accident advice

[Firebird92]

well on the 4-26-2010 i was hit on the drive-side door form someone not yielding at a U-turn on 22, in Springfield NJ.

now i got the police report and tried to call there insurance then was told they haven't had insurance since 2008 everyone told me that if you don't have valid insurance you get your car tow automatically but they drove away no ticket or anything and i had to tow my car because the door wouldn't close.

now i have a witness statement on the police report & it was there fault.

what can i do if they don't have insurance? sue? i claimed it with my insurance but i just have basics coverage

[BonzoHansen]

do you have uninsured motorist coverage? if not small claims court I guess. I'd talk to the cop who is writing the report about the insurance info.

[Firebird92]

do you have uninsured motorist coverage? if not small claims court I guess. I'd talk to the cop who is writing the report about the insurance info.

i do

[Blacdout96]

did you let your insurance company knwo you were involved in an accident? If not, nows a good time to apply for uninsured motorist coverage, and give it a good 24hrs lol. you can sue, but it's goign t o be all tangled up in **** for a while, and getting payment from them may be a challange if they have no money to buy insurance in the first place.

[69RSZ]

Sue them in small claims court if you dont get compensated by your Ins Co.

[maroman88]

dude just call ur insurance co and let them handle it all, thats what u pay them for... ive been in a **** load of accidents and never once had to call the other peoples insurance, i call my guy and he does all the work... better yet since u sed u have unisured motorist coverage, just call them and ask these questions to ur insurance co... beats waiting for other to post on here about their experiences lol

[//<86TA>\\]

did you let your insurance company knwo you were involved in an accident? If not, nows a good time to apply for uninsured motorist coverage, and give it a good 24hrs lol.

insurance fraud is always a good idea:shock:

[ryanfx]

did you let your insurance company knwo you were involved in an accident? If not, nows a good time to apply for uninsured motorist coverage, and give it a good 24hrs lol. you can sue, but it's goign t o be all tangled up in **** for a while, and getting payment from them may be a challange if they have no money to buy insurance in the first place.

where do we get these people from with advice like this?

[Mark42]

Seeing as you said you have uninsured motorist coverage, then file with your insurance company ASAP. They will handle everything, and your rate should not be affected. If you have an insurance agent, just call them.

You will probably still be out the deductible amount you carry.

If the car needs body work in other areas, its a good time to get an estimate on making all repairs at once because its generally less expensive than if you go back later to get the bumper painted, etc.

BTW, never hurts to ask for the left over paint, thinned or not. If they only used half a quart, you have paid for a full quart. Its yours. Comes in handy for touch up, customizing, etc. Let them know this before they start.

[Frosty]

If they only used half a quart, you have paid for a full quart. Its yours.

No offense but that completely false...shops don't charge customers by the quart. A lot of shops will give you a little paint in a bottle as a courtesy but you aren't entitled to anything. They charge a flat rate rate per hour for materials, not by each material used.

[Blacdout96]

where do we get these people from with advice like this?

Oh, sorry, this is a time to be serious, cannot try to lighten the situation. If you take my post serious, then your stupid, I think anyone with intelligence here would understand that's not the right way to do it, sheesh.

[Mark42]

No offense but that completely false...shops don't charge customers by the quart. A lot of shops will give you a little paint in a bottle as a courtesy but you aren't entitled to anything. They charge a flat rate rate per hour for materials, not by each material used.

Not false at all. That flat rate covers the cost of the materials consumed by the job, whether its a pint or half a gallon. It all averages out. So if they mixed a quart, sprayed 2/3 of the quart, ask for the left over. The customer has effectively paid for the materials used, including overage.

[Mike]

no. epa says no to that one. like frosty said, they can mix a small amount into a single stage touch up style paint, but they can not give you a can of thinned paint straight from their guns.

thats also why there is a "cleanup/disposal" fee in your bill as well

[Frosty]

Not false at all. That flat rate covers the cost of the materials consumed by the job, whether its a pint or half a gallon. It all averages out. So if they mixed a quart, sprayed 2/3 of the quart, ask for the left over. The customer has effectively paid for the materials used, including overage.

Are you REALLY going to sit here and tell me the customer is entitled to it? Are you REALLY going to sit there and say the customer "paid" for the ENTIRE quart of paint.

Hey, they should get the clear, the reducers and the sandpaper too, after all they paid for all of it too. Maybe they should get what's left of the buffing pad too, there could be some life left in it too. You realize the "materials" charge covers more than just paint right? There are a TON of materials costs that go into repairing and painting a car.

I guess my 6yr + years and an estimator/appraiser has been wrong, all this time I should have been giving the customer's the materials along with their final bill :rofl:

Sorry if I'm coming off as a douche but it drives me nuts when people give advice regarding subjects they know nothing about. The customer isn't entitled to ANY of the left over materials, PERIOD. As a courtesy shops will give a little bottle of paint for chips and scratches, nothing more. You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

[Frosty]

no. epa says no to that one. like frosty said, they can mix a small amount into a single stage touch up style paint, but they can not give you a can of thinned paint straight from their guns.

thats also why there is a "cleanup/disposal" fee in your bill as well

You mean your dad doesn't give his customers a box of materials after the job is done? What a rip off. :rofl:

[Mike]

You mean your dad doesn't give his customers a box of materials after the job is done? What a rip off. :rofl:

yeah, he is a bum. they will offer to paint bugshields, or other aftermarket pieces if the customer wants to bring them in and use the left over paint though. but then thats more TIME charged for...time is usually cheaper than materials after you factor in the epa's disposal fee

[Firebird92]

well called my insurance they said if worst comes to worst then they will take all legal action needed. see i didn't know that even if it's the other person fault i still file with my company at all.

but sadly since my car has over 200xxx miles and and over 20 years old they may total it out :( i had this car for years hate to let it go may just turn it into a track car :)

[Mark42]

well called my insurance they said if worst comes to worst then they will take all legal action needed. see i didn't know that even if it's the other person fault i still file with my company at all.

but sadly since my car has over 200xxx miles and and over 20 years old they may total it out :( i had this car for years hate to let it go may just turn it into a track car :)

Glad to hear you talked to your ins. co. Good decision.

