Insurance claim advice plz

[Slammillionaire]

Hey doods.
Got into an accident last monday, 80 yr old guy swerves into my lane hitting my fender, side marker, front bumper. Accident was listed as the other driver's fault in the police report and his insurance (state farm) has accepted liability. They are giving me 2 options, take it to a shop and state farm deals with them OR upload photos of the damage because it is relatively minor (fender, side marker and bumper most likely need to be replaced, nothing structural/mechanical) and they will assess and send me a check. Has anyone used this "pocket estimate" before? What are the chances of me being lowballed using this method? It is attractive to me because I would rather do the work myself. Halp.

[Si_Chris]

Take it to a shop of your choice, let them disassemble and see what needs fixing, and let them deal with State Farm.

There is always the chance of more damage underneath that cannot be seen by an adjuster.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Si_Chris

Take it to a shop of your choice, let them disassemble and see what needs fixing, and let them deal with State Farm.

There is always the chance of more damage underneath that cannot be seen by an adjuster.

^ This.
I would never settle for a value based on some pictures.

[Summerwolf]

Originally Posted by Si_Chris

Take it to a shop of your choice, let them disassemble and see what needs fixing, and let them deal with State Farm.

There is always the chance of more damage underneath that cannot be seen by an adjuster.

Spot on.


You can also take additional photos during the process (which you should) so that the next owner can have documentation and you'll have an easier time with the diminished value claim with State Farm since they've already accepted responsibility.


Also, that looks like could easily be more than "fender, bumper, and side marker" damage just from that one photo.

[akapero]

Agreed with all of the above. You can never tell the true damage just by eyeballing it. There may well be damaged mounting points, misaligned parts that you can't see, or any number of things.

Insurance companies use these quick-claim things because they know they're likely to pay out less than if you take it to an actual shop.

[extrashaky]

Originally Posted by Slammillionaire

They are giving me 2 options, take it to a shop and state farm deals with them OR upload photos of the damage because it is relatively minor (fender, side marker and bumper most likely need to be replaced, nothing structural/mechanical) and they will assess and send me a check.

You have more than those two options. You can also take it to a shop of your choice and get your own estimate, then add any other costs you incur to the total and submit it to State Farm as the amount it will take for you to settle. If they try to tell you they don't do it that way, you can also remind them that you also have the option of taking your estimate into court and suing them for it, in which case they'll also pay your court costs and attorney's fees. Make sure you include your other expenses, like the cost of a rental car while the car is out of service being repaired.

The up side of having State Farm's contracted shop do it is that they'll likely do a decent job of it, and if they don't, you don't have to accept their work until it's made right. Usually those big insurance shops also have a Hertz or Enterprise desk right in the same building, so you can pick up a rental right there when you drop the car off. The down side is that the repair process is somewhat out of your control, and you'll be at the mercy of State Farm when it comes to what parts they'll pay for (factory or aftermarket). Since we have a relatively low production niche vehicle, I would expect most of the parts to be OEM.

I can see no upside at all to their quick claim scheme with the photo upload. The insurance companies sell quick claims as a "feature" of their service, when in reality it's designed entirely to reduce the amounts paid out and shift some of the burden of the cost back to the claimant. A lot of people will jump on this because they need to get their cars back in service as quickly as possible. The only reason to do this is if you're just desperate for money and plan to just use the payout to pay rent or power bills while continuing to drive the car damaged.

Originally Posted by Slammillionaire

It is attractive to me because I would rather do the work myself.

If you take it to your own shop and use their estimate to negotiate the claim, you can still do the work yourself. You don't actually have to have the work done there. I would still get a pro to look at it, however, because the ding that fender took could have pushed some things around that you don't immediately notice.

One other thing: When dealing with the claims adjuster, always take the attitude that you're in no hurry whatsoever and are willing to drag this out for months to get your loss made whole. Adjusters are evaluated in part on the number of claims they settle and how quickly they settle them, so most adjusters are going to want this to go away quickly. If you pay attention, you'll catch them subtly and not-so-subtly trying to sell you on a quick settlement. Make it clear you're willing to wait as long as it takes for your vehicle to be done correctly. Last one I had, I said to the lady, "I'm not sure this first offer is going to work. I have at least a year to settle this or take it to court, correct?" Their attitude changes considerably when they realize their quick claim sales pressure isn't working.

