Rear ended, need advcie

[Sawyerjames]

So I was rear ended in the Mustang today. This is new territory for me so I want to make sure I am doing stuff correctly. 19 years of driving and the only time I have had to call insurance was over a blowout that tore up the side of my truck.

Basically coming out of a parking lot making a right, I am stopped waiting for an opening, lady behind me decides to go and runs into me around 5MPH. It was a corner impact my left rear vs her right front. Visible damage on my end is the rear bumper and likely the tail light due to some deep scratches. On the other end was a Volvo S40, looks like the front bumper and one headlight need replacement.

My paranoid side leaves me worrying about a few things.

1) She asked me if the damage was already there. Might be nothing but I saved my house security footage from 30 minutes earlier which shows no damage on multiple cameras. I also saved all dashcam footage from leaving the house to returning to show just one person ran into me.

2) Her Geico insurance card was expired. She claims it was just an old copy.

3) Her husband came and prefers not to get insurance involved. I doubt that will work out with the cost of a bumper, paint and a tail light.

I haven't called my insurance (AAA) yet. I am thinking of getting a quote then giving the Volvo owner a few days to give me cash. I don't know how long I have to get insurance involved and I have no intention of letting things drag out. Is that a wise way to deal with this or should I call AAA tomorrow and get stuff started?

I did have the police come out. They just did an accident information exchange form and gave us both a drivers crash report to fill out. The report has a 10 day limit so I will mail it Monday, the incident being 7PM Saturday. They don't do an investigation unless its over $1000 which I am fairly certain would be exceeded with minor bumper contact of any two vehicles.

I got rear ended last Wednesday 10/31 and my car is in the shop now, hoping to get it back today. The damage was identical to yours other than it completely missed my tail light and is more along the rear left side further away from the exhaust. Long story short the insurance check for the estimated damages was $1,400 and they had to cut another check for an additional $300.00. They were able to repair versus replace, but found a small dent under the bumper cover that needed repair. If it was their fault I would advise going through insurance. I called the guy that hit my car's insurance company an hour after the accident and filed a claim. Two days later I was in a free rental car, and my car was in the shop getting repaired. Hope all works out for you... Also, you don't have to say shit to that lady or her husband when they ask you questions about the damage already being there. The insurance adjusters, along with the police report will figure that out. I can't stand when people want to sugar coat their mistakes or point the finger at another cause for something they clearly did...The officer on the scene should have provided you with a driver information card showing the person that hit your car's name, insurance agency, make, model, and VIN along with their policy number. This is for you to call their insurance and file the claim yourself in case they take forever to do it. I was hit at 7:08am and I called his insurance at around 10:00am and he had not filed yet, so I went ahead and filed the claim under his insurance.

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[Nagare]

If those idiots are driving around on expired Insurance (OR possible they don’t even have ANY insurance and are using just expired Ins cards), then who knows what other scammer type of crap they will pull on you.

Driving with expired insurance is a points violation in most States, let alone the Ins points they will now accrue with having to pay out for her accident...

The problem with folks who are willing to pay cash to the other driver to avoid increased insurance premiums is this:

1) These folks usually never pay up and will come up with excuse after excuse - or just disappear... no police report, good luck in small claims court...

OR

2) After you supply an estimate for repair to them and they do pay you that amount of cash- if there is any additional damages uncovered during the Body Shop R&R process, good luck trying to get any more money from them... and then you have no recourse but to pay on your own.

Just wanted to comment on this, in Florida we can provide electronic proof of insurance so I only update my printed copies once a year despite it being updated twice. I pay in full every six month so I wouldn't assume someone is lying automatically if they said that.

Cash payers can be the folks that never pay but they can also be the ones that carry high deductibles and want to avoid their rates going higher. Why pay $1500 deductible and an extra $1000 a year for at least 3 years when they can pay you $1200 and everyone is happy? Plenty of people would just take the cash and not even get the car repaired, but those people don't drive Mustangs and care how the car looks. No argument on your second point at all.

 

[DigitalPackrat]

Well this is going to be fun. When I called my insurance (AAA) they setup a claim with Geico on my behalf. I went along with it, talked to Geico on the phone and just got back from their estimate which includes repairing not replacing the bumper and aftermarket vs OEM parts. I'm not going with filler and repainting a bumper. So I am rejecting Geico. I called my insurance and reiterated that I want to use them for the claim. We'll see if they do a better job. Might have to switch to the dealer's collision center vs the one I picked based off reviews and location to get Ford parts.

 

[wanted33]

Well this is going to be fun. When I called my insurance (AAA) they setup a claim with Geico on my behalf. I went along with it, talked to Geico on the phone and just got back from their estimate which includes repairing not replacing the bumper and aftermarket vs OEM parts. I'm not going with filler and repainting a bumper. So I am rejecting Geico. I called my insurance and reiterated that I want to use them for the claim. We'll see if they do a better job. Might have to switch to the dealer's collision center vs the one I picked based off reviews and location to get Ford parts.

John, If you use your ins company are they going to sue the lizard for repayment? If not won't that make your premiums increase? You may to think about letting your insurance call Geico, and deal with your dislikes. That's what you pay premiums for. Just tell your ins company that you don't want your new car to have aftermarket parts. I think Geico is playing you.

 

[oneheadlite]

“3) Her husband came and prefers not to get insurance involved. I doubt that will work out with the cost of a bumper, paint and a tail light.”


Screw him. Call the insurance company ASAP and let them handle it.



“2) Her Geico insurance card was expired. She claims it was just an old copy.”

