OT dealing with insurance adjusters?????

670 Views 12 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Dorsai, Jul 17, 2008

HirosStorageUnit

Discussion Starter · Jul 16, 2008

Short version of the story:

I got rear ended by somebody yesterday.
Nothing super obvious bumper is crazed an looks a little warped.
But here is the big kicker, now I am getting engine lights and such.

Their insurance wants to come out and inspect and cut me a check on the scene.
WTF? how are they going to be able to determine what is wrong with it just by looking at it.

What should I look out for? I have yet to ever deal with an insurance before so I dont get how this works.

Shouldn't I be getting my own estimate?

cheers and thanks

Save

1 - 13 of 13 Posts

machinegunt

· #2 · Jul 16, 2008

What lights are you getting exactly? Is it an Airbag light? That shit can get expensive! If it is your actual engine light you need to have the codes read to see what is wrong! I would tell the adjuster what is happening and have the dealer fully check your rig out!

T :wink:

Save

Rotdorn

· #3 · Jul 16, 2008

I have dealt with them on claims from hundreds of dollars to up over a million dollars Their job is to minimize the claim on the insured, your job is to indemnified for your loss, be firm but fair.

Save

surf99

· #4 · Jul 16, 2008

Dont know about NV, but in Fl. the adj will look at it and do the estimate,
and tell you the shop will contact them for aditional non obvious problems
at the time of repair. Some companies may have a minimum criteria for the shop as far as legitimacy, etc.

Just point out all you notice, and make sure he notes it. But, they probably will. I just went thru this two weeks ago here.

Save

Barrelburner

· #5 · Jul 16, 2008

My girlfriend had to go through this a few months ago (her car was getting fixed at the body shop when you picked me up there, Hiros :smile: )

She was rearended.

The at-fault party's insurance adjuster came out and looked at the car. They sent her a check, which was hundreds of dollars less than the estimates she got.

She wound up getting the car fixed, and the shop worked with the insurance to get full payment. The adjuster apparently had missed a couple of things that the shop fixed. This also helped to get them to increase the payment to the full amount.

The other person's insurance also paid for a rental car.

Save

American_Infidel

· #6 · Jul 17, 2008

I always went out and got an estimate from the shop I wanted to do the repair. When the adjuster showed up, he done his thing and I then showed him the estimate. Once the adjuster missed some things and the other time the adjuster was right on.

As for the engine lights, if it is the airbag light, be sure to tell the adjuster ASAP. For SES lights, get the codes read (Autozone and Advance will do it for free) and tell the repair shop to include it in their estimate and then tell the adjuster when he shows up.

Save

Dutchkma

· #7 · Jul 17, 2008

Any adjusters out there willing to break the code of silence and tell us who is the "customer" in this transaction? Who controls the situation of choosing a repair facility, and quality and brand of repair parts used? I own and run a mechanical repair shop, and have too many insurence company stories to tell in an internet thread.

Save

will36

· #8 · Jul 17, 2008

I have been in a bodyshop since 1986 :grin: Dont sign anything! dont take there check!

Its a liability case you have a upper hand here a little.

I would do the following: Get 3 different estimates. Show the adjustor the highest 2 . If you have a shop in mind go there last and show them the other estimates. Its easy to miss something and some shops leave stuff off on purpose to get the lower price then "OH we found this" and send in a suppliment.

There are NO air bag sensors in the rear of a auto. There is how ever a lot of EGR and gas tank filters under and around the rear bumpers. This stuff is plastic and usually brittle from gas fumes . :neutral:

Dont sweat it much if they find anything they can write a suppliment.

How new is your car? You can ask for loss of value. A newer car will bring less when traded in if its been wrecked no matter how well its fixed.

Also you are due a rent car for the time the car is in the shop.

I would also have someone shut you in the trunk and see if you see light around the seal. If so it will leak water and be sure to tell the bodyshop.

If your car is financed make sure it doesnt have to be fixed at a dealership bodyshop. Honda finance is starting to do this. They will not sign off on the check. If it is financed it will most likely have your name and the finance companys name on the check.

pm me and ?'s or pic.and Ill help all I can.

See less See more

Save

machinegunt

· #9 · Jul 17, 2008

There are NO air bag sensors in the rear of a auto. There is how ever a lot of EGR and gas tank filters under and around the rear bumpers. This stuff is plastic and usually brittle from gas fumes . Neutral

That is true.....But I had a module go bad that was for my side air bags! I was rear ended and my Airbag light started blinking! Ended up costing almost a thousand bucks to replace at the stealer and it was due to the impact (So they Said)

T :smile:

Save

will36

· #10 · Jul 17, 2008

:lol: The :neutral: was not for your post it was for the good people of Ford, chevy , Dodge, ect . Who decided to use cheap plastic that gas fumes break down and make brittle to transport and filter gas fumes.

Funny how cars start to fall apart about 6 months before you get them paid off. :smile: You would be suprised at the parts that are designed with weak points built in.

Save

HirosStorageUnit

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 17, 2008

this is our new car a toyota yaris and it is paid off.

waiting to hear from the adjuster, I went to the Doc for my pain, smacked the arm pretty hard on the steering wheel.
wait till they see that bill.
wow

I just want my bumper fixed and the computer checked for the lights.

that is about it.

Save

will36

· #12 · Jul 17, 2008

uhhhh I would go get a few estimates and see if they will put it on a lift to look under the car . Those cars dont take hits to well. look in the trunk under the carpet for kinks around the spare tire. Also check out the uni body rails. (the 2 rails the bumper is bolted to)

Save

Dorsai

· #13 · Jul 17, 2008

Seriously, there isn't much to writing a car estimate. The "Mitchell Manual" is computerized these days. They input the part and the program says how much it costs and how much is allowed for time. If the adjuster doesn't see something that's broken because the car has to be torn down first, then it gets picked up on a supplement. Nobody gets cheated.

First thing you have to remember is that they don't owe you a new car. All they owe is to restore it to what it was before the accident. Or the value if it is a total loss. If you have a 6 year old car, then don't get pissed off if they put salvage (not wrecked and repaired, just 6 year old parts) parts on the vehicle. If you have old damage that will end up getting repaired too, don't think you're getting cheated because they aren't paying for it. They aren't responsible for it.

Save

1 - 13 of 13 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month