Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

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Lexx
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Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

The driver of the other vehicle was backing up trying to get out of a right turn only lane and backed into my vehicle. He didn't want me to go through insurance saying he would pay for it all. When I spoke with the body shop and my own insurance agent, they both recommended I contact the insurance company of the guy who hit me, just to cover my bases in case he tries to make up a different story.

So I did call and report it to his company. They haven't been able to get a hold of him yet to get his version of it. So I'm still waiting for a resolution (it's only been 24 hrs since I reported it).

My concern is even if Geico pays to repair my vehicle, I'm going to now have diminished value due to the accident showing up on CarFax. Is there a way I can get Geico to pay for that diminished value? Are there any other pitfalls I need to watch out for?
Topic Author
Lexx
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

Update:

I contacted Geico about diminished value claims and of course at first their adjuster tried to feed me the line "we're going to bring your car back to the condition it was before the accident so you will be made whole". I then mentioned that a cursory search on the internet shows that California is a diminished value claims state where the insurer is going to be on the hook for it. Their tune changed after that and I was given another rep who told me how I could file that part of the claim.

Also there's a company called CollisionClaims.com who claim they can help with the process but I have no idea what their cut is. I would think it shouldn't be that hard to figure out how much less the vehicle is worth. Just enter the information into KBB or get it appraised at CarMax.

Even though the damage is not that great, I'm probably going to sell the vehicle after this. I don't like driving cars that have had accidents and certainly not one that has a mark on the CarFax.
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eye.surgeon
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by eye.surgeon »

I hired a firm to deal with my Tesla diminished value claim. It was worth it but my car was $100k+ and the damage was significant. I would recommend it only under that type of circumstance. Diminished value claims on a camry with a dent in the bumper isn't worth your while.
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JimmyC
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by JimmyC »

You have to look up the third party diminished value laws for your state. It is likely you will get something buuut... As someone who works for insurance and used to be in auto for some time, this accident sounds extremely minor and your DV claim is unlikely to yield much of a payment, especially if your car is not 0-2ish years old.

Insurance companies don't see just an accident on record as a major ding on value because it really isn't in the grand scheme of things. DV claims, in my experience, usually yield a minimal amount unless you had some SERIOUS damage to the car that typically includes unibody/frame damages. A small bumper hit just isn't going to get you much. If you are really worried about it, take it to a quality body shop with good reviews and get the repairs completed, save the final estimate so you can show any future buyers how small the damage was and that it was fully repaired, IF they even ask about it..

I agree you should contact his insurance. While I admittedly don't see it when it works out, I see SOOO many issues people have with trying to deal with small accidents outside of insurance. Typically the at fault party is fine with the estimate you get from the shop, then the work happens and more damage is inevitably found (that's why it is called an estimate....) and then they refuse to pay the additional amount, leaving your car in a shop, partially apart and partially paid for while you frantically try to get the insurance to step in too late in the game.

If they really want to not go through insurance, I would take it to a shop for a THOROUGH estimate, then add %50 on top of that just in case, and only accept cash upfront before letting any work start on your car. Even then, you still have a bit of a risk with additional damages/cost. Take extensive photos of every damaged part if you go this route, then you MIGHT have luck getting insurance involved if things go south mid repair.
--------

EDIT:

Saw the new posts, you are on the right track. Your apprehension of being in a car with an accident or a mark on the carfax is overblown though. A bumper cover/rebar is literally designed for exactly this and getting one repainted is hardly anything to loose sleep over. If the car is older, it will likely end up looking better (no rock chips/scrapes/guts/etc.). Plus, after it is painted, you will have a lifetime warranty on the paint from the shop, which you do not currently have from Toyota. Selling the car for whatever depreciation it has already taken pre accident is going to be a bigger financial hit than any actual value you will lose from an accident on record.
Last edited by JimmyC on Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GerryL
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by GerryL »

Having been rear-ended 5 times in 3 cars (each less than 2 years old) including 3x in as many months, I learned that here in Oregon first thing you do is fill out and file an accident form (DMV?) and call your insurance agent. They should handle the contact with the other guy's insurance.

OP, Aren't you required to fill out an accident report? In case the other guy tells a different story?
simas
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by simas »

GerryL wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:07 pm Having been rear-ended 5 times in 3 cars (each less than 2 years old) including 3x in as many months, I learned that here in Oregon first thing you do is fill out and file an accident form (DMV?) and call your insurance agent. They should handle the contact with the other guy's insurance.