Gonna start shopping for another car?

[Firebird92]

have too -.- want a GTA or a vette

[fmybody]

even if its "totaled" cant you just get it fixed anyway? it would depend on whether or not you wanna spend the money..

i totaled my third gen (not hard to do but it was kinda bad) but i was gonna have it fixed until i found out the frame was bent... so i just sold it all banged up to some kid in toms river who was going to mechanical school or something..

[deadtrend1]

even if its "totaled" cant you just get it fixed anyway? it would depend on whether or not you wanna spend the money..

i totaled my third gen (not hard to do but it was kinda bad) but i was gonna have it fixed until i found out the frame was bent... so i just sold it all banged up to some kid in toms river who was going to mechanical school or something..

beat up thirdgen parts car in Toms River? I think I know where it might have went....

[Frosty]

beat up thirdgen parts car in Toms River? I think I know where it might have went....

:rofl:

[Firebird92]

beat up thirdgen parts car in Toms River? I think I know where it might have went....

"cough" ted "cough"

[band77one]

as far as i know. when a vehicle is "totaled" the company is supposed to take the vehicle , correct? they wanted to do that with my truck, but actually they just said since my truck really wasnt that bad i could just keep it plus the amount the damage was. check with them and make sure, sucks one morning they are coming to take it away without you knowing

[Whiplash Performance]

as far as i know. when a vehicle is "totaled" the company is supposed to take the vehicle , correct? they wanted to do that with my truck, but actually they just said since my truck really wasnt that bad i could just keep it plus the amount the damage was. check with them and make sure, sucks one morning they are coming to take it away without you knowing

From my experience is they'll either take it away or let you buy it back when it's totaled.

[Mark B]

If they total it...(And they will) They will give you a check for the cars book value before the wreck. You then will have the option of buying the car back from the insurnace company on the cheap. But to be honest, unless you have alot of money wrapped up into it or have some emotional connection to the car... dont do it. Stock 3rd gens are a dime a dozen. You can find them with no body dammage for super cheap.

[band77one]

i got lucky and they just said since my truck only needed a few minor, but expensive things ( stepside fenders cost almost 1000 dollars lol, that i could just keep it free of charge

[NastyEllEssWon]

yeah theyll let you buy it back if they total it, pretty cheap too. its actually worth it if its only minor damage that can be fixed very cheap.



example....they total out your camaro. cut you a 1500 dollar check for its ''value.'' You can then buy the car back for around 500 bucks. Fix the car with 200 bucks worth of junkyard items. have your car still running fine, fixed and 800 dollars ahead. only difference is you have a R title now. either way you come out ahead.

[fmybody]

thats wierd... i dont know what happend but i was able to keep mine.. like i crashed it on lets say friday... they towed it away.. and we went to the place they towed it on saturday morn.. and towed it from there to my mechanic.... here look:

BEFORE:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/jonarroyo/untitled.jpg

AFTER:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/jonarroyo/100_1293.jpg

the kid and his dad bought my car like 2 weeks later for the interior:
redone doors:http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/jonarroyo/100_1287.jpg

Red leather and B&M:http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/jonarroyo/100_1285.jpg

back seats were mint:http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/jonarroyo/100_1290.jpg

and brand new headliner:http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c387/jonarroyo/100_1291.jpg

not to mention it had like good tires and everything else was basically in good shape..

the kid took it home for a cool grand.. and i figured what the hell since i dont have a garage and was gonna junk it

[Firebird92]

mmm well it seems the people that hit me have insurance now. and it's Allstate so now they want me to take it to a inspection station.

[BonzoHansen]

start searching for comparables. sales on ebay, tgo, etc.

[Mark B]

They are going to low ball you. YOU DONT HAVE TO ACCEPT THEIR OFFER!! You can fight it and usually get more money out of them. Like the above post said, start searching for comparables, print them out and get ready to rumble. If you have recipts for any parts and/or labor you have recently put into the car, have them ready too.

[fmybody]

im going to ask my dad what happened with mine because i have allstate too

UPDATE: i only had liability insurance ...

[firebirdat]

Quick question, sorry if its off topic but i heard,i believe it was Geico will not sell your vehicle back to if its totaled, no matter the damage. Anybody verify this?

[Firebird92]

well they give me 2225.55 -.- and totaled it. but since its a 19 year old car and allstate cutoff is 2002 i can keep the car but they wanted to give me 1103.43 before i was like WTF. but i went out and looked on eBay, craiglist and autofinder and fought them on it to 3000 but i got 775 off for paint and interior damage. the funny thing is they called GM for a loaded door and they wanted 1193.95 with shipping i was like WOW the door is more then i paid for the car lol

[Mark B]

WOW the door is more then i paid for the car lol

Thats why so many get parted out.

Im glad you got a decent amount of $$ for it.

[Firebird92]

well i need to see i may just get a other 3rd gen and part out this one...