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Yay, I get to experience insurance claims and parts supply!
About a week ago I finally fell victim to the famous drivers of <insert your local home here>. Sitting still at a stop sign, I got the opportunity to watch a driver cut the corner and drive right into the left front corner of our C8. Driver said "I have a hard time seeing over the hood of my car." We were on a fairly quiet side street, so I called the sheriff and had them come out and write up a report. Bumper cover, left grill, fender, and headlight, condensor, radiator, plus assorted brackets, etc. Fender is pushed back to the driver's door, but I'm hoping that's due to damage to the fender. Didn't hit the wheel, was able to drive home and the steering wheel is straight.
Insurance company is USAA. Had a good talk with the claims adjuster, told her I wanted OEM parts, etc., and I didn't need a rental car. She said she'd forward that on to the "adjuster team" that would inspect the car. Adjuster team contacted me and told me they weren't going to pay what the dealer labor rates are, and that 3rd party and/or used parts would be used. I told him to please send that info to me in an email so I could forward it on to my attorney. Nothing to date.
The other issue is parts availability. So far the bumper cover, fender, and some brackets are on back order. I'll get an update in about a week, hopefully they'll be able to find some parts somewhere.
First world problems, as now our date car reverts back to our 2000 FRC. Yeah, tough, I know.
you should be going through your own insurance company and they will subrogate the claim with the at fault driver's insurance company. Don't screw yourself over like that... call your company asap and let them handle it, that's what you pay them for.
Lord Jesus, I thought that was RipTide! It hurts my heart to see any corvette in that state, but it especially hurts to see one that looks so close to mine. I'm glad everyone is alright; I'd leave USAA stat! They are not competitive in the insurance market and cut all kinds of corners. I had personally been with them for nearly 20 years and recently left.
I didn't think the police responded to fender benders and wrote reports when there are no injuries. That report will be good if the other driver decides it was not his fault the next day as it very oftens happens.
Lord Jesus is that RipTide? You have the same rims as me as well. That hurts my heart to see any corvette in that state, but it especially hurts to see one that looks so close to mine.
Something happened to my post, here's my full response:
Lord Jesus, I thought that was RipTide! It hurts my heart to see any corvette in that state, but it especially hurts to see one that looks so close to mine. I'm glad everyone is alright; I'd leave USAA stat! They are not competitive in the insurance market and cut all kinds of corners. I had personally been with them for nearly 20 years and recently left.
Hopefully you had the PDR recording every time you started the car, it proved I was not at fault. I've heard nothing good about USAA... is USAA your insurance or theirs? They are clearly at fault and should pay for repairs.
I would not use my dealer's body shop for sure but found one in the next town over that has Corvette people working there and they handled my claim.
If I was you I would be careful who you use to get it repaired and good luck with your lawyer.
You're not going to get the best quality of repair from a Dealership body shop...I would go to an experienced body shop and just make sure they use OEM supplied parts....
I'd leave USAA stat! They are not competitive in the insurance market and cut all kinds of corners. I had personally been with them for nearly 20 years and recently left.
Oh, trust me, my insurance carrier isn't USAA!
Originally Posted by camelhead
I didn't think the police responded to fender benders and wrote reports when there are no injuries. That report will be good if the other driver decides it was not his fault the next day as it very oftens happens.
Since the accident was on a residential road and not impeding traffic, I decided to give them a call. We had to wait about 5 minutes (less than 10 for sure) for them to show up. They got the report written up, took our statements, and issued the other driver a ticket for an improper left turn. USAA has accepted full responsibility for the accident, but I'm glad to have a full report.
Hopefully you had the PDR recording every time you started the car, it proved I was not at fault.
I HAD it set to record all times, but for some reason that mode changed some time in the past. I had disconnected the battery to swap out brake pads, and apparently the '20 PDR reverts back to recording on demand.
I would not use my dealer's body shop for sure but found one in the next town over that has Corvette people working there and they handled my claim.
Originally Posted by tadda
You're not going to get the best quality of repair from a Dealership body shop...I would go to an experienced body shop and just make sure they use OEM supplied parts....
I checked around my local Corvette club, and our dealer is the best around; everyone I talked to was happy with the work done on their cars (both Vettes and others). One of the main reasons is getting OEM parts, especially for the C8. No shop is going to be perfect, but I talked with the body guy (painter wasn't available), and he assured me he was the guy that was going to do the work on getting every lined up.
What a stressful event.
I like how you are handling the insurance response. Your C8 is not an ordinary car. After market parts is not acceptable.
I see collision lawyers on TV that help get a good settlement. I often think I would act like you are doing.
Just an opinion, get it fixed right and trade it in. If the trade-in is below normal resale, sue for the loss of value also.
Good luck...
What a stressful event.
I like how you are handling the insurance response. Your C8 is not an ordinary car. After market parts is not acceptable.
I see collision lawyers on TV that help get a good settlement. I often think I would act like you are doing.
Just an opinion, get it fixed right and trade it in. If the trade-in is below normal resale, sue for the loss of value also.
Good luck...
Chances are that a specific term of the OP's insurance contract grants the insurer the right to use "like kind & quality" parts for covered repairs. Going to an attorney will be of little help and be cost-prohibitive.
Chances are that a specific term of the OP's insurance contract grants the insurer the right to use "like kind & quality" parts for covered repairs. Going to an attorney will be of little help and be cost-prohibitive.
My insurance provider isn't involved. If the accident was my fault, yeah, I'd have to work that issue. But not in this case. I'm hoping litigation isn't necessary; as my body shop manager told me: "it's just the process, Mike; just breathe and be patient."
I didn't think the police responded to fender benders and wrote reports when there are no injuries. That report will be good if the other driver decides it was not his fault the next day as it very oftens happens.
Always make a police report. Different police agencies do it different ways. Some respond to the scene, some take the report over the phone, some over the internet, some require you to come to the station. If you don't document the accident, you will be on your own and possibly be the subject of litigation when the accident was not caused by you.
State laws vary. In my state, you can take your car to the shop of your choosing to have insurance repair work done, and the insurance company MUST remit. One never has to "settle" for substandard parts or labor.
Hopefully you had the PDR recording every time you started the car, it proved I was not at fault. I've heard nothing good about USAA... is USAA your insurance or theirs? They are clearly at fault and should pay for repairs.
I would not use my dealer's body shop for sure but found one in the next town over that has Corvette people working there and they handled my claim.
If I was you I would be careful who you use to get it repaired and good luck with your lawyer.
JT
After over 40 years with USAA for auto, homeowner and umbrella coverage I left them about 3 years ago. They have suffered gargantuan losses in recent years due to larg numbers of claims in Florida, Callifornia and Texas since there are a lot of military in these states both active and retired. Not using OEM parts is becoming the norm for a lot of insurance companies obviously to reduce the cost of repairs. I also agree that a good body shop is a must especially on a Corvette. I had a claim involving my Laguna Blue C7 and took it to a small family owned shopped that specialized in Corvettes. They were a able to use an OEM parts, rocker panel and matched the paint perfectly. I am now with Erie and saving money. The only claim I have had is a windshield for our X5. Erie paid for an OEM windshield, no questions asked.
06-18-2024, 08:38 AM
Yay, I get to experience insurance claims and parts supply!