OP, Aren't you required to fill out an accident report? In case the other guy tells a different story?
I always call my insurance, specifically if other person has another story for his/her own insurance and then it is one word against another meaning you are unlikely to prevail..
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Lexx
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

Yeah, I don't expect to get a lot of our it. My vehicle is about 2 yrs old and worth only $28k or so. Nevertheless, a ding on CarFax will definitely affect the value of the vehicle when it comes time to sell it. I'm going to use KBB and CarMax and compare their estimates on a pristine vs one with an accident history. I may end up talking to CollisionClaims.com as well since they advertise they can negotiate on your behalf, but it may not be worth using their services for something as straightforward as this.

California is indeed a diminished value state so insurance companies have to acknowledge and pay for it. I did find this from a website named "thesimpledollar.com".

"Most insurance companies calculate diminished value using formula 17c. “17c” refers to the paragraph and section of a Georgia court case — State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Mabry — which establishes the formula. Insurers like using formula 17c because it produces a lower diminished value than other methods.

Using Kelly Blue Book or NADA tools, determine the market value of your vehicle, post-collision.
Multiply the value by .10 to calculate the base loss value. For example, if the market value is $12,000, the base loss value will be $1,200.
Multiply the base loss value by one of the following multipliers:
1 for damage to the car’s structure
0.75 for major panel or structure damage
0.50 for moderate panel or structure damage
0.25 for minor panel or structure damage
0.00 for no structure damage
For instance, if your automobile sustained minor panel damage, the calculation would be $1,200 x 0.25 = 300.

Now apply another multiplier, based on the car’s mileage, to the adjusted base loss value:
1 for 0 to 19,999 miles
0.80 for 20,000 to 39,999 miles
0.60 for 40,000 to 59,999 miles
0.40 for 60,000 to 79,999 miles
0.20 for 80,000 to 99,999 miles
0.00 for 100,000+ miles
For instance, if your automobile has 49,000 miles the calculation would be 300 x 0.60 = 180. Using the 17c formula, the insurance company would offer you a $180 diminished value settlement.

If the 17c formula confused you, you’re not alone. Can it produce an accurate and fair diminished value estimate? No.

That’s why it’s so important for you to do your homework. Run your own diminished value calculations, and get an appraisal from a qualified appraiser. Chances are, the insurance company will low-ball you, offering a settlement based on formula 17c calculations, so you’ll have to negotiate for a higher payment.

To determine a more accurate estimate of the diminished value, use one of the following formulas:

Determine the value of your car before the accident using the Kelly Blue Book or NADA tools and multiply that value by 0.33. For instance, if the pre-crash value was $15,000, the calculation would be $15,000 x 0.33 = $4,950, which represents the amount of diminished value.
Calculate the diminished value by looking up the car’s pre-crash and post-crash values and adjusting it for the condition of the vehicle. If the pre-accident value was $15,000 and the post-accident value is $11,000, the calculation would be $15,000 – $11,000 = $4,000, which represents the car’s diminished value."

The preliminary estimate is for a bit under $5k in damage. That's quite a bit more than I would have thought just by looking at it. But apparently there's stuff underneath of the bumper cover that gets damaged. In addition the estimator pointed out that the fender itself was creased and pushed back. You can see the fender to door gap is much tighter on the side of the vehicle that was hit. In the end I do think all of this falls under the "minor damage" category, but at the same time, I do think it will affect the value of the vehicle when it comes time to sell or trade it. Every time I've tried to trade in a vehicle the first question asked is "does it have a clean CarFax?"

Thanks for your help!




JimmyC wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:05 pm You have to look up the third party diminished value laws for your state. It is likely you will get something buuut... As someone who works for insurance and used to be in auto for some time, this accident sounds extremely minor and your DV claim is unlikely to yield much of a payment, especially if your car is not 0-2ish years old.

Insurance companies don't see just an accident on record as a major ding on value because it really isn't in the grand scheme of things. DV claims, in my experience, usually yield a minimal amount unless you had some SERIOUS damage to the car that typically includes unibody/frame damages. A small bumper hit just isn't going to get you much. If you are really worried about it, take it to a quality body shop with good reviews and get the repairs completed, save the final estimate so you can show any future buyers how small the damage was and that it was fully repaired, IF they even ask about it..

