|
Not sure whether I should file a claim
Here's my situation. I just bought insurance (full coverage w/ comprehensive) for my s2000 almost a week ago. As I was leaving for work this morning, i came out and realized that my convertible top was slashed and my book bag in my car was missing. Im not stressing about the book bag because the only thing valuable in it was a Texas Instrument calculator. Im more pissed about how someone can have the heart to do such a thing. Should I report this to the insurance company? Im worried because the insurance was just purchased less than a week ago and I dont want them to think that I am trying to do an insurance fraud. What should I do? I dont have the pocket change to purchase a new top on my own. Will they boot me off of the insurance or raise my rates? My deductable is $500 just in case you're wondering and Im insured under All State. Any input would definitely help!
BTW, im sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I just didn't know whether to put it here or in "car talk." |
go file. replacing the top is expensive. that's what insurance is for. and please next time don't leave bags etc... in the cabin when you leave the car.
|
Pay it. You're looking at $800 for the top itself and $400-$700 for installation unless you do it yourself. Vandalism shouldn't affect your insurance rates, but I'm not familiar with All State's policies.
|
Since your comprehensive is that high, a replacement at your own expense would probably be less than $300 difference.
Did you report this to the Police? If so you wouldn't need to concern yourself with fraud suspicion. The question would be- will the ins. co. raise my rates at renewal and if so how much? If you could get a candid answer from your insurance agent without filing a claim, you might ask. Try this- Take your car to a Trim Shop and see if it's possible to make a visualably acceptible patch. This could involve applying a second patch to the the unripped side just to even out the visuals. Worth a try and could save you mucho money if possible. Good luck. |
Yea it was my fault for not taking the book bag out of my car. Stupid me and I should get slapped for that.
I dont think the slash on my top could be patched without it being asthetically unappealing. I think I just might as well file a vandalism claim with my insurance since that's what I paid for. I am not mechanically inclined whatsoever so it would be a nightmare for me to try to install a new top myself. If the end result is that my renewal fee is increased, then I'll just have to take the hit. A $500 deductable is still better than $1500+ out of pocket (Although Im pretty sure the insurance company will get it back from me one way or the other in the long run). Now, my next question is, would I be able to just take it to a honda dealer and have them replace the top if the insurance is going to pay for it? Or would they just cut me a check after the estimated repair costs and I'll be able to take it anywhere i'd like? |
File a claim, this will be covered under your comprehensive coverage and will not raise your insurance premiums. Unless you are filing a ton of comprehensive claims it will not affect your standing with the company.
You can take your car anywhere you'd like to get fixed, I'd recomend the Honda dealership since at least that way you know you are getting OEM parts and that all equipment needed for the install is available to them. |
A second strip of canvas applied to both sides and stitched would /could look as good as OEM. Get a pro to help with this decision. Nothing to lose.
|
Make sure you have a police/incident report and file the claim - that's what insurance is for! I'd definitely claim the book bag and the calculator... maybe say you had a 300 dollar PDA or Ipod to make up the deductible difference. ;)
|
hmmm...i do have the receipts still for the book bag and the calculator as they were bought on the same day. How does that work though? I wouldn't want to make things more complicated than it already is. I guess what Im trying to say is, How can I even I even prove that those items were in my car? NOt that this is my main concern. Just curious.
|
You have the reciepts, thats proof. If you replace them with exact same items, keep those receipts too.
|
Do not say that you had an Ipod or high dollar PDA if you did not have them, that would not only be stupid, but would be fraud. Insurance adjusters are pros and know the questions to ask and the documentation needed to prove you had that stuff and they will tape record your sworn statement regarding your loss. Do file a police report because the adjuster will require it as part of his claim file. A claim of this nature does have a possibility of raising your rates or getting you cancelled. The company does a risk assessment of each policy and determines if you are acceptable or not. Even though this is a new policy, they will go into a national data base to look at your claim history. If you have a poor record, you are screwed, like leaving your car parked in a high crime area with Xmas packages on the front seats. If you have a good record, they will simply pay the claim and move on. How do I know this? I used to be an adjuster till I realized what a shitty job it was.
|
Originally Posted by jackk,Aug 17 2006, 12:32 PM
Do not say that you had an Ipod or high dollar PDA if you did not have them, that would not only be stupid, but would be fraud. Insurance adjusters are pros and know the questions to ask and the documentation needed to prove you had that stuff and they will tape record your sworn statement regarding your loss. Do file a police report because the adjuster will require it as part of his claim file. A claim of this nature does have a possibility of raising your rates or getting you cancelled. The company does a risk assessment of each policy and determines if you are acceptable or not. Even though this is a new policy, they will go into a national data base to look at your claim history. If you have a poor record, you are screwed, like leaving your car parked in a high crime area with Xmas packages on the front seats. If you have a good record, they will simply pay the claim and move on. How do I know this? I used to be an adjuster till I realized what a shitty job it was.
|
Well, i need to make a decision fast. In about 20 minutes Im going to call in this claim with a police report.
|
Why pay the extra premium for full coverage with comp if you're going to hesitate use it? :confused:
|
File the claim - you may need the police report number for reference.
It doesn't really matter what was in the bag anyway because I doubt your insurance company will cover anything left in the car that is not part of the car itself - that's what homeowner's or renter's insurance is for. It may cover $100 or so, but not an iPod, CD collection, etc. Look at this way, you have an almost seven-year old top so it was due for replacement anyway. Get a glass rear window top, maybe from Hardtop Guy at a discount, after you get your estimate. In the future - don't leave anything in sight in your car. |
Well, just filed the police report and then the claim. They are sending an agent maybe within a couple of hours or by tomorrow to take pictures of my car. Wish me luck. I told them that I lost a bookbag and the items in it but Im not looking to get that back. All I want is my top fixed. I dont even care if they fix it with a '00 top. I just want it fixed. Of course the glass rear would be nice :)
|
Thanks for everyone's input. You guys helped out a lot!
|
It's been a million years since I was an insurance underwriter, but when I was, only "at fault" accidents and moving violations had the ability to increase your insurance premiums. Claims under the comprehensive coverage should have no effect on pricing. The only exception might be eligibility at renewal time. If you replaced your windshield four times in six months, your insurer might decide that they don't want to offer a renewal. A single theft/vandalism claim should not necessitate any pricing action. Several thefts/vandalisms over the policy term might be a problem, though.
I'd file the claim. That's why you bought the insurance. Get your S fixed quickly and done right. |
I have Allstate and the top got slashed on my old AP1.
I never filed a police report, I just called Allstate the same day and filed a claim. Vandalism gets put under comprehensive and your insurance will NOt go up. I took the car to the adjuster a couple of days later and they wrote me a check for 1400.00. I had a 500 deductible. I've had great experience with Allstate. |
[FONT=Arial]Not to make this a plug for Allstate, but my Homeowners insurance is with Allstate. A storm blew through here a few years ago, blew a tree down, damaged porch roof, outdoor lighting, other stuff - a mess. The adjuster was out the next day, wrote up estimates for repairs, even allocated money to cut up the tree and have it taken away. Has a check in a week. Nothing but good things to say about them.
|
FILE A CLAIM :cursing: That's what insurance is for.
|
Originally Posted by fonzy_S2K,Aug 17 2006, 10:53 AM
go file. replacing the top is expensive. that's what insurance is for. and please next time don't leave bags etc... in the cabin when you leave the car.
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:38 PM. |
© 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands