Unbelievable Cost to Repair Fender Bender

[Pistolpeet]

If you want to make a claim for a potential loss of value, advise your SF adjuster you'd like to make a claim for diminished value. They might owe something depending on your state's laws, but the only way to really prove it is by selling the vehicle. Everything else is ballpark guesses and maybe's. On the flip side, you're never required to go to an insurance carrier's preferred shop.

Second this. It might not work but it's worth asking - I have heard of it being a waste of time and possibly money if you get a lawyer involved but there's been some success stories as well.

I would also ensure that OEM parts are being used.

 

[flyguy1]

Probably shouldn't tell this, but here goes. You do punch the numbers into a computer, parts costs is what it is, but if you don't watch it, they'll bill OEM and go with cheaper aftermarket. Also, the computer shows, say, 5 hours to replace parts, 3 hours to paint, etc. but they do it in half the time. That's where they make their money.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

The Wall Street Journal has had a number of stories on the high cost of repairing vehicles. Last week they wrote about car insurance - carriers are losing money due to the high cost of repairs. EVs are even more expensive - one reason Hertz is reducing their planned fleet of Teslas.

There was a recent article about EVs especially Teslas. Trying to fix then after an accident is a nightmare and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
AND they wear tires out a lot faster. We were at the Discount Tire Store getting a slow leak fixed and there was a Disclaimer in the shop about EVs and the tires wear out faster due to weight and torque on the tires.

 

[Mountain Sloth]

With it being a newer vehicle, some shops (this is coming from my father in law who works at a body shop) especially if they "certified" to work on certain makes, have a procedure to follow to make sure the vehicle is safe. Recalibrating sensors, actually welding vs gluing pieces. This all takes time and money to do. I'd imagine if there were a sensor in the portions damaged that say gives you the ability to start on an incline without rolling back, its not fixed properly and you roll back into someone. Liability should be on the shop for not fixing your vehicle to standard. Insurance companies are much more worried about buying baseball stadiums than keeping premiums reasonable. In the end the insured party is who actually owes you for damages, you are just choosing to work with their insurance company for convenience. Statefarm is also the worst, spent a month arguing with them about my truck being totaled after their insured tboned me. Good luck!

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

With it being a newer vehicle, some shops (this is coming from my father in law who works at a body shop) especially if they "certified" to work on certain makes, have a procedure to follow to make sure the vehicle is safe. Recalibrating sensors, actually welding vs gluing pieces. This all takes time and money to do. I'd imagine if there were a sensor in the portions damaged that say gives you the ability to start on an incline without rolling back, its not fixed properly and you roll back into someone. Liability should be on the shop for not fixing your vehicle to standard. Insurance companies are much more worried about buying baseball stadiums than keeping premiums reasonable. In the end the insured party is who actually owes you for damages, you are just choosing to work with their insurance company for convenience. Statefarm is also the worst, spent a month arguing with them about my truck being totaled after their insured tboned me. Good luck!

I know that SF is one of the worst Insurance companies. We have USAA which I think is related #1 in customer service. Regardless we must have been fortunate because the claims adjusted on this one is great. We got and keep getting updated Text and emails daily from SF.
Now the Repair shop updates us several times a day by text and email.
Although we are upset that this happened - it was a fender bender from a young man that unfortunately hit our parked car in a parking lot. I am sure that he is a lot more upset than us.
My point is the cost of the repairs that i thought is way too much. I guess that I am not up to date on these costs to repair a vehicle with plastic, aluminum, and then throw in the SENSORS, wiring and the CALABRATION. PLUS the LABOR costs and the Shops INSURANCE costs if they don't do it right.
I just looked at the outside of a new Building with expensive signs and appearance of a top notch facility like i have visited many in my career. The inside of this shop was a disaster. i can't see how only being a year old new facility they (workers & management) could have degraded it to a pig pen. I have been in Shops that were spotless with organized work stations, tools, inventory, Spray Booths, Staff members with uniforms, A organized work flow. This shop reminded me of a Chop Shop in Tijuan, MX.
It is had to believe that they are able to update us with every process that they are doing from bring into the shop, removing damaged parts, ordering new parts, and scheduling to install as soon as parts arrive and ready for Paint. I guess they have a system that works for them. Just may turn out to be a really good job. Will know withing two weeks.

 

[WapitiBob]

A guy rear ended me at a stop light on the 17th. Body shop I wanted to use wouldn't look at my truck till they got an "open order" from the other guys Allstate ins. Took calling Allstate multiple times/day and 1-1/2 weeks to get it to the shop, then the body shop said " they had to look over the estimate" before they could determine if they would be able to do the work....something about an aluminum body.
It's a tail gate and bumper. My wife could do that work in the driveway. Body shop still hasn't called me, they're off the list. Bumper and tailgate, $3000

 

[Mountain Sloth]

I know that SF is one of the worst Insurance companies. We have USAA which I think is related #1 in customer service. Regardless we must have been fortunate because the claims adjusted on this one is great. We got and keep getting updated Text and emails daily from SF.
Now the Repair shop updates us several times a day by text and email.
Although we are upset that this happened - it was a fender bender from a young man that unfortunately hit our parked car in a parking lot. I am sure that he is a lot more upset than us.
My point is the cost of the repairs that i thought is way too much. I guess that I am not up to date on these costs to repair a vehicle with plastic, aluminum, and then throw in the SENSORS, wiring and the CALABRATION. PLUS the LABOR costs and the Shops INSURANCE costs if they don't do it right.
I just looked at the outside of a new Building with expensive signs and appearance of a top notch facility like i have visited many in my career. The inside of this shop was a disaster. i can't see how only being a year old new facility they (workers & management) could have degraded it to a pig pen. I have been in Shops that were spotless with organized work stations, tools, inventory, Spray Booths, Staff members with uniforms, A organized work flow. This shop reminded me of a Chop Shop in Tijuan, MX.
It is had to believe that they are able to update us with every process that they are doing from bring into the shop, removing damaged parts, ordering new parts, and scheduling to install as soon as parts arrive and ready for Paint. I guess they have a system that works for them. Just may turn out to be a really good job. Will know withing two weeks.

I work in insurance, not auto or anything like that but insurance either way, and its such a strange process that is different from one state to the next. I also like seeing a clean/organized shop. Most insurance adjusters or the company they work for want the repairs done as cheap and quickly as possible. Ive gone through the hoops of two totaled vehicles in one year, my wife in July and myself in October(one week before rifle opener in MT) and it was a nightmare working with Statefarm and Geico, both thought the shop rate was outrageous.. they have admin fees and employees to pay as well and at least the shop I was in actually wants to get things correctly done and is willing to go to bat for you with the insurance company. Hopefully they vehicle is fixed and nothing is off or done sub-par.