Got hit - need insurance advice

linewarbr · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 4:16 pm

Yesterday morning, I was stopped at a light minding my own business when a driver hit me from behind at about 5 mph. No major damage, he was driving a 4-Runner and it hit the spare. The metal on the swing gate around the bottom of the spare tire bracket is dented in a little, but the spare itself rebounded and is not resting against the bumper or anything major.

Rather than file a claim under my insurance and pay my deductible, I'm waiting on the other driver's insurance to open a claim (we both are insured by State Farm -- convenient) and send an adjuster out. It's nice that in the state of Louisiana, a driver that rear-ends another car is automatically at-fault in the accident.

What can I expect in this situation? I would imagine that rather than repair the damage, I would need a whole new rear swing gate, plus bracket and spare because of the risk of either or both being compromised. Can anyone give me an idea of how much I can expect to get? (I'm hoping to leave the rear as-is and put a Frankie on it. . .

)

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 4:30 pm

Bummer LW

The same thing happened to my wife three times.
All three times when I showed up to assess the damage the jeep was fine,so I let the other guys go without report.Each time it looked like the other cars were banged up good.

That spare can take a licking.

Hope you get a Frankie out of it. :rockon:

pinevillekj · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:03 pm

The exact same thing happened to me while living in San Angelo. This lady in a Yukon hit me while I was at a stoplight. She claims she was making an important phone call at the time of the crash.

All told about 1,200 worth of damage. They replaced the swing gate, bracket, and I think repainted the rear. Demand a specific rental car, or they will stick you with a compact. Sign NOTHING until everything is agreed to in writing.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 6:31 pm

Thats a shame but tire etc may be OK
Mines been rear ended now 4 times, gate is a little wrinkled behind the spare but not a big deal can't see it!
Just wait until the insurance adjuster contacts you ( if he hasn't in 3 days call them! )

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 6:50 pm

mines been hit twice neither time hit the spare, nothing shifted

totaled the miata, which probably isn't hard to do and the RX8 got a new headlight fascia and hood

cost me a 2"x2" square of fine sand paper and 1/8th of a can of flat black rustoleum

total between the two incidents

omGoddard · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:08 pm

Those spare tires do pack a punch. :dizzy:

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:10 pm

yeah that rear door is stronger than it looks

AZKJ · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:13 pm

linewarbr wrote:

Rather than file a claim under my insurance and pay my deductible, I'm waiting on the other driver's insurance to open a claim (we both are insured by State Farm -- convenient) and send an adjuster out.

Never, never, ever wait on the other party to file anything. Get his information at the time of the accident. File a claim with your policy and let THEM go after the other guy period. If you were not at fault, it should not count against you. Waiting on the other guy, especially if he was at fault, is just plain dumb.

riptricket · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 7:14 pm

i got wrecked when i was at a full stop and she went 55mph yeah hurt a lot...
and the damage was almost $3000 yes 3 0 0 0. Replaced stock bumper, entire rear door, spare wheel, and trailer hitch. I ended up getting the full amount. So I would guess yours would be 500-1000 sorry that happened

I agree they do kill others!!!

and yes that thing's gotta hemi....
well had!

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:10 pm

Sorry to hear you got wrecked into. I been rear ended 4 times so far but not in the Liberty and I hope not ever. In my state its the other drivers fault if they hit you from behind no matter what you did. Its assumed that if they hit you they did not have their vehicle under control.

Do not wait for the other guy to start a claim. you should have his info take it to your agent and make a claim if your agent is any good he/she will go for the other guys policy to get you paid. That should be easy if both are with the same company but don't assume so. The company will pay out less if you run the damages under your coverage and pay your deductable. Don't let them con you in to that unless the guys policy has lapsed. If you do it on your collision you may get the Jeep fixed a little faster but you will pay your deductable and pay a higher rate due to the claim. If my insurance agent insisted on claining it to my colision policy first because its easy I would fire her but I don't have to worry Donna is a smart lady and would always do what was best in the long run.

oh and watch how they cut you your check too. I got rear ended and push into another car waiting at a light in my Maxima years back and the kids insurance was not good at getting me a rental car I had to wait 2 days while my car was totaled and unsafe to drive. 5 days later an adjuster showed up. said the car was totaled and made me an offer that I was more than ok with since I bought the car at the dealer auction with a friend. 2 days later they cut me a check and asked for the rental back but the check wasn't good garrinteed funds so I had nothing to drive and no cash to put on a new ride intill the check cleared. that was Nationwide, for sure not on my side that time.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:06 pm

If the police did not show up, file a police report. If you have witnesses, make sure you get that info to the police.

