dealing w/ insur?
#1
12-16-2007 | 09:16 PM
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From: CA
dealing w/ insur?
i got into an accident a couple weeks ago, my fault, guy cut in front of me and broke hard at a green light, didn't think he'd slow to a stop, but the moron did, i think he was lost and thinking/deciding whether to make aright turn. but guess i'm the moron w/ the the messed up bike. finally getting around to fixing it now that finals are over.
this my first time doing an insurance claim. what can i expect? i'm dropping it off to a shop tomorrow morning and letting them do the estimate. i was reading other threads, so estimates should be $50 or so? i've already talked to the insur agent, and he wants me to do the estimate first, then he'll go down, check it out and do his own estimate. i've never dealt w/ insur guys before, how are they? should i expect them to be pretty stingy? strict? or easy going? are they paid by how much they can lower the estimate? how are they paid? comission, by how many bikes they see? or cases they resolve?
the bike has alot of cosmetic damage, and all the coolant linked after i parked, so i'm guessing the radiator is f'ed, or maybe it's just a hose/gasket. how long will it take to fix? are shops pretty fast w/ this, or slow? i think i read another post that said it can take months/weeks. does the insurance company pay the shop directly? or is it out of my pocket then i get reimbursed?
i know it's a lot of questions, just anxious to make sure everything get's taken care of. i have a $1000 deductable so it's going to hurt my pocketbook quite bit.
thanks.
this my first time doing an insurance claim. what can i expect? i'm dropping it off to a shop tomorrow morning and letting them do the estimate. i was reading other threads, so estimates should be $50 or so? i've already talked to the insur agent, and he wants me to do the estimate first, then he'll go down, check it out and do his own estimate. i've never dealt w/ insur guys before, how are they? should i expect them to be pretty stingy? strict? or easy going? are they paid by how much they can lower the estimate? how are they paid? comission, by how many bikes they see? or cases they resolve?
the bike has alot of cosmetic damage, and all the coolant linked after i parked, so i'm guessing the radiator is f'ed, or maybe it's just a hose/gasket. how long will it take to fix? are shops pretty fast w/ this, or slow? i think i read another post that said it can take months/weeks. does the insurance company pay the shop directly? or is it out of my pocket then i get reimbursed?
i know it's a lot of questions, just anxious to make sure everything get's taken care of. i have a $1000 deductable so it's going to hurt my pocketbook quite bit.
thanks.
#2
12-16-2007 | 09:25 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,348
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RE: dealing w/ insur?
it honestly all depends on who is fixing the bike.
if you get an estimate and then decide to fix it yourself (i would)
make sure they do a real good job because if you get into it and find other things wrong you would have to file a supplement to get more money,
some repair shops are quite fast
others like the one my buddy took his to take a while
6 months to get his back and it was all cosmetic.
the dumbass dealer ordered parts and never opened them to find out that they were the wrong color until he was ready to install so he had to reorder.
as far as payment. the last time i had a car repaired they paid me.
my buddies bike insurance check went to the dealer
the best thing to do is just talk to your agent and keep talking to them. insurance companies dont like to payout.
also make sure they cover your gear too. they should
do you have receipts for any aftermarket parts.
good companies will cover them to if you have receipts
if you get an estimate and then decide to fix it yourself (i would)
make sure they do a real good job because if you get into it and find other things wrong you would have to file a supplement to get more money,
some repair shops are quite fast
others like the one my buddy took his to take a while
6 months to get his back and it was all cosmetic.
the dumbass dealer ordered parts and never opened them to find out that they were the wrong color until he was ready to install so he had to reorder.
as far as payment. the last time i had a car repaired they paid me.
my buddies bike insurance check went to the dealer
the best thing to do is just talk to your agent and keep talking to them. insurance companies dont like to payout.
also make sure they cover your gear too. they should
do you have receipts for any aftermarket parts.
good companies will cover them to if you have receipts
#3
12-16-2007 | 10:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,353
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RE: dealing w/ insur?
ORIGINAL: willklee
i got into an accident a couple weeks ago, my fault, guy cut in front of me and broke hard at a green light, didn't think he'd slow to a stop, but the moron did, i think he was lost and thinking/deciding whether to make aright turn. but guess i'm the moron w/ the the messed up bike. finally getting around to fixing it now that finals are over.
this my first time doing an insurance claim. what can i expect? i'm dropping it off to a shop tomorrow morning and letting them do the estimate. i was reading other threads, so estimates should be $50 or so? i've already talked to the insur agent, and he wants me to do the estimate first, then he'll go down, check it out and do his own estimate. i've never dealt w/ insur guys before, how are they? should i expect them to be pretty stingy? strict? or easy going? are they paid by how much they can lower the estimate? how are they paid? comission, by how many bikes they see? or cases they resolve?
the bike has alot of cosmetic damage, and all the coolant linked after i parked, so i'm guessing the radiator is f'ed, or maybe it's just a hose/gasket. how long will it take to fix? are shops pretty fast w/ this, or slow? i think i read another post that said it can take months/weeks. does the insurance company pay the shop directly? or is it out of my pocket then i get reimbursed?
i know it's a lot of questions, just anxious to make sure everything get's taken care of. i have a $1000 deductable so it's going to hurt my pocketbook quite bit.
thanks.
i got into an accident a couple weeks ago, my fault, guy cut in front of me and broke hard at a green light, didn't think he'd slow to a stop, but the moron did, i think he was lost and thinking/deciding whether to make aright turn. but guess i'm the moron w/ the the messed up bike. finally getting around to fixing it now that finals are over.
