Well, some of you may notice that I was aiming to buy a new car very soon - was planning to trade in my current car if I don't have it sold by the time I go to purchase the new car. I was thinking to get the new car by the end of the first week of June or early second week. That has to be postponed now because of damage on my car from the car accident last Thursday - I was not at fault.
Two nights ago, as I began to turn right into a parking lot entrance (campus parking) from the right end lane, the driver in a truck on the bicycle lane hit me on the right side. Highway Patrol was called; I didn't get a ticket; also the oficer said this to me after I made a comment that the other side's lying: If he's lying to you, he is lying to me.
I have never been in this situation and so I'd like to understand how the insurance works. Here are some facts:
1) I have full converage insurance on my car, with $500 deductable for the collision. Also have rental provision for $25 per day rate for 30 days per accident.2) the other side's insurance was in his mother's name; I am not sure whether he (21 or 22 year old) was on the policy.
I contacted my insurance and took the option to drop off my car to an autobody shop near where I live which, the lady from my insurance company said, "it's one of ours."
I am posting my question here because I felt uneasy about this aubody place which I have used before for hitting a curb and damaging the body
- that time, I paid for it since I only had liability insurance at that time.
The damage on my car from this accident is
- the right side mirror broken
- the area on the door near the mirror was hit: BIG dent
- the right fender was hit: BIG dent
- the right side of the front bumper: MEDIUM dent
My concern is w.r.t the way how this shop would fix the damage on the right side of the bumper. My car's bumper on the right side corner area had pre-existing big scratch though no dent and also in the front area of the bumper, there was a small chipped area.
I assumed that because of the dent caused by this accident, the bumper would be replaced. The shop is saying that they wouldn't replace the bumper but they would fix the damage caused by this accident (on the bumper) with life time warranty. I pointed out that they would apply paint which, when fades, would become noticebaly different from the paint on the other areas of the bumper. But, she kept insiting that no one can tell the difference, also insisting that it's the same paint used when the car was manufactired.
I am concern that that this autobody place works with the best interest of my insurance company rather than mine and hence do not plan to replace the bumper, which, BTW, I know would be much better than the bumper condition before the accident. I am not trying to get a new bumper but ... I just don't think I should settle for the way they plan to fix the damage on the bumper caused by this accident. I felt that the kind of repair they plan to do would depreciate my car's value. I mean, how would they fix the dent such that it would be restored to the same condition before the accident. The only way to ensure that would be replacing the bumper.
I had told the lady at that autobody shop to contact me after they come with an estimate but before they start working on it. She used the line, "I am sure Joy will contact you..." I repeated so that she would understand that no work was to be started without talking to me first. This was yesterday morning.
The other concern I had with this autobody place was the way they told me that I would have to pay the $500 deductible if the other insurance company had not paid for it yet. That greatly disturbed me. The way I saw it was that my insurance should have paid for it all if the other side has not paid yet. So I felt that that this autobody place works with the best interest of my insurance company, period.
A few hours later, I learned that I had the right to get more than one estimate. So I called the local dealer and got autobody place name. I talked with this new autobody place, mentioning how this autbody place told me that I would have to come up with the $500 out of my pocket if the other insurance company had not paid yet. I also mentioned about the police report and a bout the other party at fault. This new shop told me that they would call the other insurance company right infornt of me and make arrangement for the other insurance to pay for it.
My QUESTIONS are (1) Is it possible that the autobody place that works with my insurance companies would do work on my car such that it would benefit my insurance company while that work would depreciate my car's value?
(2) If the other insurance company is not paying yet at the time my car is completely fixed, shouldn't my insurance compnay knowing that I wasn't the one at fault, pay the $500 deductible and then get that money from the other insurance company?
(3) How many estimate am I allowed to get?
(4) Since my car was in drivable condition after the accident, if I want to take my car for another estimate, would my insurance tow it for me or do I need to drive it to the new shop?
(5) Since I could get the rental car only after I dropped my car at the autobody place where an inspector from the insurance company would come check, what happens when, assuming that the insurance company wouldn't tow my car, I take my car to another shop for the estimate?
BTW, would anyone suggest that I just trade in this car the way it is and purchase a new car and get the money from the insurance company? Frankly, I am reluctant to do it that way but I want to hear some opinion.