[xencix]

Last night my TJ got in an accident, some guy was behind me not paying attention, and when I took a left turn he paniced and swerved into the opposing traffic lane, hitting my driver side.

No one was hurt, although I wanted to hurt him because he didn't have insurance.

However, now I'm dealing with my insurance about getting my jeep fixed. Any tips? I don't really want them just to do a ****ty bang and paint job, any way to get them to replace the tub and door?

I think the hard top is jacked too, it made a loud crack sound when we got hit.

Ehh, I dunno...super crappy that guy doesn't have a job or insurance, and I'm the one that is going to get dicked. His 82 bonneville was hardly touched

[cptyarderho]

Get multiple quotes and remember, you can choose who does the work.

[xencix]

Yea, but the insurance only pays what their adjuster thinks is the right cost, correct?

Of course this might be all for not, there could possibly be damage to the frame, which might incline them to total it. Not sure

[Red97Sport]

take the other guy to court?

[Drunc]

I'd take the idiot to court...
It's illegal to drive without insurance here...is it not in New Mexico!?

It's his fault...he hit you...from the wrong lane...

You could clean up....
That 4" lift and those 33's are no good anymore...

[JPMan-TJ]

Glad to hear no one was hurt. That is truly the important part. The metal etc can always be replaced.

Your ins.

I would make sure to get at least 3 estimates. I would be there when the ins. adjuster looks at it. I would go over your policy with your ins. agent to know what is and what isn't covered. Find out if they plan on taking this shmoe to court or not. If they don't, find out why.

I would be very careful in dealing with this. Some ins. companies will just say oh screw it and not take them to court. I would stick on them like a hawk and demand to know every move they are making and intend on making.

The Shmoe

If your ins. company isn't going to take him to court you really can't do much else other than a small claims court to attempt to get your money back.

[xencix]

They told me they plan on taking him to court for whatever amount of money they spend on fixing my jeep, I doubt they'll get it at all though

This dude was like 45-50, living at home with out a job. I know times can be hard, and some people might have to move in with family to recover after loosing a job or what have you, but he said it has been like this for him for a few years now !!

This dude is just leeching off of his parents retirement checks or something.

To answer about if it's illegal to not have insurance in New Mexico, yes it is still illegal but our state has an estimated 40% of drivers that do not have insurance(I believe that is the number I heard last)

For some reason in our state it's we have these LEGAL insurance companies that are allowed to sell insurance for one month installments. So what people do is just not drive with it, pay the $40 ticket if they get it, then go pay for that for a month to appease the courts, then they just cancel it. It infuriates me that something like this can happen

[JPMan-TJ]

Here in Missouri if you get caught without it while in an acciedent like that and you don't pay. The state will not allow you to registar a vehicle/have a licence nothing. The reason I know a lot about this crap is because it happened to me 8 years ago. The chick to this day STILL doesn't have a license. She has YET to pay any money out of the 3800.00 damage she did to me vehicle.

[Scrambler82]

I am not sure about your insurance company but mine in MA, will fix your vehicle and then go after the other guy that is if you carry collision coverage.

NO, you do not have to take what the insurance company say is the right price, alway push the highest estimate.

The payment for this accident should have come from the other guys property damage anyway so get it done right.

Replace the tub and top ! Get a good adjuster and lawyer and you may get a lot but you are asking for the moon here.

Good Luck, you are going to need it !

It alway s#@ks when the guy that gets hit gets the short end of the stick.

[MugZy_YJ_94]

cant your insurance claim the guy's car?

that would be a simple matter here, and if something like that happent to me here, i'd let the cops confiscate it on the crash site!!!
so if he cant/will not) pay, they can alway sell his wreck for the money it's worth. if thats not enough, we can let them confiscate any income he has, even wellfare. they only let u keep about 300$/a mounth untill all is payed for....
i hope you can take simular actions if it doesn't work out
anyway glad your ok

[DaveFL]

Not sure about NM but heres how it would work in Florida.

Your Comprehensive, not Collision coverage will cover your damage less your deductable. This will fall as a claim on your insurance and expect your rates to increase at renewal time.

Your company will file claim against him for the amount he owes them. You can file claim against him for your deductable as well (small calims court for this)

90% likely the guy can't or won't pay. In Florida what would happen is a lien would be placed agaisnt his license and it would be suspended until he made restitution in full to the parties involved, or recieved a wavier from you or your insurance company.

If payment for damages is reimbursed to your insurance company, they should waive the claim you filed and your insurance should not increase (its up to you to follow up later on this)

The insurance company will not waste time trying to claim someones vehicle, The legal fees alone to do this would be more than the car is worth.

All in all this is a bad situation, it happens all the time. I see it happen almost once a week with my clients.

On the damage side, not sure who your company is or how they handle claims in your state. Usually they will have a private adjuster look into the damage and set a dolar figure on it. Get estimates for yourself as well. Use someone you trust to repair the damage, make sure it is a company that has worked with insurance claims before.

You do not have to settle for the amount they offer, however they can drag settlement on for quite some time if they feel you are being unreasonable.

Lastly and this may hurt the most. In cases where you file under Comprehensive coverages they may not be responsibile to pay for any aftermarket modifiations unless they where listed with your company. They will pay for the damage but at factory option prices. i.e. You had Bushwhacker fenders, one fender was ruined. They would pay for JEEP fender, not bushwhacker.

Not sure if any of this helps, and again I don't know how NM Insurance laws work, so none of this may apply. Good luck.

[Mental]

just make sure you take it to a high quality body shop, not a dealer, unless they are very reputable. The insurance will work out an agreement between them and the shop on how much it will cost, an estimator doesnt see all the damage and usually dont know a damn thing about body work, so the shop will take photos of the hidden damage and get paid for the job. I know all this because I was a body man for a long time, we turn estimators into *****es

[aroberts]

Everyone always bashes dealerships for being anal and wanting to do everything the expensive way. Now is a good time to take advantage of that. I have learned the insurance companies complain less if you just take (whatever) to a reputable dealer and let them fix it. You can work with the body guys to determine what needs to be done, and since the dealership is doing the work and the insurance company will probably pay them directly, you won't have as much trouble getting the repairs covered. Saves you from having to go around getting estimates too. I decided a long time ago not to sweat the insurance game.

[Jeepfreak81]

Originally posted by aroberts
Everyone always bashes dealerships for being anal and wanting to do everything the expensive way. Now is a good time to take advantage of that. I have learned the insurance companies complain less if you just take (whatever) to a reputable dealer and let them fix it. You can work with the body guys to determine what needs to be done, and since the dealership is doing the work and the insurance company will probably pay them directly, you won't have as much trouble getting the repairs covered. Saves you from having to go around getting estimates too. I decided a long time ago not to sweat the insurance game.

The "reputable" dealer by my house cut all the corners they could... i had bent sway bar links and brackets ... they left the links and then i found that they left the brackets right off when i was doing spring cleaning... i have had to go back 3-4 times to get stuff redone that they didnt fix... i had a T-case mount broke and they didnt fix it... hell they didnt even find a broken MOTOR mount... i found it later.... after the engine came up and took out my fan shroud.... they still charged the insurance 3300 for everythgin though i priced everything out other places and parts shouldnt have been near the price they charged insurance. Mind you this was a very well known small town dealer that is known to have a very good reputation.... i dont trust dealers to handle crap much less touch my car... pther dealers have done this same stuff to my friends too in the area. [/off soapbox]

[Mental]

typical dealer work