Maybe but probably BS. People suck and I don’t trust anyone these days. I got hit a month ago. Got out of the car and the guy was apologetic. I grabbed my phone and called the police. The guys says “we don’t have to do this”. I said “ yeah we do you just hit my car”
And as I’m explaining to the police where I am not paying attention to the guy ... he gets in his car and takes off on me.

I’ve lost all faith in humanity. Call your insurance company now before your screwed.

^^^^THIS^^^^
Be SURE and call insurance, cops and whomever else you can for help.
Many times I've heard of amicable agreed settlements to have them come up needing a lawyer.
'Don't' get caught with your britches down............

 

[Joaquin Velazquez]

Well in a lighter note if you have uninsured motorist you’ll get it fixed. They’ll waive the deductible

 

[CommyO]

She really had the audacity to ask you if the damage was already there? You should have told that broad off

 

[activeGT]

Well in a lighter note if you have uninsured motorist you’ll get it fixed. They’ll waive the deductible

Are you sure that is for property damage?

 

[Joaquin Velazquez]

Are you sure that is for property damage?

For your car yea. It happened to me. They did a coverage check on her and she ended up not having it and my insurance company sent me a check for the repair and the deductible was waived. That’s why you pay extra for uninsured motorist.

 

[Ambrotos]

Well this is going to be fun. When I called my insurance (AAA) they setup a claim with Geico on my behalf. I went along with it, talked to Geico on the phone and just got back from their estimate which includes repairing not replacing the bumper and aftermarket vs OEM parts. I'm not going with filler and repainting a bumper. So I am rejecting Geico. I called my insurance and reiterated that I want to use them for the claim. We'll see if they do a better job. Might have to switch to the dealer's collision center vs the one I picked based off reviews and location to get Ford parts.

Depending on the state you live in, your own insurance will do the same thing about aftermarket vs oem parts. Your bumper won't have filler in it at all if it's repairable. They just reform the plastic to fix the bumper if it can be fixed.

 

[mustang1]

Well this is going to be fun. When I called my insurance (AAA) they setup a claim with Geico on my behalf. I went along with it, talked to Geico on the phone and just got back from their estimate which includes repairing not replacing the bumper and aftermarket vs OEM parts. I'm not going with filler and repainting a bumper. So I am rejecting Geico. I called my insurance and reiterated that I want to use them for the claim. We'll see if they do a better job. Might have to switch to the dealer's collision center vs the one I picked based off reviews and location to get Ford parts.

if you are in South Austin, take your care over to Maxwell Collision Center. They advertise Gold Class i-Car Collision, and have express Geico. If you are lucky you can get a Challenger at the local Enterprise.

 

[DigitalPackrat]

if you are in South Austin, take your care over to Maxwell Collision Center. They advertise Gold Class i-Car Collision, and have express Geico. If you are lucky you can get a Challenger at the local Enterprise.

Thanks, I am currently leaning towards AMM collision off Ed Blusetein Blvd based off reviews, distance and location. Driving across town to South Austin multiple times may be more painful and time consuming than dealing with the insurance representatives.

 

[mustang1]

You can also look at this web site and search by zip code:

http://www.collision.ford.com
http://www.collision.ford.com/find-a-collision-shop
"Keep Your Ford a Ford

 

[DigitalPackrat]

Depending on the state you live in, your own insurance will do the same thing about aftermarket vs oem parts. Your bumper won't have filler in it at all if it's repairable. They just reform the plastic to fix the bumper if it can be fixed.

Ambrotos, I am in Texas. From what I have read AAA (my insurance) is a bit more willing to work with their own customers. It's probably a bit of luck on the adjuster/estimator that I get as to how it goes. My insurance isn't impressing me currently with pushing my initial request off to Geico after me telling them that I want to use AAA so they can go after Geico themselves. It's even worse with the lack of contact they have had with me but I want to give them a chance to look at my 16 GT premium performance pack for an estimate. That will give me some idea of where to go as far as taking an offer, paying the difference for OEM parts and collecting in the DV claim or just doing the whole thing out of pocket and going after the woman that drove into me.

 

[RichBrew]

So I was rear ended in the Mustang today. This is new territory for me so I want to make sure I am doing stuff correctly. 19 years of driving and the only time I have had to call insurance was over a blowout that tore up the side of my truck.

Basically coming out of a parking lot making a right, I am stopped waiting for an opening, lady behind me decides to go and runs into me around 5MPH. It was a corner impact my left rear vs her right front. Visible damage on my end is the rear bumper and likely the tail light due to some deep scratches. On the other end was a Volvo S40, looks like the front bumper and one headlight need replacement.

My paranoid side leaves me worrying about a few things.

1) She asked me if the damage was already there. Might be nothing but I saved my house security footage from 30 minutes earlier which shows no damage on multiple cameras. I also saved all dashcam footage from leaving the house to returning to show just one person ran into me.

2) Her Geico insurance card was expired. She claims it was just an old copy.

3) Her husband came and prefers not to get insurance involved. I doubt that will work out with the cost of a bumper, paint and a tail light.

I haven't called my insurance (AAA) yet. I am thinking of getting a quote then giving the Volvo owner a few days to give me cash. I don't know how long I have to get insurance involved and I have no intention of letting things drag out. Is that a wise way to deal with this or should I call AAA tomorrow and get stuff started?

I did have the police come out. They just did an accident information exchange form and gave us both a drivers crash report to fill out. The report has a 10 day limit so I will mail it Monday, the incident being 7PM Saturday. They don't do an investigation unless its over $1000 which I am fairly certain would be exceeded with minor bumper contact of any two vehicles.

Leaving insurance out shouldn’t be a big deal so long as the other party agrees to your terms. You pick the shop, they pay the bill. If they don’t pay, you file against their policy. Just make sure you have the policy details and verify that it was in effect at the time of the accident.

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