this my first time doing an insurance claim. what can i expect? i'm dropping it off to a shop tomorrow morning and letting them do the estimate. i was reading other threads, so estimates should be $50 or so? i've already talked to the insur agent, and he wants me to do the estimate first, then he'll go down, check it out and do his own estimate. i've never dealt w/ insur guys before, how are they? should i expect them to be pretty stingy? strict? or easy going? are they paid by how much they can lower the estimate? how are they paid? comission, by how many bikes they see? or cases they resolve?
the bike has alot of cosmetic damage, and all the coolant linked after i parked, so i'm guessing the radiator is f'ed, or maybe it's just a hose/gasket. how long will it take to fix? are shops pretty fast w/ this, or slow? i think i read another post that said it can take months/weeks. does the insurance company pay the shop directly? or is it out of my pocket then i get reimbursed?
i know it's a lot of questions, just anxious to make sure everything get's taken care of. i have a $1000 deductable so it's going to hurt my pocketbook quite bit.
thanks.
Anyway, my first claim of any kind as well.
I think Baxsom is pretty much on the money as far as his advice and everything.
Insurance companies are criminals for the most part, and do not like to pay up at all.
Especially the guy who hit my parked bike...State Farce Insurance.
A friend of the family, a retired car body repair shop owner said State Farce was always the slowest to pay out.
Jerks.
Good luck, and yes, stay after them.
#4
12-17-2007 | 06:18 AM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,348
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#5
12-17-2007 | 07:05 AM
Retired Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,697
Likes: 1
From: Las Cruces, NM
RE: dealing w/ insur?
I was in a car accident. Slid into a curb after driving over a slick, freshly painted crosswalk when it was raining......at night. Bent the wheel in, launched the car over the curb, snaped CV joints, ripped off front bumper, etc. etc. I had it towed to a shop in town, and told them in the morning to do an estimate (since I was always at the shop, they did it free of charge.)
Found out it was going to cost upwards of $1600. Talked to State Farm that day, guy came down and did the estimate, gave them the police report. Nice guy, no snobbery or snootyness. After that, they put in the claim and told me it could take a few days. The next day I got an overnight package with my claim check. I was thoroughly impressed.
So, I bought parts off the internet, and fixed it all myself for under $600 bucks. It's always better to fix it yourself with the insurance money, that way you could save on labor, and buy higher-quality parts to install (granted, you know how to work on them that is.)
Found out it was going to cost upwards of $1600. Talked to State Farm that day, guy came down and did the estimate, gave them the police report. Nice guy, no snobbery or snootyness. After that, they put in the claim and told me it could take a few days. The next day I got an overnight package with my claim check. I was thoroughly impressed.
So, I bought parts off the internet, and fixed it all myself for under $600 bucks. It's always better to fix it yourself with the insurance money, that way you could save on labor, and buy higher-quality parts to install (granted, you know how to work on them that is.)
#6
12-17-2007 | 04:01 PM
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 177
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From: CA
RE: dealing w/ insur?
cool, thanks for the input fellas. good point w/ the gear baxom, i'm going to see what i can get for my scratched helmet.
i'm going to research some shops around here and take it down this afternoon. i'd love to learn to work on bikes, but i have little experience and hardly any tools. sounds like you saved a bundle blue, you're my boy blue! (old school, anybody?).
when i was shopping around for insur sounds like mostriders had state farm. guess the claim experience depends on whether the guys is competent or not. i have geico, i'll let you guys know how the experience goes.
i'm going to research some shops around here and take it down this afternoon. i'd love to learn to work on bikes, but i have little experience and hardly any tools. sounds like you saved a bundle blue, you're my boy blue! (old school, anybody?).
when i was shopping around for insur sounds like mostriders had state farm. guess the claim experience depends on whether the guys is competent or not. i have geico, i'll let you guys know how the experience goes.
#8
12-17-2007 | 06:59 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
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RE: dealing w/ insur?
i've always had great service w/state farm, even the one time my wife had to use the medical...i also got a great rate, just under $300 yearly, but i also have both cages and home owners with them...let everyone here know what is on the estimate damage wise, maybe we can help u do it urself and save bookoo cash...good luck...
#9
12-20-2007 | 01:42 PM
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 177
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From: CA
RE: dealing w/ insur?
i just got the estimate now. it's a whopping $4775 from the shop, but the ins guy figures about $3775 because he's excluding normal wear and tear damage on the left side (only the right side got damaged from the accident). he's also going to toss in approx $400 for my shoei rf-1000 helmet. these are still rough estimates and the insur guy is still working on whether it'll be considered totaled. kbb.com said the bikes worth about $6200.
if there are any guys around the l.a. county/orange county areas in s. cali that'd like to help work on the bike, i'm up for looking into it. i'm near the 605 and 91.
so far the geico guy has been real cool. he's pretty straightforward. all i had to do was drop it off at the shop and wait. looks like it'll be a few more days to get the final results in.
I'm paying about $125/mos for full on 1 bike, w/ $1000 deductable. state farm would've only been cheaper if i changed my car over...
if there are any guys around the l.a. county/orange county areas in s. cali that'd like to help work on the bike, i'm up for looking into it. i'm near the 605 and 91.
so far the geico guy has been real cool. he's pretty straightforward. all i had to do was drop it off at the shop and wait. looks like it'll be a few more days to get the final results in.
I'm paying about $125/mos for full on 1 bike, w/ $1000 deductable. state farm would've only been cheaper if i changed my car over...