I agree you should contact his insurance. While I admittedly don't see it when it works out, I see SOOO many issues people have with trying to deal with small accidents outside of insurance. Typically the at fault party is fine with the estimate you get from the shop, then the work happens and more damage is inevitably found (that's why it is called an estimate....) and then they refuse to pay the additional amount, leaving your car in a shop, partially apart and partially paid for while you frantically try to get the insurance to step in too late in the game.

If they really want to not go through insurance, I would take it to a shop for a THOROUGH estimate, then add %50 on top of that just in case, and only accept cash upfront before letting any work start on your car. Even then, you still have a bit of a risk with additional damages/cost. Take extensive photos of every damaged part if you go this route, then you MIGHT have luck getting insurance involved if things go south mid repair.
--------

EDIT:

Saw the new posts, you are on the right track. Your apprehension of being in a car with an accident or a mark on the carfax is overblown though. A bumper cover/rebar is literally designed for exactly this and getting one repainted is hardly anything to loose sleep over. If the car is older, it will likely end up looking better (no rock chips/scrapes/guts/etc.). Plus, after it is painted, you will have a lifetime warranty on the paint from the shop, which you do not currently have from Toyota. Selling the car for whatever depreciation it has already taken pre accident is going to be a bigger financial hit than any actual value you will lose from an accident on record.
Jablean
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Jablean »

How much time have you put into this already? Is he paying you for that time? You bought insurance for this, call your insurance and let them do all the leg work. If he was a friend then maybe I'd do the no insurance route, an unknown stranger, nope.
vested1
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by vested1 »

At least there's been some progress to this very real impact of diminished value in California, although the laws may vary in the state where the OP's accident occured. I read an article dated Jan 7th, 2016 that pointed out amended jury instructions 3903J in CA now (from then on) gave victims the right to claim diminished value due to an accident. Apparently insurance companies now deal with this issue on a regular basis, at least in California.

This was not the case for me in the year 2000 when I bought a new GMC Sierra 1500. The truck was legally parked while my wife and I were in a store at 10am when a drunk driver took out the entire drivers side. The truck was 2 months old. The driver destroyed 10 more vehicles before he was arrested. I followed the case and attended the man's trial. He had full coverage auto insurance which paid to repair the damage.

I was allowed to speak at the trial and asked if I could be awarded a diminished value claim for the truck and the judge basically laughed me out of court, saying there was no way to possibly determine what that amount might be. Neither my insurance company (AAA) nor the offender's insurance company would consider it.

The statute of limitations on that California law is 3 years.
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climber2020
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by climber2020 »

simas wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:11 pm
GerryL wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:07 pm Having been rear-ended 5 times in 3 cars (each less than 2 years old) including 3x in as many months, I learned that here in Oregon first thing you do is fill out and file an accident form (DMV?) and call your insurance agent. They should handle the contact with the other guy's insurance.

OP, Aren't you required to fill out an accident report? In case the other guy tells a different story?
I always call my insurance, specifically if other person has another story for his/her own insurance and then it is one word against another meaning you are unlikely to prevail..
This is why I always call the police. They show up and do an official accident report.
HomeStretch
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by HomeStretch »

Consider:
- hopefully you have damage of the pictures of both cars
- ignoring the other driver’s request to not call insurance company
- ignoring your insurance agent’s advice to call the other party’s insurer. After this is taken care of, think about whether you should get a new agent.
- filing a police report
- filing an accident report with your state DMV, if required
- notifying your agent and filing a claim through your insurer who will handle the repair. Your insurer will get reimbursed by the other insurer and, after the two insurance companies have settled, you should be reimbursed for your deductible, if any.

Likely you will have to spearhead the diminished value claim. Search on “diminished value” in the BH Personal Consumer Issues forum for past threads as there was at least one that I recall that had some good detail on the process.
simas
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by simas »

climber2020 wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 7:13 am
simas wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:11 pm
GerryL wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:07 pm Having been rear-ended 5 times in 3 cars (each less than 2 years old) including 3x in as many months, I learned that here in Oregon first thing you do is fill out and file an accident form (DMV?) and call your insurance agent. They should handle the contact with the other guy's insurance.

