Hey guys... So my car has been driving beautifully, has felt amazing, I've been loving it. Just got a race roots exhaust installed this past week, did it myself and I can honestly say I'm quite happy with where my car is right now. Of course though... This was short lived, this morning (1am) I was at a McDonalds buying my girl food since she got off of work late. I was at the drive through, it was one of those mcdonalds that had two drive throughs (of f***king course I picked the one with a dumb@** in it!!!). I was just chillin' waiting for my turn, when I see the Ford Explorer in front of me it's reverse lights turn on and it starts slowly reversing. I was thinking wtf are they doing and was about to back up myself, and I look through their side mirror and notice it's a girl... Not even looking behind while she's backing up, and then she just floors it and hits my car. Why the hell she was backing up in a line at a drive through I don't know. So to make matters worse, she backs into me, then moves forward and you can hear her car stuck to mine, and then she backs up again and moves forward again and at this point I'm honking and screaming "Just stop!!" since she just hit my car 3 times.

Whatever, I call the cops and they say it's her fault, and the cop advises me to file a claim with their insurance and they should cover the repairs... I don't really have any experience with this, and well I'm going to just file a claim with her insurance and expect them to cover my repair costs. I'm posting a pic of the damage, I'm wondering if anyone with some experience could let me know what to expect with this situation. I know someone will come over and take pictures of the damage and so on...

As you can see from the pics, the front bumper paint is cracked and messed up, there is a gap between the fender and headlight from the bumper, I'm not sure if the tab is broken or not. The clear corner is a OEM mazda corner. The fender has a scratch along the edge, and the head light also has a scratch on it. I want everything fully repaired, and don't want some shitty patch up job. What can I expect their insurance to quote on something like this? This of course has to happen during finals week... *sigh*

 

Do not accept their first quote unless it is a ton. Go to several reputable body shops around you and get quotes on fixing the damage properly. That way when their insurance tells you what they are willing to pay you can have some idea on if they are trying to screw you or not.

There is a really good thread about getting the most you can from insurance somewhere on this site but it is more for if your vehicle is a total loss. It may still have some good information though.

 

Three times, did you ask the Police Officer to see if she was drunk?

 

When you go to several body shops, as xexok suggests, decide which one you want to use. Then let the insurance company deal directly with your shop. Don't let them choose the shop.

If there's a police report saying it's her fault, get a copy of that.

Don't forget to have them cover a rental car while yours is getting worked on.

Ken

 

that is called "steering" its against the law for an insurance company to tell you what shop to go to, its YOUR choice. since there is actually a LAW against insurance companies doing this (choosing the shop), that should tell you something.

even though its not legal for an insurance company to tell you where to go, they all have bodyshops, and tell you to go there... progressive even has it in a TV commercial.

 

Hey guys awesome info, and I really appreciate it. I had heard when you get into an accident you can choose your own shop,so I'll definitely pass by some reputable shops in my area. I'm not going to go to some rinky dink shop, I've already learned the hard way. You can't cheap on body work, and you get what you pay for.

Lol the dumb girl wasn't drunk ... Just reckless and shitty driver!

Let me ask you guys, you think I could use this situation to get the front bumper replaced for an aftermarket one? I was thinking mspeed replica or something else. Cause if I replace the bumper I'd rather not go stock.

 

Goodluck with fitment... the gap would look worse than before the accident.
Just go OEM, Authentic or Autoexe!

 

he has a point Emery... however see the price of a new bumper from factory, and then compare that to a aftermarket plus the cost of fitment. the body shop may be okay with going that route cause they could possibly make more money themselves with the money going towards labor vs more pricey OEM parts. thats how i look at it at least...

 

I really don't want to go back to stock, so I'm really considering Shines Rx-8 Spec-A Front Aero Bumper (autobahn replica). I think it looks great, and it has pretty good reviews about good fitment. Either way, any bumper is going to need work to get perfect fitment. I think it's very reasonably priced.

 

You have very minor damage. It is easy to fix by any experienced shop.

You don't need a new bumper.

 

I know it can be fixed, but I'd prefer to use this situation to get a new bumper.

 

They don't give you new parts like a bumper when it can be fixed easily.

Get realistic.

Your lucky if they offer you 250 bucks cash in place of repair.

Insurance is not in the business to loose money.

 

Here's a good guide on working with insurance companies by DocBeech: https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discuss...-claim-218419/

 

Then take a check for the settlement. Cash it, add it to what you already have in your pocket, and go shopping for a new bumper.

Ken

 

You're telling me the get realistic, and then you say I'd be lucky to get $250.

