Tacoma hit by U-Haul, replace with plate bumper?

I'm not sure about AZ, but in WA State your insurance will not cut a check directly to you if their is a lien holder involved. They will make the check co-payable to you and a shop of your choice. However, if you are a claimant, the claimant insurance company will issue payment to you directly regardless of lien holder.

Working in the industry, I would also advise you not to involve your insurance company unless you run into issues with the claimant carrier.

 

Thanks for the information. Could you elaborate on why you would advise against involving my carrier?

 

Regarding diminished value, you can absolutely go after them on this. Given the price of your truck, and the apparent damage to more than the bumper on your truck you should do this. It is a separate claim. The check will be made out to you and your finance company. I just applied mine to the principle on the loan.

As for getting a check and finding further damage, that is actually pretty normal. Adjusters can't see everything until it is torn apart.

 

Regardless of weather or not you elect to pursue the claim through your insurance company, it will still show a claim has been filed. While it is illegal for companies to rate non-at-fault claims against individuals, it is something they look at (even if they wont admit it). If the claimant carrier accepts liability there is no reason to notify your insurance company, unless you run into issues with returned calls/etc. I've delt with RepWest in the past, and while it's somewhat of a pain in the ass, as long as you stay on them it'll get handled.

As far as diminished value is concerned, you can not file a DV claim against your own insurance company (unless its a UMPD claim). You can try it with the claimant carrier, but looking at the damage on your truck you wouldn't get much or even anything. Typically they look for structural damage, deployed SRS components, etc. DV claims also typically require a post repair inspection by a third party company. Again, I can only speak for WA State, but I would imagine allot of how it's handled here would be the same for AZ.

 

Wow, thanks again for all the information. Do you have any advice on how to go about attempting to replace with a plate bumper as opposed to repairing/replacing the factory bumper?

 

That isn't how it worked for me in Texas on my Corvette. It had nothing to do with structural damage, deployed air bags, etc. It had everything to do with the fact the accident and police report was showing up on Carfax and was thus diminishing the value of my vehicle. An idiot in a Honda CRV backed into me at a red light. In my case I asked for $10k in the DV claim. I ended up agreeing to 4k.

The damage to his truck doesn't look like just a bumper.

 

Do you have a police report? your neighbors insurance info? Uhaul's insurance info?
I had a similar problem and I see why not involve your insurance, but with out any proper documentation not much U haul or your neigbor insurance can do.
Here in FL the check will go straight to the shop of your choice obviously insurance have to approve the estimate from your shop, you will never receive a check from the insurance.
At least that's my personal experience with my insurance carrier.
Good luck.

 

No problem. If you end up going through RepWest you can just have them cut you a check directly. What you do with that money is your business.

 

Like I said, I cant speak of insurance laws in other states, I only know how its handled in WA.

 

Same here in CA. I have had two DV claims I did. Both were on sports car. I spent $300 and $400 having a third party do a full inspection, appraisal, and a report.

Claim #1 was for 17K. Initial offer was $2,500. I settled $13K. State farm. 45 days to settle.

Claim #2 was for 14K. Initial offer was $4000. I settled for 11K. Farmers. 63 days to settle.

 

You did good. I probably should have stuck to my guns and held out for more.

 

I am a dog with a bone...

 

Wow, can you elaborate on the process and the company you used for the inspection?

 

A 14k and 17k claim on a sports car is a much different story, and is probably going to have some sort of structural damage. Apron repair/ wheelhouse repair / rear body panel / etc, its going to be more than just banging and hanging a few panels. Going to be a much different story than a bumper cover, lower valance, clips, etc. But, if you get 2,3,4k from a 1k repair then more power to you.

 

Neither had any structural damage as @Steady Hawkin alluded to. However, due to mid engined foreign sports cars, parts cost were astronomical going OEM, and 4+ months of wait for some parts...

1) Rear ended on the 405. Their insurance paid for all repairs. At place of my choosing. After I took delivery, I had an inspector do the full inspection, write the report. Which I submitted to them. They laughed at me initially. I told them I will see them in court. Over weeks, they upped their offer. I didn't budge. Finally settled on amount I said above.

2) My second one (different sports car), was also done the same way as #1. Rear ended at a light in Westlake village. I was stopped at red light. They had no damage (pick up truck). I had $37,000 of damage. This time their insurance gave me a hard time. I went through my stated value insurance, which surrogated and got everything back, including my $1000 deductible.

The DV has nothing to do with frame damage etc. It is about how the value was lost on the vehicle. I have also claimed Loss of Use and have gotten that as well.

Just did my cousins 2013 Honda Accord. DV claim was $2500. Repair was $7100. DV Claim collected was $2300.

 

Yes. The lein holder is only listed as the "Loss Payee" in the event that the truck is totaled.

Yes and No. The lein holder is listed as a "Loss Payee" which states that in the event the truck is totaled, the payoff amount is sent to the lein holder to cover the balance owed. In this case, you are right that the lein holder has nothing to do with insurance since its just minor bumper damage.

 

Did you look at all of the pictures? The OP linked to several.

It isn't going to be a 1k repair. I can pretty much guarantee that.

And regarding diminished value, a potential buyer doesn't care if it's 1k or 30k. If you are shopping for a used truck on cars.com and run a Carfax report and see an accident on a truck, most people aren't going to even ask the owner what happened. They are going to click the next ad and move on. Lost sale. What's that worth to you?

 

Well I just got an estimate back from the collision center my dealer outsources work to for $1,446.77. I'm a little disappointed in the amount and I think they are using non-OEM parts. I've attached a portion of the estimate below, what do you guys think? http://imgur.com/XVCj8s3

 

ARB deluxe bull bar FTW

 

Just an FYI op one of u hauls transport trucks lost a tire and hit my mustang at freeway speed almost totaled my car and u haul was actually a breeze to deal with after I contacted them. They got a copy of the police report my car was in the shop of my choice in a week and I got a lot of goodies out of the deal.