OP, Aren't you required to fill out an accident report? In case the other guy tells a different story?
I always call my insurance, specifically if other person has another story for his/her own insurance and then it is one word against another meaning you are unlikely to prevail..
This is why I always call the police. They show up and do an official accident report.
my understanding is that 'service' from policy is a courtesy - they are not required to be showing up for accident reports especially if there is no real need to stop traffic, etc (typical fender bender). In bigger cities like Chicago, they will not come or deal with this and tell you so as they have other priorities vs being your or next guy insurance agents. and of cause if there is a conflict for same resource/patrol car it would be sent to somewhere to do actual policing vs filling out my accident report..
260chrisb
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by 260chrisb »

Lexx wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 6:52 pm Update:

I contacted Geico about diminished value claims and of course at first their adjuster tried to feed me the line "we're going to bring your car back to the condition it was before the accident so you will be made whole". I then mentioned that a cursory search on the internet shows that California is a diminished value claims state where the insurer is going to be on the hook for it. Their tune changed after that and I was given another rep who told me how I could file that part of the claim.

Also there's a company called CollisionClaims.com who claim they can help with the process but I have no idea what their cut is. I would think it shouldn't be that hard to figure out how much less the vehicle is worth. Just enter the information into KBB or get it appraised at CarMax.

Even though the damage is not that great, I'm probably going to sell the vehicle after this. I don't like driving cars that have had accidents and certainly not one that has a mark on the CarFax.
I'm confused; if the damage was not great how would it greatly impact the value of the car long term? Separately; why such an issue with driving a car that one time had minor damage and why would this be reported on the CarFax if there was not a police accident report?
scophreak
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by scophreak »

260chrisb wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 8:15 am I'm confused; if the damage was not great how would it greatly impact the value of the car long term? Separately; why such an issue with driving a car that one time had minor damage and why would this be reported on the CarFax if there was not a police accident report?
I think the confusion is that there is "logic" and then there's real-world. I can say from experience that an accident (however minor) listed on the CarFax report WILL impact the car's value. Case-in-point: I had a 2012 Subaru Outback that was in a minor "accident" due to an ice chunk that flew off a box truck on the interstate. Even though the damage was relatively minor, the work was noted on the CarFax report. As a result, the car no longer qualified for the Subaru "Guaranteed Trade-in" program and cost me thousands in value when offloading that vehicle and purchasing a new one. I ended up selling to CarMax and got a relatively good value (though not as much as the Guaranteed-Trade In value) as they used a different reporting system (not CarFax) and the incident was not listed on that.

In the end, a ding on the CarFax is very likely to impact final selling price. Would-be purchasers have no real way to determine the extent of the accident and simply know that there was repair work completed.
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by FOGU »

climber2020 wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 7:13 am
simas wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:11 pm
GerryL wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:07 pm Having been rear-ended 5 times in 3 cars (each less than 2 years old) including 3x in as many months, I learned that here in Oregon first thing you do is fill out and file an accident form (DMV?) and call your insurance agent. They should handle the contact with the other guy's insurance.

OP, Aren't you required to fill out an accident report? In case the other guy tells a different story?
I always call my insurance, specifically if other person has another story for his/her own insurance and then it is one word against another meaning you are unlikely to prevail..
This is why I always call the police. They show up and do an official accident report.
I know police officers who refuse to write reports on minor car collisions that do not involve other aspects public safety. They consider it a civil matter. Police reports are for criminal activity, not private civil matters. In the absence of an apparent or alleged crime, no police report for a car collision.
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greg24
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by greg24 »

Immediately selling the vehicle doesn't make sense. You'd be immediately seeking to "lock in" and sell the diminished value at the highest point in the car's depreciation curve. You are maximizing the loss.
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climber2020
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by climber2020 »

FOGU wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 8:56 am I know police officers who refuse to write reports on minor car collisions that do not involve other aspects public safety. They consider it a civil matter. Police reports are for criminal activity, not private civil matters. In the absence of an apparent or alleged crime, no police report for a car collision.
I bet this is a regional thing. I haven't been involved in many car wrecks, but I called the police for all of them and got a report each time.
Big Dog
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Big Dog »

Lexx wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 5:55 pm The driver of the other vehicle was backing up trying to get out of a right turn only lane and backed into my vehicle. He didn't want me to go through insurance saying he would pay for it all. When I spoke with the body shop and my own insurance agent, they both recommended I contact the insurance company of the guy who hit me, just to cover my bases in case he tries to make up a different story.

