I just heard from the insurance adjuster...

Ok so as some of you have readMy 41 olds got hit in the door and rocker panel . I just heard from the adjuster and he quotes my damage at about $1800. I have taken it to a local shop that only deals with classics and his quote was between $3500 and $4000 . Apparently the adjuster has planned to send my car to a real hack shop as he told me they would just fill my door and as for the rocker panel he said he couldn't find one so they would cur the one on the passenger side out and reproduce it for the drivers side. I told him try again and sent him to rethink his numbers . I have found the rocker panel but no luck on a door yet.


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Cant the resto shop deal with the adjuster?

 

I hope so I gave him the shops number. I've never heard of a shop cutting out a good part to replicate it for the other side. How crazy is that?!


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Who do you have it insured with?

 

Takeum,Screwum and Runne insurance.
Cut it out and replicate it? wow.

 

The guy that hits has nationwide insurance , we're on your side...NOT

 

Dayum! Better tell ur adjuster not to call back unless he wants to get facked in the poop shoot like he was so non chalantly trying to do to you!

 

You better watch out I hear that their lawyers are from Dewey Dickum and Howe. Won't they pay you out so that you can find the parts and repair it yourself properly?

 

I'd think I'd politely tell that adjuster he needed to consider this wasn't still 1983 and that Bondo quickies aren't acceptable and that he needed to go back and adjust his numbers a little bit.

If you find they are playing hardball, you can talk to your insurance and they might then step in to advocate on your side. That is what our insurance told me they would do once when my wife's OT car got hit. The other's guys insurance was giving us some run around, mostly because the other driver started telling stories and backtracking on what really happened. They eventually settled in our favor fortunately after they finally decided the other guy was lying based on photos they got him to send them of the damage to his car. But, in the meantime, I spoke to our insurance and they said try to deal with the other guy's insurance directly on our own and if we don't get a satisfactory offer from them to call them back and they would take a look at it and step in to help if needed. Luckily they decided on their own the other guy was at fault and gave us a couple options for repair shops nearby and the one we picked did a great job on the repair.

 

That's pretty much what I did stude . When I took the car to him I also took my magnet and showed him the car wasn't all bondo and told him it wasn't going to be fixed that way.

 

hold your ground and let your insurance co. sue his. make sure you bang them for rental car and all the time getting estimates.

 

Most states insurance DOI's state that the third party insurance has to pay to repair your damage by returning the car to it's previous state before the accident. That is without a door full of bondo nor additional damage to the opposiite side rocker panel.

There insurance company dosen't have the right to tell you how to repair it, nor to tell you where it must be repaired.

Simply inform the other driver that his insurance company will not pay the full cost of the repair, as determined by your repair shop, and that your lawyer said that you will have to sue them for the balance of the repairs.

In Ma, his drivers licence would be suspended if he does not pay for the damages awarded.

You can also mention to his insurance company the "diminished value" of your car that must be paid in cash, beside the damage repairs.

I would not mention the rocker panel that you found, let the body shop supply it and set the sale price on it.

 

I would ask your insurance co. as I belive you can take it to the shop of YOUR choice.

 

Dewey Dickum and Howe, Ha! Hilarious!

 

If I were you I would try and get more than one estimate on your own. If you end up with two or three estimates in the 3-4k range then the Nationwide adjuster can't argue with you. Also, I don't know the law in your state , but in Maine we have the right to have our vehicles fixed at the shop of our choice provided the estimate is reasonable.

If they can't figure out how to make a rocker....they aren't the right shop.

 

I would think that would be the law everywhere or there would be nothing but hacks out there slinging mud for insurance companies.

 

Get a few estimates
Remember its first round negotiations
They have an obligation to correct the car unless you agree to less - so don't.

 

I saw the picture of the damage. It doesn't look like $3000 to me. It looks like the door at least could be straightened out, unless the pictures are deceiving. Additionally, the car is in primer, so there's no need for the expense of base and clear.

I think you may be suffering from the fact that your car doesn't have shiny paint. IE, it looks beat up at a glance, so the adjuster is probably less interested in getting it fixed nicely.

I also noticed a good amount of rust where the door was hit. It looks like it has been there a while. The insurance company won't pay to fix a pre-existing problem. Which raises an interesting question ... how much fixing do they need to pay for in that area?

Lastly, I don't understand the idea of cutting a good rocker off the car to use as a template for the other side. That's absurd. With the car in front of the body man, he should be able to fabricate a piece with no problem.

 

im not entirely sure i should say this...

but the insurance company is working for you in this instance. thats why we pay premiums..

in New zealand, we can take our ride to our repairer of choice, then the repairer and the insurance co argue over the cost. the insurance comp[any (here) can only suggest their prefered workshops for those who dont know.

luck

 

Must be a subsidiary of the Tappet Bros firm, Dewey, Cheatum and Howe, based in Cambridge MA

 

You don't need multiple estimates. It just gives them the argument to go with the lowest. Get an estimate from the shop you want to repair it. Also call your insurance company, they may be able to put more pressure no Nationwide.

 

Careful with Nationwide. I had a Tahoe hit my off-topic 'vette several years ago. They wouldn't write me the check to fix it, so I went with a "reputable" shop. Quoted at $6500 in damage. By the time I got it back, Nationwide beat up the shop, made them use aftermarket parts (which were back ordered so I was without the car for 2 extra weeks), repair the front edge of the hood instead of replacing (horrible), cut my rental off at 5 days because that was the standard time to fix (even though they created the delay)....they ended up paying $2800 to the shop.
The shop was so beat up in the process I got it back with a 1/4" of sanding dust all over my engine bay, and the work was absolutely crap. And of course, there was no real negotiating with NW to get it fixed right. I in turn did the only reasonable thing - I sold the car because I couldn't stand to look at it and didn't have the time to strip it down and do it right. Fortunately I bought it right and sold it right, so I didn't get hurt in the deal.

