Wednesday, June 23, 2010
There I Was, Minding My Own Business...
...when some douche crashed in to my car with a tour bus. And I’m the one who is screwed.
(Please see update below)
Shop came and towed my car today. At about 4:30, they called me up and told me that they had an estimate ready. I would need a new fender, new quarter panel, new driver’s side door, new driver’s side mirror and they could repair the driver’s side passenger door.
Total for the bodywork? $2358.41
Whee!
Except! Guess what! That’s not all!
The alignment was also fucked up and he has to put it back up to check the suspension and any other issues. This is NOT included in that estimate. The joy of it all!
Do you know what this means, boys and girls? I’ll tell you!
It means that there is no way in hell my insurance company is not going to total this car.
And do you know what that means, kids?
It means I have NO FUCKING CAR! Oh, I might get a check for a grand or so but I have no car. AWESOME!
So, I had a nice little chat with the boss today. He swears up and down that he is not upset with me for going through my insurance. He states that he just thought it was not in my best interest and that I could have just had a 100% guarantee that the company that owns the tour van that hit me would have paid for it. It’s “just cosmetic damage”.
Oops! No, it’s not just cosmetic damage.
We discussed the possibility of the insurance company totaling it. We both believed it would probably happen. He said I just screwed myself, (not his words), and I said, “Au contraire! I don’t have a car. I don’t want to have to do this but if I have to sue that company to get another car....”
He said I had no legal standing to sue them for a new car. He said, “The insurance company will give you a check for what the car is worth. That is making you whole and the law will not be on your side.”
“Are you sure about that?”
He firmly believes that I have no standing to sue that tour company for a new car. Basically, I’m just out of luck.
How is that possible?
He did state that I could try to sue them but I won’t win.
Other people, (readers), are telling me that I can sue them and win and possibly get MORE than the price of a car, meaning, I could get a car AND some change to go with it.....he says no.
WHO IS RIGHT?
Update Ok, I just got this email from my insurance company. I’m leaving out the private information, (ie; the insurance company name), and am telling you all in advance, I CHOSE a higher deductible on purpose.
We have completed an appraisal of the damage to your vehicle which is detailed below. Payment will be issued directly to you or to your repair facility based on the information you have previously provided.
Your initial, or original appraisal, is completed based on the visible damage to your vehicle. Once repairs begin, the repair facility sometimes finds additional damage that was not included in the original appraisal. Any additional damage found, that is related to your covered loss, will be included in a supplemental appraisal written by either a professional at one of our [redacted] facilities or by a [redacted] staff appraiser. The detail below indicates if this is an original or a supplemental appraisal. Be assured that the process is not complete until we have identified and paid for all damage related to your covered loss.
Please do not hesitate to call me or email me if you have any questions. My contact information is to the left.
Original Appraisal
Gross Total: $ 2358.41
Less Deductible: $ 1000.00
Net Total: $ 1358.41
What does this say to you? Is my car getting fixed? Does this mean I get to keep my car? Wouldn’t they have told me it would be totaled in this message or am I naively wishfully thinking and hoping?
Also, yes, my deductible is high. I did this for two reasons. One, it keeps the insurance payments lower throughout the year. Two, I’ve been in a few wrecks before and I’ve never had a brand new car before....I know that the more I pay in to it, the more chance I’ll get something good out of it. (I’ve learned the HARD. WAY. MY GOD I’ve learned the hard way, kids.)
But what do you think? Does this sound like I might be lucky!? God please, let me have my car back!!!!!!!!!
