Got rear-ended Friday Night
03-07-2017, 03:00 PM
#22
Picture me rolling
If the truck was repairable, you can (and should) claim dv under your Underinsured Motorist coverage. I own a company that specializes in preparing the reports that will help you recover the appropriate amount. Feel free to send me a pm if you like and good luck.
03-07-2017, 03:15 PM
#23
Senior Member
Mechanical engineer here, yes straightening a bent frame (or any piece of metal) weakens it. Will it still pull your trailer after being straightened, yes. Will it fail, like break into 2 parts, no. I would be more concerned about the truck pulling straight after frame straightening.
03-07-2017, 04:24 PM
#24
Well, no bent frame. Truck is repairable at about $8,000 including tows and rental.
Accident report placed fault with the uninsured driver, so my uninsured coverage takes over. Saves me $250 out of pocket. About 3-1/2 weeks repair time. This includes redoing the bed-liner.
I wasn't too upset until I found out the at-fault driver didn't have insurance. The deputy said he couldn't assign blame, as there just wasn't enough visible evidence to put the blame on the guy. So he cited him for not having insurance. Then the accident report says he did assign fault to the guy. Since he's uninsured, I'm not happy that he didn't get a citation for causing the accident. After my truck is fixed, insurance company is going after the uninsured guy for restitution. They said the first recovered funds will apply to my deductible. So that is positive.
Accident report placed fault with the uninsured driver, so my uninsured coverage takes over. Saves me $250 out of pocket. About 3-1/2 weeks repair time. This includes redoing the bed-liner.
I wasn't too upset until I found out the at-fault driver didn't have insurance. The deputy said he couldn't assign blame, as there just wasn't enough visible evidence to put the blame on the guy. So he cited him for not having insurance. Then the accident report says he did assign fault to the guy. Since he's uninsured, I'm not happy that he didn't get a citation for causing the accident. After my truck is fixed, insurance company is going after the uninsured guy for restitution. They said the first recovered funds will apply to my deductible. So that is positive.
03-07-2017, 05:14 PM
#25
Senior Member
That's good news. Just go over it really well on pick up. I've used some half a dozen body shops and they all leave over spray, mess up things that were otherwise ok before, charge for blending and then not actually do it etc.
If recovering funds is a lot like small claims court (which at $8k it could be) it can take years to get it back. The guilty parties payments can be made in small amounts, I've seen them at $25 a month.
No offence the person above, but most insurance companies now realize DV is a thing without paying $200+ to a company that will generate prices of like vehicles in your area to show your vehicle has DV. It's as simple as asking the person you're talking to to pay $20K for your truck, or $20k for an exact match of your truck that's all OEM parts.
Maybe also consider a dash cam to avoid any at fault issues in the future.
If recovering funds is a lot like small claims court (which at $8k it could be) it can take years to get it back. The guilty parties payments can be made in small amounts, I've seen them at $25 a month.
No offence the person above, but most insurance companies now realize DV is a thing without paying $200+ to a company that will generate prices of like vehicles in your area to show your vehicle has DV. It's as simple as asking the person you're talking to to pay $20K for your truck, or $20k for an exact match of your truck that's all OEM parts.
Maybe also consider a dash cam to avoid any at fault issues in the future.
Last edited by FerdinandF150; 03-07-2017 at 05:20 PM.
03-07-2017, 05:58 PM
#26
That's good news. Just go over it really well on pick up. I've used some half a dozen body shops and they all leave over spray, mess up things that were otherwise ok before, charge for blending and then not actually do it etc.
If recovering funds is a lot like small claims court (which at $8k it could be) it can take years to get it back. The guilty parties payments can be made in small amounts, I've seen them at $25 a month.
No offence the person above, but most insurance companies now realize DV is a thing without paying $200+ to a company that will generate prices of like vehicles in your area to show your vehicle has DV. It's as simple as asking the person you're talking to to pay $20K for your truck, or $20k for an exact match of your truck that's all OEM parts.
Maybe also consider a dash cam to avoid any at fault issues in the future.
If recovering funds is a lot like small claims court (which at $8k it could be) it can take years to get it back. The guilty parties payments can be made in small amounts, I've seen them at $25 a month.
No offence the person above, but most insurance companies now realize DV is a thing without paying $200+ to a company that will generate prices of like vehicles in your area to show your vehicle has DV. It's as simple as asking the person you're talking to to pay $20K for your truck, or $20k for an exact match of your truck that's all OEM parts.
