Hey all...I'm hoping that you guys can help me clarify something.

My girlfriend was rear-ended on Friday. Well, after starting all the insurance stuff, the other guy's insurance adjuster called and they setup an appointment for him to come look at the car. I've been telling her that no matter what the adjuster says, to tell them to use OEM parts. Well, she mentioned this to the guy on the phone, and he was saying something about it's a Washington state insurance law (or something) that they will use whatever parts are available to them...whether they are OEM or not.

Now...I've never heard of that, but then again I haven't had to deal with this issue very often. But I would like to be able to tell the adjuster that he is full of crap and that we will be wanting OEM parts.

Any ideas on this? We are going to this place called Gerber Collision and Glass in Renton tomorrow. So if anyone has any tips that I can go with, it would be great.

Thanks in advance.

 

That doesn't sound right. I've had that same line pulled on me before but stuck to my guns and insisted that it was their job to return my car to pre-accident condition part of which was using OEM parts.

Now, they do reserve the right to use junkyard OEM parts but I believe if you insist on OEM they have to use OEM. I'm not an insurance adjuster, though i have dealt with a bunch of 'em.

 

http://www.insurance.wa.gov/

From the FAQ:

11. Can they use non-brand name parts or used parts?
The company owes you repair or replacement with like kind and quality parts, not necessarily new parts. If the parts and repairs are guaranteed by the repair shop, and are in the same condition as the parts damaged, they conform to the repair requirements. If you insist on certain parts you may have to pay the additional cost.

 

Ok...that's what I was looking for.

Thanks Mike.

 

If the car is an S2000, you may not have to worry. I was told (at the time) when mine was repaired that there are no non oem body panels available.

 

I was told that too. However, that was several years ago. There may be a supplier by now.

Expect to get reconditioned bumper covers rather than new ones.

 

considering the car in an accident was not an S2000, kind of a moot point...

 

Yeah...it's a 98 Accord.

We went down to place today and I talked to him about it. The guy was nice about everything. Initial inspection came to just short of $1000. And that was the exterior inspection. They didn't take the bumper off yet to check under that...not until we drop off the car this weekend.

I was a little less worried about it because they have a pretty good warranty, and I saw some of the other work that they were doing while the cars were in the parking lot.

I was more worried about them just going to a junk yard to find a bumper that might be cracked or broken...then try to pass it off with bondo or something. But I don't think it'll be an issue.

 

Thats sucks how insurance could just do that and do what they want to do.