So I did call and report it to his company. They haven't been able to get a hold of him yet to get his version of it. So I'm still waiting for a resolution (it's only been 24 hrs since I reported it).

My concern is even if Geico pays to repair my vehicle, I'm going to now have diminished value due to the accident showing up on CarFax. Is there a way I can get Geico to pay for that diminished value? Are there any other pitfalls I need to watch out for?
If you are in California, I'd be looking for a new agent. It is not your job to contact the at-fault party, it is his job. That is why he earns a commission out of the big bucks that you pay for insurance. In fact, your insurer should immediately take charge, cover your repairs & perhaps DV, and file a claim against the at-fault party for reimbursement.

For small fender benders, CA cops won't care. But still, you can look up the local PD office adn file a report online.

Note, filing a claim with your carrier when the other guy is at-fault will not raise your rates in CA; in fact, its against the law.
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by dink2win »

I echo the comments about the cops not showing up in big cities. Unless someone died or needed ambulance transport, they will not show up.

Perhaps its because I have an older car, but I usually just get cash for small fender benders on the spot.

I have used insurance twice when it was not my fault, once was when my car was totaled, and once was because the other person did not return my phone calls for two days.

Carfax is pretty bad they do not record everything. I was in an accident that involved insurance and repair at the dealer, and there is no record on carfax of my car ever being in an accident.
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by TallBoy29er »

Lexx wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 6:52 pm Even though the damage is not that great, I'm probably going to sell the vehicle after this. I don't like driving cars that have had accidents and certainly not one that has a mark on the CarFax.
That's funny. Having a mark on the CarFax means you already have a paper loss to the car's value. In selling, you realize that loss.

It sounds like this was a low speed collision, likely not impacting safety systems or frame integrity. If you like the car, I don't see the value or benefit of selling.
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Elsebet
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Elsebet »

My 2016 Tacoma was rear ended in 2018 by a texting driver. Insurance took care of it and I really don't think about it anymore, however I keep my cars until they die so I don't care about resale value. Is it possible for you to just keep the car?
"...the man who adapts himself to his slender means and makes himself wealthy on a little sum, is the truly rich man..." ~Seneca
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Hyperchicken »

Elsebet wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 4:39 pm My 2016 Tacoma was rear ended in 2018 by a texting driver. Insurance took care of it and I really don't think about it anymore, however I keep my cars until they die so I don't care about resale value. Is it possible for you to just keep the car?
I had to re-read that twice. At first I thought you're keeping the car until the driver that hit you dies. :twisted:
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Lexx
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

This happened in San Francisco. The police won't even show up for a robbery these days. They definitely do not show up for an auto accident unless there are injuries involved.

climber2020 wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 7:13 am
simas wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:11 pm
GerryL wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 7:07 pm Having been rear-ended 5 times in 3 cars (each less than 2 years old) including 3x in as many months, I learned that here in Oregon first thing you do is fill out and file an accident form (DMV?) and call your insurance agent. They should handle the contact with the other guy's insurance.

OP, Aren't you required to fill out an accident report? In case the other guy tells a different story?
I always call my insurance, specifically if other person has another story for his/her own insurance and then it is one word against another meaning you are unlikely to prevail..
This is why I always call the police. They show up and do an official accident report.
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Lexx
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

My goal is to keep this out of the purview of my insurance. I don't want them to end up raising my rates later on. So far Geico has been very responsive in the process. It sounds like the other driver has already either admitted or determined to be at fault because Geico is handling it all, not my insurance. I do not pay a penny out of my pocket. Geico states they will even pay for new car seats for my kids because the car seat manufacturers say that any seat involved in any kind of auto accident should be replaced.

Am I doing it wrong? Should I demand my agent get my insurance involved?
Big Dog wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:43 am If you are in California, I'd be looking for a new agent. It is not your job to contact the at-fault party, it is his job. That is why he earns a commission out of the big bucks that you pay for insurance. In fact, your insurer should immediately take charge, cover your repairs & perhaps DV, and file a claim against the at-fault party for reimbursement.

For small fender benders, CA cops won't care. But still, you can look up the local PD office adn file a report online.

Note, filing a claim with your carrier when the other guy is at-fault will not raise your rates in CA; in fact, its against the law.
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Lexx
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

For the heck of it, I entered my vehicle into KBB's "instant cash offer" on their website. I realize their instant offer is going to be lower than market.