Maybe also consider a dash cam to avoid any at fault issues in the future.
Dash cam would not have helped in this accident, as I was hit from behind. After looking at the vehicles, I can tell with 100% certainty exactly what happened. But I was hit from behind and never "saw" anything until it was all over.
Just sucks that I was just setting there while the other were duking it out and I got to file a claim on my uninsured motorist policy.
On fault, the only thing the deputy was sure of was, it wasn't my fault.
03-07-2017, 06:09 PM
#27
Senior Member
I obviously don't know what happened, but you'd be surprised what a front facing cam can prove, even if it doesn't catch the accident.
The last guy that hit me claimed I cut him off, a dash cam would have shown I kept my lane and he traveled into me (back quarter panel and tire). Lots of folks use a front and a rear facing cam; I just haven't gotten around to doing a rear facing cam.
Unless you're in Georgia, I believe you'll have to sue the guy directly to get DV. They are the only state I know of that pays out their insured for DV, typically it comes from that at fault parties insurance company.
The last guy that hit me claimed I cut him off, a dash cam would have shown I kept my lane and he traveled into me (back quarter panel and tire). Lots of folks use a front and a rear facing cam; I just haven't gotten around to doing a rear facing cam.
Unless you're in Georgia, I believe you'll have to sue the guy directly to get DV. They are the only state I know of that pays out their insured for DV, typically it comes from that at fault parties insurance company.
03-07-2017, 06:56 PM
#28
Senior Member
Yeah, I can work out DV with the insurance company. I took that post as someone trying to make a buck, also. Apologies if it wasn't intended that way.
Dash cam would not have helped in this accident, as I was hit from behind. After looking at the vehicles, I can tell with 100% certainty exactly what happened. But I was hit from behind and never "saw" anything until it was all over.
Just sucks that I was just setting there while the other were duking it out and I got to file a claim on my uninsured motorist policy.
On fault, the only thing the deputy was sure of was, it wasn't my fault.
Dash cam would not have helped in this accident, as I was hit from behind. After looking at the vehicles, I can tell with 100% certainty exactly what happened. But I was hit from behind and never "saw" anything until it was all over.
Just sucks that I was just setting there while the other were duking it out and I got to file a claim on my uninsured motorist policy.
On fault, the only thing the deputy was sure of was, it wasn't my fault.
03-08-2017, 11:35 AM
#29
Picture me rolling
Yeah, I can work out DV with the insurance company. I took that post as someone trying to make a buck, also. Apologies if it wasn't intended that way.
Dash cam would not have helped in this accident, as I was hit from behind. After looking at the vehicles, I can tell with 100% certainty exactly what happened. But I was hit from behind and never "saw" anything until it was all over.
Just sucks that I was just setting there while the other were duking it out and I got to file a claim on my uninsured motorist policy.
On fault, the only thing the deputy was sure of was, it wasn't my fault.
Dash cam would not have helped in this accident, as I was hit from behind. After looking at the vehicles, I can tell with 100% certainty exactly what happened. But I was hit from behind and never "saw" anything until it was all over.
Just sucks that I was just setting there while the other were duking it out and I got to file a claim on my uninsured motorist policy.
On fault, the only thing the deputy was sure of was, it wasn't my fault.
03-08-2017, 01:18 PM
#30
Senior Member
Again, no offence, but the at fault party didn't have insurance and unless he's in Geogria he can't file a DV claim against his own insurance.
(Unless something has changed in the last few years because I've not done research on it since.)
I've only paid for 1 report and while it did help me, they laughed at the report and mostly wanted me off their back. Of course this was 10+ years ago and proving DV has become a lot easier with CarFax and the internet car sales.
Having traded in all the vehicles that were in an accident the 20%-30% DV evaluation is accurate on the amount they deduct for the vehicle having been in an accident. Anymore than that and the person isn't being made whole, they are being put in a better position than before, which isn't the purpose of insurance. (Unless they are trying to scam insurance.)
(Unless something has changed in the last few years because I've not done research on it since.)
I've only paid for 1 report and while it did help me, they laughed at the report and mostly wanted me off their back. Of course this was 10+ years ago and proving DV has become a lot easier with CarFax and the internet car sales.
Having traded in all the vehicles that were in an accident the 20%-30% DV evaluation is accurate on the amount they deduct for the vehicle having been in an accident. Anymore than that and the person isn't being made whole, they are being put in a better position than before, which isn't the purpose of insurance. (Unless they are trying to scam insurance.)