Deer down!! Please give your insight on GEICO insurance claim

I believe you are the only person I've ever heard say a deer hit them.

 

Not sure whether your Taco is silver or gray, but my wife swears deer don't see silver vehicles well. She wasn't even driving 20 mph a few years back when a deer come straight out of the woods and t-boned her silver Beetle.

 

OP - sorry about your truck & hope you’re okay.

A deer hit my wife (Not joking, ran into her front fender) around Christmas last year (2018 Honda CRV) and Geico was awesome. Difference here is, in West Virginia, if your car is three years old or less, state law requires OEM replacement parts - so I got no pushback there. Auto insurance tends to be higher here than surrounding states, but check your local laws.

 

My little brother’s mk7 GTI got smacked down a few months ago in Philly. He brought it to a body shop that primarily does high end imports, and they have a neat way of playing the insurance game. They basically wrote up a quote using aftermarket parts, which was less than 1k shy of totaling the car. Insurance approved the repair, the shop ordered the parts, and then declared to the insurance company that they were of sub-standard quality, returned them, ordered all OEM parts, and got a supplemental check from the insurance company for the difference. Car came out better than new. These guys play the game regularly enough that they had it down to a science. Not sure if many other shops do the same or not.

 

Government employee insurance Co. Good luck with that.

 

I hit a bear last year. Even though the truck was 2 years old, because I didn’t have OEM parts on my policy, they were quoting based on aftermarket/used parts. They ended up totaling the truck (it took a while for the shop to get the truck up and check the frame).

at the time I was really upset that they weren’t going to use OEM parts. In retrospect, it doesn’t matter. Your insurance company has to put the car back to the condition it was before the accident. If they use aftermarket or refurbished parts, you most likely won’t notice, but if you do, just tell them it’s not right and your insurance will make it right. And, the shop should offer some sort of warranty (in the past, I was given a warranty for as long as I owned the vehicle) on all repairs, so if the parts are second rate and fail, it’ll be fixed for free.

If it really matters to you, update your policy, and for now you can try getting the work done at the dealership, they might be able to play the game and get you OEM.

Animal hits suck. Sorry man.

 

If you don’t have the oem parts addition to your coverage they’ll use non oem parts. I pay a little extra to have them use oem parts only if something happens.

 

They also go with the cheapest shop they can. I had the bumper on my FRS painted 4 times before I said fuck it and sold it. They had the car for over a month. I was tired of dealing with the BS. My buddy has his painted once by his shop and it was perfect.

 

That's Why I'd NEVER use a shop pushed on me by the insurance co. Getting a reputable and recommended shop, and talking to them of what you expect, has always been good to me. Twice mine shops had to "play" the insurance game to get OEM parts and everything they needed to to fix it ++. And they always buried my deductible ...

 

Good excuse for a steeeelllllyyy

 

Recently had a claim with Geico on my other vehicle that was hit by an Uber driver running a 4 way stop. Because of COVID their field adjusters are staying in their (home) offices and are giving estimates based on photos they ask you to submit. Asked about OEM parts and they said I would have to pay for any difference in cost and that it was not possible to add a rider to the policy to ensure their use. Estimate they gave way low. Ended up going to a good, reputable shop that is also a Geico shop, just not my first choice. They did a great job, used OEM parts and were able to deal with the extra charges without any problem.

Like what you said about being hit by a deer - happened to me last Summer. Always dim or shut off your lights if you see one, that way you'll be less of a target for them to run toward.

 

#nailedit

 

Some insurance companies will only cover OEM parts for 2019+ or less than 12k miles.

 

Thru may for a 2018. Usually first coupe years you get OEM then it’s all about cheapest price. Their authorized are easier but you can go anywhere. only time it’s been a pain was if more issues are found makes the supplemental work a pain but I’ve seen a car fully done over after a deer hit it. that area may not be too bad. Ask about the ride difference of the OEM part too. Sometimes it’s not much more.

 

agree there. The insurance shops make it easy but if you have good shops your money goes farther

 

If you take the money that very well May cover an aftermarket off road bumper of your looking into that. Have them fix the sides and then get a new bumper.

 

while this is your right, and choice, to use a shop of your choice, understand using a shop associated with your provider as a direct repair provider (DRP), gives you more leverage when something goes wrong.

using a non drp facility is your choice but, if you have an issue with the quality of repairs, color match etc... be prepared to fight the shop YOURSELF. the insurance company may work with your facility but, by not being a drp, your provider has no leverage over them, and will tell you... you made the shop choice, you are on your own.

utilizing a DRP facility within the insurance company network allows the insurance company control some costs but, also provides you in most cases, with a lifetime warranty, backed by the insurance provider, not just the shops "word". this comes as a big carrot dangling in front of the shop, when repairs, color match, isnt to customer satisfaction... fix mr or mrs smith's auto correctly, or you are coming off our program.

in the end it is your choice but, that choice, like choosing a particular insurance provider, may come at a cost, monetarily, quality, and or customer service. choose wisely, and dont cut off your nose, to spite your face.

your results may vary, Ski (30+ years in the collision industry, shop side, dealer side, insurance side) i learned a thing or two, because i saw a thing or two.

 

Side = deer hit vehicle
Front = vehicle hit deer ?

Repair shops with a good reputation with insurance companies have a lot of say on repairs. My shop does not even need a visit from insurance rep. when doing my vehicle repairs. Erie Insurance...

 

this guy knows what he’s talking about.

Also for the “I only get it repaired at the dealer” people unless they have an on-site collision shop, almost none do, they just tow it to a network shop anyway

 

Yes, But if you bring it to Toyota, "they" have a responsibility to fix it , just like other repair shops, but Toyota has to stand behind the repair. I'd rather work with Toyota than my Insurance company's "preferred" fix it shop "Dents 'R' Us "