What I got was a difference of $4k in value if I enter the vehicle with a clean history vs one with an accident history. So yes, this is going to impact the resale value of my vehicle. I intend to pursue a diminished value claim. I now have this as a piece of evidence. Once repaired I will ask CarMax to give me an estimate. I also have a friend who is a manager of a major car dealership. I'm going to have his used car guy give me a written estimate including one of what the car would be without the damage. At that point with multiple points of information, if the insurer refuses to pay, I will probably take them to small claims court.
scophreak wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 8:32 am
260chrisb wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 8:15 am I'm confused; if the damage was not great how would it greatly impact the value of the car long term? Separately; why such an issue with driving a car that one time had minor damage and why would this be reported on the CarFax if there was not a police accident report?
I think the confusion is that there is "logic" and then there's real-world. I can say from experience that an accident (however minor) listed on the CarFax report WILL impact the car's value. Case-in-point: I had a 2012 Subaru Outback that was in a minor "accident" due to an ice chunk that flew off a box truck on the interstate. Even though the damage was relatively minor, the work was noted on the CarFax report. As a result, the car no longer qualified for the Subaru "Guaranteed Trade-in" program and cost me thousands in value when offloading that vehicle and purchasing a new one. I ended up selling to CarMax and got a relatively good value (though not as much as the Guaranteed-Trade In value) as they used a different reporting system (not CarFax) and the incident was not listed on that.

In the end, a ding on the CarFax is very likely to impact final selling price. Would-be purchasers have no real way to determine the extent of the accident and simply know that there was repair work completed.
HomeStretch
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by HomeStretch »

Lexx wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:23 pm My goal is to keep this out of the purview of my insurance. I don't want them to end up raising my rates later on.
My understanding is that insurance claims are reported on your C.L.U.E report which is available to any insurer.
Big Dog
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Big Dog »

Lexx wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:23 pm My goal is to keep this out of the purview of my insurance. I don't want them to end up raising my rates later on. So far Geico has been very responsive in the process. It sounds like the other driver has already either admitted or determined to be at fault because Geico is handling it all, not my insurance. I do not pay a penny out of my pocket. Geico states they will even pay for new car seats for my kids because the car seat manufacturers say that any seat involved in any kind of auto accident should be replaced.

Am I doing it wrong? Should I demand my agent get my insurance involved?
Big Dog wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:43 am If you are in California, I'd be looking for a new agent. It is not your job to contact the at-fault party, it is his job. That is why he earns a commission out of the big bucks that you pay for insurance. In fact, your insurer should immediately take charge, cover your repairs & perhaps DV, and file a claim against the at-fault party for reimbursement.

For small fender benders, CA cops won't care. But still, you can look up the local PD office adn file a report online.

Note, filing a claim with your carrier when the other guy is at-fault will not raise your rates in CA; in fact, its against the law.
Again, CA law precludes your insurance company from raising your rates when you are not at-fault. (see Prop 103). The at-fault party's insurer, GEICO, is not your friend. Their job is to get out of this as cheaply as possible. OTOH, since your insurer is not on the hook for any money, they can be more open and honest, i.e, provide your a service. IMO, your agent should have been all over this,, and handling it for you. Your agent should have already told you about car seats, rental replacement, and your right to take your car to ANY licensed body shop in the state. In contrast, GEICO will try to steer you to a place with which they have a discounted rate. The place might do a fine job, or not.

When my D's Audi got crunched in a parking lot in CA, I checked around to find a body shop that handled Euro cars, and Audis in particular, had the car towed there, and called my insurance carrier. They arranged for rental reimbursement with Enterprise, like for like, i.e, a mid-sized rental, and went about pestering the at-fault carrier. After that, I just received progress updates from the body shop with a call before the day they were done. My carrier interfaced with the at-fault carrier, and I was out of that loop.

Work complete, and no my rates did not increase.
Topic Author
Lexx
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

Thanks for the testimony. Geico did tell me about the car seat replacement, free rental car, and that I could take it to any licensed body shop. I took it to a shop that I've done business with before that's not on their approved list of shops. However Geico is insisting that aftermarket non-oem parts be used. Can I insist on oem parts? Or do I have no recourse on this? This is only for a Subaru so it's not one of my expensive cars. But I am going to take a loss on the resale value.
Big Dog wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 7:29 pm Again, CA law precludes your insurance company from raising your rates when you are not at-fault. (see Prop 103). The at-fault party's insurer, GEICO, is not your friend. Their job is to get out of this as cheaply as possible. OTOH, since your insurer is not on the hook for any money, they can be more open and honest, i.e, provide your a service. IMO, your agent should have been all over this,, and handling it for you. Your agent should have already told you about car seats, rental replacement, and your right to take your car to ANY licensed body shop in the state. In contrast, GEICO will try to steer you to a place with which they have a discounted rate. The place might do a fine job, or not.

