Banged up my 2000 Max recently :-( need info on insurance.

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Google Surfer - 26 Sep 2004 03:31 GMT

I was parked in a parking garage with very tight spots and concrete
polls that seem to jump out at you. I bet this garage was built by a
bunch of auto body shops. Anyway, I was backing out and my left rear
side, just above the tire scraped one of these concrete polls. The
damage wasn't huge, but will probably still cost a lot to fix.

I am just wondering how this will play out with my insurance company.
Since it was my fault and no one else was involved, will my insurance
cover it? If so, will my insurance rate increase because of it? I
know that I will have to pay my deductible no matter what. Am I
better off saying that someone hit me while I was parked and they took
off? I am normally so careful, have never even scratched one of my
cars before. Very frustrating. Thanks for any info.

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Jon Smith - 26 Sep 2004 03:36 GMT

I would pay for it out of pocket as the insurance company does not care
if it was you are someone else. They get a claim and you go on the list
of higher risk and they usually raise your rates for three years. It is
cheaper in the long run to pay for something like this out of pocket.
My deductible is $500 so take that and add 36 months of higher rates adn
you will more than come out ahead paying for this out of your own pocket.

> I was parked in a parking garage with very tight spots and concrete
> polls that seem to jump out at you. I bet this garage was built by a
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> off? I am normally so careful, have never even scratched one of my
> cars before. Very frustrating. Thanks for any info.

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Bitsbucket - 26 Sep 2004 04:54 GMT

Do the right thing.....
Insurance fraud costs everybody money. I have some hail damage on my car and
actually have had body shop owners suggest to "make a claim" even after I
told them I bought it that way....Geeze...

>I would pay for it out of pocket as the insurance company does not care if
>it was you are someone else. They get a claim and you go on the list of
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>> off? I am normally so careful, have never even scratched one of my
>> cars before. Very frustrating. Thanks for any info.

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Tom S - 26 Sep 2004 06:33 GMT

I did something similar and reported it. My insurance company covered the
damage, but my rates went up slightly.

> Do the right thing.....
> Insurance fraud costs everybody money. I have some hail damage on my car and
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004

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Bill G - 26 Sep 2004 13:50 GMT

> Do the right thing.....
> Insurance fraud costs everybody money. I have some hail damage on my car and
> actually have had body shop owners suggest to "make a claim" even after I
> told them I bought it that way....Geeze...

Mr. Smith was not advocating insurance fraud. It is perfectly legal to pay
for repairs yourself and not involve your insurance company, especially in a
case like this. Had it been a major accident, and the value of the car was
adversely affected, it might be different. But we're talking about some
scratches, dents, and a little paint.

Now, the example you cite would indeed be fraud.

Bill G

> >I would pay for it out of pocket as the insurance company does not care if
> >it was you are someone else. They get a claim and you go on the list of
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004

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Bitsbucket - 26 Sep 2004 19:52 GMT

I quote:
Am I better off saying that someone hit me while I was parked and they took
off?

He says this right after saying, and again I quote from HIS post:
"I was backing out and my left rear
side, just above the tire scraped one of these concrete polls".

If he claims someone hit him and took off when he really just backed into a
post that damn sure is insurance fraud!
Read his post again.

>> Do the right thing.....
>> Insurance fraud costs everybody money. I have some hail damage on my car
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
>> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
>> Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004

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Bill G - 26 Sep 2004 21:46 GMT

> I quote:
> Am I better off saying that someone hit me while I was parked and they took
> off?

I'm sorry, I totally missed this sentence.

> He says this right after saying, and again I quote from HIS post:
> "I was backing out and my left rear
> side, just above the tire scraped one of these concrete polls".

This is the one I saw and responded to.

> If he claims someone hit him and took off when he really just backed into a
> post that damn sure is insurance fraud!

It is, I agree.

Sorry, Bits, I wasn't implying that you'd support fraud.

> Read his post again.

"Again" would suggest that I READ IT THE FIRST TIME !!! Which I obviously
didn't. ;-)

Again, my apologies.

Bill G
'91 SE Auto
168,944 miles

> >> Do the right thing.....
> >> Insurance fraud costs everybody money. I have some hail damage on my car
[quoted text clipped - 47 lines]
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004

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