Let me do an estimate if I didn't replace my bumper and just repaired it the right way.
-Clear corner set $80
-Front bumper to fix fitment $50-100
-Front bumper prep work to paint $50-100
-Front bumper primed, painted, clear coated - $150-200
-Fender prep work to be painted $50-100
-Fender primed, painted, clear coated - $150-200
-Head light restoration - $40-50

Add it up and tell me it's not worth more than $250. Don't forget to add costs for a rental, because I'm not going to be borrowing someone else's car to go to work, school, or where ever I want to go while my car is in the shop. Not to mention, by law I can choose where I want my car to be repaired, and don't forget price inflation by shops because they know insurance will cover it. There were 2 additional witnesses, and a cop who wrote in the accident report that the other person was at fault.

Now let's add up the price if I decided to get a new bumper.
-Shine bumper - $450
-Fitted $50-100
-Painted $200
-Fender is lightly sanded and maybe able to be restored without being painted. $50-80
-Head light restored $30-40
-Clear corner set $80

It more or less comes out the same price. Even if I had problems with the insurance not wanting to cover charges, I have a lawyer ready.

You're right about insurance companies not wanting to lose money that's for sure, but they're definitely ready to collect their money from us.

 

Thanks, I'll make sure to read this.

 

^ This...

 

Interesting concept. So do you think that girl's insurance company doesn't have adjusters? Or that body shops don't have to work with insurance companies every day?

When you pick the body shop that will do the work, talk to them about using different parts once you've got the insurance check. Nobody minds if you do something different as long as the claim comes out right. If you go aftermarket, you might need to let your own insurance company know that you've got custom parts.

Ken

 

I don't think you're understanding me exactly.

I know there are adjusters, and I know they are going to try to low ball as best as they can. I'm going to try to get the most that I can, and just replace the bumper with an aftermarket. I'm not going to know what will be happening until I speak and deal with them.

 

What's to not understand about "...price inflation..."?

Anyway, good luck with the repair and upgrading to aftermarket. And find a shop that knows about short trips and flooding.

Ken

 

If you understood, then you would know if I have several quotes from reputable shops with inflated prices then I can tell the insurance adjuster "This is what shops are charging, and this is what the amount should be for more or less." Giving me some ground to argue for a better settlement.

Anyway thanks, my car hasn't flooded and hopefully it won't.

 

ok let me set a few things straight, prices from estimates from shops does not matter at all,

you have 2 options, 1 go to your insurance shop they reccomend (usually better shops and warranties the insurance backs) or they will send an appraiser to you and write you an estimate and check and you can pick your own shop, but the insruance will not cover a warrenty

you best bet is not to worry about prices at all, find the best shop and tell the insurance you want to go there, and let the shop fight with the insruance to get everything correct.

i would highly suggest staying away from aftermarket parts due to fitment issues, and your 50-100 is probaly WAY off to get them to get it to fit good, we have spent in our shop from 5-25 hours just to get aftermarket covers to fit.


get a good shop, look at thier finished work, get a copy of warrenty. =)

 

You missed the point!!!

You are declining the bumper to be fixed. You are cashing out on the claim. You get considerable less.

There are shops that will repair that damage for 150 bucks plus 60 for paint.


Insurance covers stock parts. Clear corners are not stock and you can pick up a turn signal marker at a junk yard for 25 bucks or less.

 

So good news. The shop that I went to to get the appraisal done at says that the bumper needs to be replaced it can't be repaired. The side tabs that hold the bumper right under the head light are busted. I asked the guy about putting a aftermarket bumper, he said no problem and he'd work with me. (No way will you look at that!)

The bad news. He contacted the insurance and told me info I wasn't supposed to find out... He says the insurance told him that the girl who hit me wasn't under the insurance policy (It's the moms car), and that they might pull some **** where apparently they have to open a case and it can take months for them to settle the claim, and worse comes to worse they might decline fixing my car.

So I'm pretty pissed about finding that out, and it better not turn out that way. I'm waiting to hear back from the adjuster, and I don't understand under what grounds they could decline repairing my car if there is a accident report filed claiming that the person driving that car hit me. I would much rather settle this without having to involve a lawyer, or suing that girl for my repairs... Why can't it just be easy f**K!!

 

I'm not a lawyer, but I think the only way they can decline the claim is of the girl's mother said she did not have permission to use the car. In that case it's stolen. So let the police who investigated the accident know that info. If the mom decides that keeping her daughter out of jail is worth what it will cost her in additional premiums, you're fine. If not, you're SOL.

Do you have collision insurance? If so, you can collect from your own insurance. They'll subrogate to get their money back. It won't count against you. The only problem with that is you may lose some of your deductable as your share of the litigation/collection cost. And you'll have to front the money for a rental...or forgo one and never get that taken care of. But you'll at least have something while the kid rots in jail.

How much did the estimate come out to be?

Ken