I should have turned it straight in to MY insurance, and let them deal with Nationwide.

 

Oh believe me I have no intentions of letting it go to a hack like that. I know the rules. Rule no. 1 I win!

 

Unless 3 estimates are 3500 range and their offer is 1800

Proof positive that somebody is way off.

If you are dealing direct with the "other insurance company" , you are swimming with sharks and no cage. Turn it over to your insurance company and let them fight it out

 

I'm guessing you don't have full coverage with your own company?? If you do just go get it fixed and they can fight it out.

 

Hoo boy, too many avenues here but I play devils advocate and try to give you some insight.

First off, I am a licensed NYS insurance appraiser/adjuster.

Now, "Black Primer" asked (and you never answered) who your insurance company is? This is very important because there is a huge difference between being an "insured" or a "claimant". If you are going through your company then you are the "insured" and therefore your company works in your best interest. If you are not insured or are just going through "the other guy's" insurance, that makes you the "claimant" and you more than likely will get the "don't let the door hit you in the ass" treatment. You NEVER want to go at a loss on any vehicle alone, you need to go through your company. Now if you didn't have it insured, through a collector car insurance company/agent, you mind as well stick your head between your legs and kiss your own ass 'cause nobody else will. This is fact!

Now as far as your shop choice: If you chose a "New York State Registered Repair Facility" that shop automaticly becomes your authorized negotiating agent by law. If he does not or will not negotiate the repairs with the adjuster, find another shop.

It is also worth noting that the negotiating must be fair and in line. I can't tell you how many times someone had a $1000.00 in actual damage but these people spent $150.00 in gas running to various shops until they got a $3000.00 estimate. Trust me, adjusters are not that stupid and most shops know this. If an adjuster feels that your shop is not dealing in a fair manor, the adjuster can by NYS law, obtain 3 agreed figures with shops that are capable of doing the necessary repairs to return your vehicle back to "pre-loss" condition. Per-loss condition is just that, putting the car back into the cosmetic condition it was prior to the loss. No insurance company will pay to make a vehicle better than it was. If you had rust before the accident, you will have rust after the repair. If your paint was faded or had chips and/or scratches prior to the accident, you will either have them after the repair and/or there will be some kind of discount (betterment) taken from the repair costs.

When it comes to parts, any good shop will or should tell you that a good repair is always better than replacement. Also if a panel is "repairable" it will be repaired period. Just because someone doesn't want bondo on their car is not a valid argument. Now if and when a replacement is necessary remember that the insurance company is only responsible to put the vehicle back to pre-loss condition NOT BETTER! If you have a 2011 vehicle that needs a door and a "used" door is available, you're getting a used door. Why? You're driving a used vehicle! It doesn't matter that you bought it new, it is not new now, it is 3 years old. Any part replaced on a vehicle MUST be "like kind in quality" or as most people have seen LKQ. This means exactly what it says, the part must be an equal replacement part (new, used, N.O.S., N.O.R.S., reproduction/aftermarket, etc.).

There is waaay too much more to this but I'm not a book writer but I will try to answer a question here or there when I can.

 

It took me 10 or 11 months fighting with a insurance company to get what I wanted. (I had a tire blow on my trailer which caused alot of damage to my trailer)(The trailer was brand new and cost about 15,000) They kept sending me checks or giving me amounts that they thought were fair and I just kept refusing them. They started with a $240 check to replace the tire and rim. They told me that they would send more money as needed but I was suppose to sign some form and send it back. I was not about to do that until everything was cleared up. Then they sent me a check for $1100 for the damage. I said nice try but not going to happen. They told me that the most they could do was $1400 and that was it. Then they said I could keep both the first check and the second check. I told them I was going to get a lawyer and fight it. I figured it would cost too much so I didn't go through with it. A couple more months past and I finally get a phone call from the adjuster. (10 or 11 months have past since the fender bender) He said they would be willing to give me another $4900 on top of the 2 checks they already sent me. I agreed and then dropped them and will never use them again. It worked out ok but I learned never to trust the insurance company. The damage was in the 7,000 to 9,000 dollar range if I had a Shop do it. If I did it myself it would have been closer to $2,500. THe parts were cheap it was just going to be time consuming. I sold it right after so I didn't have to fix anything. It turned out ok but I'm never going to forget it.

 

Ive been in your shoes. I got T-boned in my 53. Gave them one qoute from my friends shop. Pretty fair, but not cheap. Adjuster came to look, and tried to cut it in half. Thats his job right? Gave him my lawyers number and said if he wanted to negotiate to call this guy. I had the full check the next week.

Sometimes neck pain doesn't show up for almost a week........

 

Hummm...

And people wonder why and get their panties in a bunch because insurance companies don't pass out hundred dollar bills at will. ^ ^ ^ Here is your main reason! ^ ^ ^

Now this is some funny shit! YOU don't trust THEM!

 

Ok waddayacare all I'm asking for is pre accident condition and the adjuster is talking about cutting up my car to make a replacement panel from the good side since when is that common practice . And as for my door the bottom is now split open ( was not rusted out) and the curves are now creased flat they want to use a dent puller and hammer down the high spots and bondo it in that is not pre existing condition. Yes it is in primer as it was going to get painted this winter. And no it didn't have full coverage yet because my company said they couldn't until it's painted. Any more advice?