[DarthSurplus]

We've had severe storms the past few weekends running here in the circle city. Amidst dealing with downed power lines, backup sump pump installations, chopping up fallen 60-ft pine trees, and dealing with sub-par rental wood chippers, my wife comes to me, tears in her eyes, and informs me that she's rammed one PSD with the other! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Since she's preggers (my doing) and appeared to be suffering from rapid and drastically lowered self-esteem, I opted to not beat her with a bamboo cane. This time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

It happened in our driveway, and the local constabulary via telephone deemed that an official report was unnecessary. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif

The 2004 Econoline has various scratches and some dented-in areas behind the rear passenger doors. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

The 2002 F250 has a seriously dented and torn right fender. The mud flap is virtually uprooted, and the door is also affected. The passenger door will not open. 9 The seam between the passenger-side fender and the hood is no longer even; it widens toward the front. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif This truck is my daily driver.

We're insured with Farm Bureau, a company unlikely to answer the phone on Easter Sunday. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

What would you do:

1) Suck it up and pay $4000 to $6000 (guess) to fix them both out-of-pocket?

2) Turn it in on the full coverage ($500 deductible) and hope that our heretofore pristine driving and insurance records will not be irretrievably sullied such that we are charged insurance rates from now on that would make pirates jealous?

3) Throw your head back and laugh, letting the van rust and the truck become a one-person vehicle?

There just don't seem to be any alternatives more attractive than Quasimodo in a prom dress. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Tina]

Pay the deductable, Have the insurance fix it!!!
This is "not supposed to" cause your insurance to go up.
Be very glad your wife wasn't hurt!! And congradulations on the impinding arrival of your new baby!!

 

[SteveIn29]

[ QUOTE ]
Pay the deductable, Have the insurance fix it!!!
This is "not supposed to" cause your insurance to go up.

[/ QUOTE ]You would be correct if this was something like a tree falling on the vehicles (comprehensive) but this would most likely be treated as an accident (collision) and CAN result in his insurance going up. Also in some places (CA for one) you are required by law to file a form with the DMV reporting any accident with damages above a certain amount even if the police don't respond. Following this requirement means that there will be an accident on his wife's driving record and is another chance the insurance company would have to raise his rates.

If the repairs fall comfortably within your ability to pay them out of pocket you might want to skip the insurance claim.

 

[DarthSurplus]

[ QUOTE ]
If the repairs fall comfortably within your ability to pay them out of pocket

[/ QUOTE ]

It's tough to say without some written estimates. I suppose that they might be technically within my ability to pay them out of pocket, but it wouldn't be appropriate for the adjective 'comfortably' to pull alongside. I have some major work to be done on my house that takes priority.

I'm sure that the insurance company hears stories like this from time to time, but I'm also sure that they don't like to hear them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[overfly]

Check with your insurance agent. You can ask about the ramifications of making a claim vs. paying out of pocket. Worst case scenario, if you ask your agent, would be an answer from someone who actually knows what will happen and you'll be able to make an informed decision.

 

[robsd]

[ QUOTE ]

Since she's preggers (my doing)

[/ QUOTE ]


Out of all this post, I'm really glad you cleared this up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif

 

[pabrannan]

Some companies give you the first one. Mine has told me to save the claim for the big one just in case higher up mandates them to raise your rates!! Heck of a note to pay for almost 30 years and they say save a claim for a big one, after all they have supposedly rated you for paying claims and have not had too!! I usually call a friend with the same company and ask questions, then make a decision to call my agent. Because once they know strange things can begin to happen.....

Paul B

 

[gatorgrizz27]

File with the insurance. I had to replace the hood, fender, and both doors on my truck. Doing all the work and paint myself it still cost about $2,500. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[GOPDiesel]

Go with insurance. That is why we pay for it, unless you have many claims and are concerned about being cancelled.

Pat

 

[DarthSurplus]

Looking back, I can scarcely believe it was Easter when this happened! Here it is Thanksgiving, and I just finally got the second one back from the repair shop! (The baby sort of interrupted things a bit /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif ) It's good to have my passenger doors back, and the van no longer looks as if it were left in an airport parking lot for a month. The truck was about $1800, and the van was about $3400. I turned them both in on the insurance, and the rate is going up on the truck on account of it, by $70 per year. If I had only turned one of them in, I was informed that I wouldn't have had a rate increase. I think that's because the collision coverage came into play on the van, which was moving, and the comprehensive coverage was what was invoked for the truck, which was stationary.