Car repair estimate. Photos included. Is the other driver trying to milk me?
I got in a car accident on Feb, 11th. Here’s what happened. It was raining and my car couldn’t stop all the way at the intersection so it slid past the red light. The other driver, coming from my perpendicular left, seeing me slid, decided to speed up to avoid a collision but instead my car hits his rear tire and scratches/dents his bumper. We agreed not to notify the police or our insurance companies. The damage on his car was minor so he said that he’ll just do a wheel alignment and give me a call a week later about repair cost. He called me today and told me the repair cost is going to be $1000. 500 for rims and 500 for the bumper. So I was wondering if I can get it repaired for cheaper. I’m planning on going to the junk yard to find used rims which he agreed to but I still can’t believe the scratch/dent on the rear right bumper is going to cost me $500. Here are pics of his 2001 Tahoe.
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/gundream-rearrightdamaged.jpg
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/gundream-rearrightdamaged3.jpg
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/gundream-scratchedrearright.jpg
Right rear scratchs/dents
http://server2.uploadit.org/files/gundream-rearrightdented.jpg
Dented rims.
We agreed not to contact the insurance company at this point. My 99 corrolla is much more damaged than his “scratches” but the accident is still considered my fault since I hit him. So if we do contact the insurance company, how would would my insurance rise by?
We both have each other’s insurance company and driver’s information. I’m pretty sure I dented his rims because I hit his rear tire. Right now, I’m a student so I’m paying about $300 for a 6 month insurance. How much would the insurance go up by? Would the insurance go down eventually if I don’t get an accident for a period of time? Should I contact my agent? Wouldn’t they want to find out about my accident so they can raise my insurance or should I keep them out of it?
October 15th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
I suggest you contact your agent anyway. You don’t know what the total damage could really be on your car or his. You don’t want the other driver to come back later stating he had a back injury due to wreck. You know they can do that. They have a time frame which I believe is 3-7 years (I am no lawyer).
The question is; Is this your first accident over a long time period? If so, I wouldn’t think your rate should go up that much.
By contacting your agent your out of pocket cost may only be your deductible.
October 15th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Don’t pay him til you can get a couple more estimates it looks to me like he is trying to get more money out of you, he may not have insurance and if he doesn’t in many states then the accident is considered his fault. The scratches can be covered up with a small tube of cover-up paint available at almost any auto parts place Autozone can look up the car for you and get you an exact match, and there really isn’t anything wrong with the rim that small dent isn’t going to affect anyhting, I showed the pictures to my husband because he does tires for a living, he said the rim is fine and wants to knoe if your sure that you did that to the rim, he said it looks like it was caused by someone who messed up the rimm when they dropped it while the tire was off the rim probably the last time his tire was changed
October 15th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
He’s pretty close on the estimate. The rim is over $200. If your ins. goes up $100 how long before it matches the $1000 he wants. I concur with sweetchoc
October 15th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
it looks like this guy is trying to take you and bend you over. The rim you can get at a wrecking yard for 75.00. …there isn’t any dent or real dammage to the fender just some surface scratches..
answer this………..if there aren’t any dents in the side of the truck then how in the hell did the bumper get hurt ? and where is the dammage to the bumper ? it looks like the bumper is bent up from the bottom and BACK……look at the pict ! the bumper no the bottom is twisted IN and it is UP on the top. how could that happen if you hit it from the FRONT and SIDE ? It would have been pulled out and down not up and in !……….AND what in the hell are you paying so much money for insurance for if you aren’t going to use it ?!!! Think guy 1,000 is a year and a half of insurance at your current rates.. you got that kind of money laying around? USE the insurance !