$$ Over/Under on when to file car insurance claim

[Hank Reardon]

Say, you slid into someone's mailbox in the snow and suffered some minor front end damage. It's simply cosmetic but this is a nice car, not a beater, so fixing it is a must. Your deductible is $500. What is your over/under on total repair cost before you file a claim, vs just paying out of pocket and leaving insurance out of it? Side note. Your wife had a pretty solid accident a couple of years ago that already affected your rates.

Go.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Say, you slid into someone's mailbox in the snow and suffered some minor front end damage. It's simply cosmetic but this is a nice car, not a beater, so fixing it is a must. Your deductible is $500. What is your over/under on total repair cost before you file a claim, vs just paying out of pocket and leaving insurance out of it? Side note. Your wife had a pretty solid accident a couple of years ago that already affected your rates.

Go.

@larsIU

 

[larsIU]

Not knowing how shitty your driving record is (grin) I would say this. How much do you think your insurance premiums will increase over the next 5 years. If it's less than the cost of the repair, file a claim. If it's not, don't.

We had a minor incident a few years back at our house (homeowner's, but similar premise) where the cost of the repair was like $2000. We have a $500 deductible. The likelihood our insurance premium would increase (would have been a second claim for us over the last 7 years) was high. We paid out of pocket.

But you've got two claims, property damage and collision. So I would just get estimates and see what it's going to cost. The vehicle estimate might be high. Shit's been going up like everything else auto related since COVID started.

 

[Hank Reardon]

Not knowing how shitty your driving record is (grin) I would say this. How much do you think your insurance premiums will increase over the next 5 years. If it's less than the cost of the repair, file a claim. If it's not, don't.

We had a minor incident a few years back at our house (homeowner's, but similar premise) where the cost of the repair was like $2000. We have a $500 deductible. The likelihood our insurance premium would increase (would have been a second claim for us over the last 7 years) was high. We paid out of pocket.

But you've got two claims, property damage and collision. So I would just get estimates and see what it's going to cost. The vehicle estimate might be high. Shit's been going up like everything else auto related since COVID started.

$2200 with new parts (bumper). $1700 with used parts.

If I go through insurance I'll choose new parts. If I pay out of packet I'd choose the $1700. I've personally had no accident claims. My wife has had one. It feels sort of borderline. I really don't know how much my rates might increase over something like this.

 

[larsIU]

$2200 with new parts (bumper). $1700 with used parts.

If I go through insurance I'll choose new parts. If I pay out of packet I'd choose the $1700. I've personally had no accident claims. My wife has had one. It feels sort of borderline. I really don't know how much my rates might increase over something like this.

Meh, file it. If your current carrier raises your rate you can always shop around. I always remember the name of the insurance carrier doesn't really matter beyond service. The policy forms are mostly the same.

 

[UncleMark]

Meh, file it. If your current carrier raises your rate you can always shop around. I always remember the name of the insurance carrier doesn't really matter beyond service. The policy forms are mostly the same.

This. Take the money. That's what insurance is for.

 

[PhishPhan682]

File it and when they raise your rates just move onto the competition.

 

[UncleMark]

Say, you slid into someone's mailbox in the snow and suffered some minor front end damage. It's simply cosmetic but this is a nice car, not a beater, so fixing it is a must. Your deductible is $500. What is your over/under on total repair cost before you file a claim, vs just paying out of pocket and leaving insurance out of it? Side note. Your wife had a pretty solid accident a couple of years ago that already affected your rates.

Go.

Trailer park approach is to take the money, blow it on something else, and forget about the repair. You'll be surprised how quickly that bumper bruise will stop bothering you.

 

[Hank Reardon]

Trailer park approach is to take the money, blow it on something else, and forget about the repair. You'll be surprised how quickly that bumper bruise will stop bothering you.

Ha ha. I've definitely had cars where that would be the idea. Not this one though.

 

[largemouth]

I get quotes for car and homeowners every few years. If I can save at least $200, I switch insurers.
I haven't had any auto claims in several years. I did have a HO claim in 2017 (hurricane Irma), got a fair settlement. But a year later I changed companies again to save around 300 bucks.
We're just a number to these companies. If you have been with the same company for several years, get a quote from another A+ company and you can save some money.

 

[kkott]

I get quotes for car and homeowners every few years. If I can save at least $2oo, I switch insurers.
I haven't had any auto claims in several years. I did have a HO claim in 2017 (hurricane Irma), got a fair settlement. But a year later I changed companies again to save around 300 bucks.
We're just a number to these companies. If you have been with the same company for several years, get a quote from another A+ company and you can save some money.

you want us to take advice from a guy who can't type $200?

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

The first thing we do, let’s kill all the insurance adjusters.

Signed, W. Shakespeare-Floor

 

[ce36ei]

Good luck getting the parts. Some idiot backed into my Explorer after Christmas and we’re still waiting on the front fender from Ford.

 

[Hank Reardon]

Good luck getting the parts. Some idiot backed into my Explorer after Christmas and we’re still waiting on the front fender from Ford.

Yeah, I don't mind waiting, really. It's minor cosmetic damage, not even visible from 15 feet away. . May as well drive the winter with that one. No rush.

 

[largemouth]

you want us to take advice from a guy who can't type $200?

I knew that didn't look right.

But it's not advice. It's what I do.

 

[UncleMark]

Good luck getting the parts. Some idiot backed into my Explorer after Christmas and we’re still waiting on the front fender from Ford.

That should be readily available through the aftermarket.

 

[ce36ei]

That should be readily available through the aftermarket.

I didn’t want it from the aftermarket. I was kind of a prick to their insurance after they gave me crap and told them it had to be OEM since the car was literally brand new.

 

[UncleMark]

I didn’t want it from the aftermarket. I was kind of a prick to their insurance after they gave me crap and told them it had to be OEM since the car was literally brand new.

Aftermarket sheet metal is essentially the same stuff as OEM. In some instances it's possible it might be a slightly smaller gauge, but that shouldn't matter if the body shop preps it properly. It's all thin and flimsy nowadays.

 

[larsIU]

The first thing we do, let’s kill all the insurance adjusters.

Signed, W. Shakespeare-Floor

Hey if there’s one thing we could both agree on it’s that we hated your clients.

signed - former adjuster who got out