't make your deductible $800 less.

People do frequently remove their headlights to replace them, but the question is how is your damaged? It's possible that all the mounting brackets for it are cracked and it won't mount properly. There's a difference between heating a headlight to melt the glue and slamming it into another car.

 

[azrael201]

wow some life in this thread.

first off i have Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds they are great but i don't think anything short of studs would save you from the ice i encountered.

no i know very well how insurance works. the adjuster made his estimate and has mailed me my check. Now it is up to me where i want to get the job done. I thought I could save the labor on installing the headlamp and thus save on deductible. However, i checked the headlamp install has no labor as it's included other than aiming it.

i attached pictures i don't know how to post them directly i'm assuming i would have to upload them somewhere.

 

[sleserginekolog]

oh boy... go to a different shop!!!!!! almost all the shops will offer you no deductable repair!!! they basically overcharge insurance a bit and then the bill is "dudcteble" less. so they can make a number $7800 instead of $6800, with the actuall repair costs being $6800. my scion was hit at night, they did estimate +$1000, but my deductable was $500, so i got exhaust out of it it's not that complicated, a good shop will do all the work on their own! they know how all this works, even estimate guy told you!!! use your brain! well unless you got lots of money...

 

[Colombia28]

Us CB owners cant catch a break! Sorry to see your baby like that, but i unfortunatly know whats its like. Only in my case i was rear ended by an idiot: http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=131486.0 Best of luck!

 

[azrael201]

i think since i towed it to a geico auto xpress center they work together to get the estimate. i think usually the estimate is always done by the insurance's agents to avoid overestimation. i am in exams right now and i didn't want to deal with it. i would've had to shop around. they also told me saturday that they had put me in the system already so i figured whatever. then i call yesterday and they said i had to sign first. they are estimating 2-3 weeks to fix (anyway to rush this????). i have to drive a shitty kia spectra which the battery died on me on Sunday.

yea i can't tell who's accident is worse cause yours looks horrendous but it's more localized. i think if my car looked that bad i would've cried.

thanks all