Do not take the first offer from the Ins Company. They want to try and low ball you the first time. Might not be a good thing having both the same insurance company. Go to at least 2-3 reputable auto repair places, not where the insurance company wants you to go. Find the best places. Do not give in. If you need help, cal Frank Azar, the strong arm......LOL! Just kidding.

I'll bet it was a Vikings fan that hit you. :ROTFL:

linewarbr · **Posted:** Wed Feb 03, 2010 11:44 am

Tokyojoe wrote:

If the police did not show up, file a police report. If you have witnesses, make sure you get that info to the police.

I did call the cops, and there is a police report on file. In Louisiana, hitting someone from behind is an automatic at-fault for the driver.

Got a call this morning from State Farm, they have already opened a claim under the other driver's insurance. I told them to have an adjuster come out and look at my Jeep rather than me taking it to a shop. I am really wanting to just get a check for the damages, rather than have it repaired and then they pay the shop. How can I get that to happen?

Tokyojoe wrote:

I'll bet it was a Vikings fan that hit you. :ROTFL:

If so, it would be the only hit a Viking got on a Saint!! :-)r

InCommando · **Posted:** Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:20 pm

Sounds like that is a whole state o' non-driving foo's.

Keeping th eball mount in the hitch of your KJ ( if equipped) will help in an ACDA collision.

valvestem · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 222

I got hit last fall, it pushed in the tire mount enough to cause the tire to hit the tire recess in the bumper. I had a guy at work put a come-along on it and popped it back out. It was causing the swing gate to pop open when opened, and really had to be slammed when closing. I never got it fixed. I asked the woman (no surprise) who hit me WTF!!!, she said I thought you were stopping. I says you hit everybody in the azz that you think is stopping?

haulin5 · **Joined:** Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:53 pm **Posts:** 116

I'm an accountant who works for an insurance company. I don't think it's going to be very easy for you to collect $$$ on this, but I could be wrong.

Most auto liability insurers write a two-party check, cashable only if the insured (you) and the repair shop both sign the check. This protects the insurance company from fraudulent claims that occur when a vehicle owner trashes their own car and asks for $$$.

Not sure if the presence of a 2nd party, the lady at fault, would have much bearing on their decision to break from procedure. There are just too many examples of collusion that involve people "agreeing" to damage each other's vehicles.

On the other hand, I DO wish you good luck. Stick with everyone's advice of getting estimates, and seek the HIGHEST estimates you can find and get them in writing!

linewarbr · **Posted:** Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:26 pm

Thanks for all the advice. An adjuster is supposed to come by and look at it tomorrow. I got a call from one today, but where I work (and where my Jeep is) is not his territory, so he said he was going to get someone from that territory to call me.

KJ 119 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:28 pm

linewarbr wrote:

I got a call from one today, but where I work (and where my Jeep is) is not his territory, so he said he was going to get someone from that territory to call me.

territory? :-)r

Ya make it sound like we live in Alaska or something.

Good luck LW.

jhblackwell · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 5:28 pm

KJ 119 wrote:

linewarbr wrote:

I got a call from one today, but where I work (and where my Jeep is) is not his territory, so he said he was going to get someone from that territory to call me.

territory? :-)r

Ya make it sound like we live in Alaska or something.

He's just afraid to come down to the bayou (a word derived from the Choctaw "bayuk", small stream) where 'gators and coona$$es live...he ain't no fool :dead:

linewarbr · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 7:06 pm

Nice bit o' history there jh. . . you sure you not Cajun?

jhblackwell · **Posted:** Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:46 am

linewarbr wrote:

you sure you not Cajun?

Worked at Lake Charles for a year and got hooked. To paraphrase what they say..."southern by birth...coona$$ by the grace of God". gotta love it :pepper:

Got hit - need insurance advice

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