Tachus targeted by a Hit and Run - Advice needed
09-02-2018, 10:47 AM
#14
Alan and Catherine, like everyone above, I'm so very sorry that your baby was damaged but glad no one was injured. I hope it isn't too much of a struggle to get her back to normal.
09-02-2018, 05:13 PM
#15
Sorry to hear, I hate dealing with accidents.
You mentioned that they got he pate number, have you heard anything further?
You mentioned that they got he pate number, have you heard anything further?
09-03-2018, 05:17 PM
#16
Registered User
Thread Starter
I will jump in here and thank you all for your well wishes and for the great advice which we will put to good use. Alan will post more later. I suppose the insurance battle will start tomorrow. Already we are preparing for a battle and the insurance company has not even looked at the car yet. Nor have we made up our own minds about what we want. I do hope Tachus can be repaired back to her former abilities but have taken note that if the repairs cannot restore her to her former glory we might not be too happy with the results. I am very grateful that Alan was not injured. It could have been so much worse. As to the driver who hit him I'd rather not say anything, which says a lot about what I'd like to say. We will keep you up to date as to how this all works out. Once again thank you for the advice and support.
09-04-2018, 08:21 PM
#19
Realize that you don't know what you don't know. Realize that somethings can be known right now while other things must wait for others to do their jobs. So...
1. Read your policy. It will tell you the basis on which the company pays the claim.
2. If you find the policy difficult to follow, call your insurance agent and ask him or her where the policy language explains how the claim is paid.
3. While you have the agent on the phone, ask how the company determines if the car is totaled and how they determine the value of the car if it is totaled. Also ask how the company deals with replacement parts. Will they pay for new factory parts or only aftermarket parts? If aftermarket, on what basis do they justify this practice? Is it in the policy?
4. Don't simply accept the insurance company practices. Ask for the justification for anything you don't like. If it isn't in the policy or set forth in the law of your state, then practices you don't like can be challenged.
5. Make sure the car is at the body shop of your choice. Make sure the body shop knows that you want to know exactly how bad this is and how well the car can be returned to pre-damaged condition. Confer with the body shop before deciding if you prefer to have the car fixed or totaled based on the amount of damage. Go look at the car while up in the area and see how bad it is.
6. If the body shop is owned by your car dealership, they may be able to help you advocate for factory parts. But remember, the factory parts will drive up the cost and be more likely to trigger a finding that the car is totaled. It is all based on the cost to repair versus the value of the car.
7. Research the value of your car and the availability of cars in the same condition. Look at valuation guides like Edmonds, Haggerty, and the so-called blue books. Search the internet for cars being sold that are the same age or a year newer with the same mileage and the same condition to get a sense of the market value.
8. Collect any recent pictures of the car to help prove the "before" condition.
9. Find out what the insurance adjuster thinks. That is the starting point. Then take their position and compare it to what you have learned above and you will be able to respond properly.
1. Read your policy. It will tell you the basis on which the company pays the claim.
2. If you find the policy difficult to follow, call your insurance agent and ask him or her where the policy language explains how the claim is paid.
3. While you have the agent on the phone, ask how the company determines if the car is totaled and how they determine the value of the car if it is totaled. Also ask how the company deals with replacement parts. Will they pay for new factory parts or only aftermarket parts? If aftermarket, on what basis do they justify this practice? Is it in the policy?
4. Don't simply accept the insurance company practices. Ask for the justification for anything you don't like. If it isn't in the policy or set forth in the law of your state, then practices you don't like can be challenged.
5. Make sure the car is at the body shop of your choice. Make sure the body shop knows that you want to know exactly how bad this is and how well the car can be returned to pre-damaged condition. Confer with the body shop before deciding if you prefer to have the car fixed or totaled based on the amount of damage. Go look at the car while up in the area and see how bad it is.
6. If the body shop is owned by your car dealership, they may be able to help you advocate for factory parts. But remember, the factory parts will drive up the cost and be more likely to trigger a finding that the car is totaled. It is all based on the cost to repair versus the value of the car.
7. Research the value of your car and the availability of cars in the same condition. Look at valuation guides like Edmonds, Haggerty, and the so-called blue books. Search the internet for cars being sold that are the same age or a year newer with the same mileage and the same condition to get a sense of the market value.
8. Collect any recent pictures of the car to help prove the "before" condition.
9. Find out what the insurance adjuster thinks. That is the starting point. Then take their position and compare it to what you have learned above and you will be able to respond properly.
09-05-2018, 10:21 AM
#20
My car was damaged at Spring Fling. Ended up being about $3,800. Fortunately the accident was recorded by my dash cam. Other party insurance covered it all after viewing the video footage. Highly recommend dash cams for our cars.