[jasonojordan]

I would 100% have it taken to a shop and have them do a hands on assesment of the damage. Just because you have them do this does not mean you are locked in to having that shop do the repairs. Take it to multiple shops if you want. If you are dead set on doing the work yourself and want a check then take the highest estimate submit it to state farm and they will send you a check for that value. Still has risks of once body panels come off you find more damage but is still moons better then just submitting pictures to them and getting a check based off that.

[Slammillionaire]

Originally Posted by extrashaky

You have more than those two options. You can also take it to a shop of your choice and get your own estimate, then add any other costs you incur to the total and submit it to State Farm as the amount it will take for you to settle. If they try to tell you they don't do it that way, you can also remind them that you also have the option of taking your estimate into court and suing them for it, in which case they'll also pay your court costs and attorney's fees. Make sure you include your other expenses, like the cost of a rental car while the car is out of service being repaired.

The up side of having State Farm's contracted shop do it is that they'll likely do a decent job of it, and if they don't, you don't have to accept their work until it's made right. Usually those big insurance shops also have a Hertz or Enterprise desk right in the same building, so you can pick up a rental right there when you drop the car off. The down side is that the repair process is somewhat out of your control, and you'll be at the mercy of State Farm when it comes to what parts they'll pay for (factory or aftermarket). Since we have a relatively low production niche vehicle, I would expect most of the parts to be OEM.

I can see no upside at all to their quick claim scheme with the photo upload. The insurance companies sell quick claims as a "feature" of their service, when in reality it's designed entirely to reduce the amounts paid out and shift some of the burden of the cost back to the claimant. A lot of people will jump on this because they need to get their cars back in service as quickly as possible. The only reason to do this is if you're just desperate for money and plan to just use the payout to pay rent or power bills while continuing to drive the car damaged.



If you take it to your own shop and use their estimate to negotiate the claim, you can still do the work yourself. You don't actually have to have the work done there. I would still get a pro to look at it, however, because the ding that fender took could have pushed some things around that you don't immediately notice.

One other thing: When dealing with the claims adjuster, always take the attitude that you're in no hurry whatsoever and are willing to drag this out for months to get your loss made whole. Adjusters are evaluated in part on the number of claims they settle and how quickly they settle them, so most adjusters are going to want this to go away quickly. If you pay attention, you'll catch them subtly and not-so-subtly trying to sell you on a quick settlement. Make it clear you're willing to wait as long as it takes for your vehicle to be done correctly. Last one I had, I said to the lady, "I'm not sure this first offer is going to work. I have at least a year to settle this or take it to court, correct?" Their attitude changes considerably when they realize their quick claim sales pressure isn't working.

Great info, thanks! Think I am going to do what you recommend and take it to a shop and try to settle with them for the cost. Much appreciated!

[why?]

i"d find a shop willing to guarantee all the work for life. Usually you can get a guarantee on the actual body work and the paint at a minimum. Also these shops are usually the most ruthless when it comes to beating the crap out of the insurance companies for every penny you deserve to fix the car correctly.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Slammillionaire

Hey doods.
Got into an accident last monday, 80 yr old guy swerves into my lane hitting my fender, side marker, front bumper. ............

Sorry to see that ......

Old coots should not be allowed to drive ........


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Sorry to see that ......

Old coots should not be allowed to drive ........


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Case in point ......


humfrz

[ls1ac]

I believe the big difference is hidden damage. A shop can add to the cost as things come to light. If you sign off and take the check I would think you are stuck. check the fine print. also, when the other is at fault you can pick your shop. many times if the other is paying you can use the dealer and will gat the manufacturer replacement parts.

[Lonewolf]

I've dealt with insurance companies throughout accident claims multiple times...

1) Expect them to lowball you on your claim (especially on their first offer)

2) Take it to a body shop you trust to do a thorough teardown (check the motor mounts [often overlooked in these accidents], dispute any omissions/damage they do not itemize on the damage estimate