When my D's Audi got crunched in a parking lot in CA, I checked around to find a body shop that handled Euro cars, and Audis in particular, had the car towed there, and called my insurance carrier. They arranged for rental reimbursement with Enterprise, like for like, i.e, a mid-sized rental, and went about pestering the at-fault carrier. After that, I just received progress updates from the body shop with a call before the day they were done. My carrier interfaced with the at-fault carrier, and I was out of that loop.

Work complete, and no my rates did not increase.
Rudy Tooty
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Rudy Tooty »

I've found that Geico is a pretty good company to deal with. An old woman sideswiped my wife's car while pulling into a parking space. My wife wasn't in the car but another party witnessed it. The old woman pulled away and parked in space far away. The witness followed her and got the plate number. The cops found her and cited. They don't arrest for hit and run anymore. She had Geico insurance. Of course, it was a slam-bang case with the police report and witness. But they sent us to their auto body repair - which did a very good job. It looked as good as new. And they gave us a rental for a full week while it was being repaired. Their customer service was great. Our questions were answered immediately and accurately. So, based on our experience, if you have to go through an accident with the other party at fault - if they have Geico for insurance it's probably better than most. Hopefully based on where the damage is on both of your cars it will be easy for the insurance investigators to figure out. But that's what God created cells phone cameras for.
Topic Author
Lexx
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Lexx »

Thank you. Yes, Geico has been fairly easy to deal with so far. My guess is the other party already admitted fault or has been determined to be at fault, because there's been no pushback at all from Geico. My insurer has not been involved at all AFAIK.
Rudy Tooty wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 7:48 pm I've found that Geico is a pretty good company to deal with. An old woman sideswiped my wife's car while pulling into a parking space. My wife wasn't in the car but another party witnessed it. The old woman pulled away and parked in space far away. The witness followed her and got the plate number. The cops found her and cited. They don't arrest for hit and run anymore. She had Geico insurance. Of course, it was a slam-bang case with the police report and witness. But they sent us to their auto body repair - which did a very good job. It looked as good as new. And they gave us a rental for a full week while it was being repaired. Their customer service was great. Our questions were answered immediately and accurately. So, based on our experience, if you have to go through an accident with the other party at fault - if they have Geico for insurance it's probably better than most. Hopefully based on where the damage is on both of your cars it will be easy for the insurance investigators to figure out. But that's what God created cells phone cameras for.
Jeepergeo
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Jeepergeo »

Lexx wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 5:55 pm The driver of the other vehicle was backing up trying to get out of a right turn only lane and backed into my vehicle. He didn't want me to go through insurance saying he would pay for it all. When I spoke with the body shop and my own insurance agent, they both recommended I contact the insurance company of the guy who hit me, just to cover my bases in case he tries to make up a different story.

So I did call and report it to his company. They haven't been able to get a hold of him yet to get his version of it. So I'm still waiting for a resolution (it's only been 24 hrs since I reported it).

My concern is even if Geico pays to repair my vehicle, I'm going to now have diminished value due to the accident showing up on CarFax. Is there a way I can get Geico to pay for that diminished value? Are there any other pitfalls I need to watch out for?
This is what you pay insurance for. Put in a claim with your insurance company and let them earn their keep.
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Elsebet
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Re: Not sure what to do with an auto accident where my vehicle was struck

Post by Elsebet »

Hyperchicken wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 4:56 pm
Elsebet wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 4:39 pm My 2016 Tacoma was rear ended in 2018 by a texting driver. Insurance took care of it and I really don't think about it anymore, however I keep my cars until they die so I don't care about resale value. Is it possible for you to just keep the car?
I had to re-read that twice. At first I thought you're keeping the car until the driver that hit you dies. :twisted:
Thank you for that, I got a great laugh. Bravo!
"...the man who adapts himself to his slender means and makes himself wealthy on a little sum, is the truly rich man..." ~Seneca
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