I don't doubt your experience was real, just that it is not what everyone should expect.
I have a very good friend who an an adjuster I got to know while I worked at a very good body shop. He is as honest as they come.
He advises people to go to good affordable shops.
My point is not that there are not bad people out there or that you had a bad experience, just that people who are in the industry know which are the good shops.
Sorry for your bad experience but don't let it taint your view of anyone who may 'look like' the people who did you wrong.

 

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I just got home from Colorado tonight, a few hours ago, and haven't done anything yet. Waayyy too tired after driving from the Four Corners area (Cortez, Colorado) in the past two days. And to make matters worse, I lost a three ring binder that had my Minis in the Mountains stuff in it (lodging confirmations, drive guide, receipts), including my under hood eyes that I bought from Aesthetic Creations.

I plan on calling the woman who hit me tomorrow (she left a message on my cell but I can't focus after all that driving today) and get the ball rolling then.

 

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

And of course I understand that everyones experiences are different, some have good ones, some have bad—even sometimes at the same place. I just hope there would be some more standardization between places etc. etc.

 

speaking of bad experineces,

48 + 5'10 + 180 + tights = bad experience.

Stick with insurance ;-)

 

Ha... let's see how you look at age 48.

 

I got a call from the woman who hit me and she said she found out that Hertz's (rental company) insurance only covers their vehicle (the SUV she was driving) and that Geico (her insurance company) only covers 50% in Colorado. I tried to call the claims person at Geico that is handling this case but she has left the office for the weekend. What do I do if it only covers 50%? I haven't gotten any estimates yet.

 

Contact your insurance and get them involved.
They will assure you are taken care of and will subregate the claim. In other words they will go after the other person's insurance for what they pay.
In the past I had this happen. I had to pay my deduct but when my insurance recovered from the other company they paid me my deduct.
Not the best solution but your insurance will work for you.

 

She might be right. Rules on liability vary by State. And yes, in some states the rental car policy only covers the rental.

And crazy as it sounds, some states have rules that say each party's insurance contributes 50 percent of the damages to both vehicles. Convuluted version of no-fault insurance. Look to it as Socialism for Insurance Companies. Glad the states where I work don't have that bs.

Not to worry though, if Colorado is one of those states, your insurance company will pay the other 50% and it's not considered an at-fault accident for you.

 

I live in Colorado an my wife was in a fender bender a few years ago. It was not her fault and the other driver's insurance paid 100%.

 

First, I am a Collision Estimator for an independent collision center, not a dealership. Second I have not being sleeping with any insurance companies.

The most important aspect of having your vehicle repaired is reading YOUR policy, as YOUR policy will dictate how YOUR insurance company will repair YOUR vehicle. Very few actually read the fine print. In my opinion aftermarket parts do serve a purpose in the industry, 1. By keeping OEM part prices in check, and 2. By allowing an older vehicle to be repaired vs. an economic total loss. Now please realize that a collsion facility is performing the repairs based upon the insurance carriers actual estimate and/or guidelines utilized by the repected carrier. Used Parts referred to as LKQ are just that Used Parts that were removed from a wrecked vehicle. which may be installed on your wrecked vehicle. They are not new parts and YOUR car is not new, once your vehicle was registered your new car became used. Sorry someone had to tell you. New Parts are just that, New packaged parts from the dealer or distributor. On a side note the collison repair facilities usally prefer new parts to repair your vehicle.

Next deciding on a repair facility. Don't ask your dealership as the sales dept most likely shops for a cheaper rate to fix there own lot damaged cars. Call your insurance agent and then call other insurance agents in your area the one that represent companies that you have heard of. You see the agents are the first ones that upset customers call and agents don't like upset customers, so they are not going to refer anyone to a hack shop. Most insurance companies have what they call Direct Repair Program Shops. These facilities have been selected based upon education and continuing education, shop equipment, for example frame racks, computerized frame measurement lasers, Computerized alignment racks, paint booths etc.... These same shops also subcribe to a Customer satisfaction indexing service that completes surveys to determine how we and the insurance company are taking care of the customer. May times the insurance company will offer a vehicle lifetime warrranty for the repair work completed at one of their recommend shops.
All insurance carriers pay the market labor rates for all services completed at the repair facility. There are shops that charge more it's up to them it's called capitialism

Your rights are defined in your policy, read your policy. The person that hit you has an obligation to compensate you for your loss. typically their insurance carrier will accept liability and assign or sent an estimator to determine the extent of the damage, write an estimate and sent you and the carrier a copy, if additional damages are uncovered, part prices change etc.. the repair facility will contact the estimator and complete a supplemental estimate. If you are not happy with the other persons insurance company you can always go through your own and your insurance company will seek compensation with the adverse carrier.

YOU always have the right to have YOUR vehicle repaired wherever you want. Ask questions, do research, make the right choice. If you have questions I'll be glad to help.
Mark-

 

Thanks Mark!

My car is actually used. I guess I really don't care about new/used/OEM parts as long as they look new and perform correctly. I'm a thrift store shopper myself.

We do have a local repair shop in mind. My SO has known the owner all his life and we have had work done there before. He fixed our Jetta after a deer collision and we were very happy with it. He also fixed my Tracker years ago.

We just switched insurance companies in March after years with the same one. An old friend married an insurance agent and we went with her. She saved us a lot of money over our old company. I did call her office immediately after I got hit and while she was on vacation, the agent I spoke to gave me the number to open my claim. I haven't called them yet as I was waiting to hear from the woman who hit me. I am beginning to see how this all works.

One more question - I had an aftermarket clear bra on my car; will that be replaced too?

 

Ladidah,
If you have a copy of the police report or the other parties insurance information, do not hesitate to call them, you can actually get the claim started and the adverse carrier can contact their insured for a statement.
The clear bra on your vehicle will most likely be replaced along with the other repairs require to restore your vehicle to pre-loss condition by the adverse carrier once they accept liability. Now let me ask you a question, do you have the clear bra, and any other modifications for example, stripes, graphics, window tint, audio upgrades, custom wheels, & tires etc... added to your policy if not add them so you are cover if you sustain a loss, also if you do not have rental reimbusement add it to your policy also in most cases it only costs about one days rental car charge a year. If you would like PM me the names of the insurance carriers and I try to advise you the best way to handle your claim.
Mark-

 

As to asking the dealer where they take their cars, definitely do that. The BMW/MINI dealership fixes their cars at the best bodyshop in our city. Would definitely take my MINI to that bodyshop.

 

The estimate was $4500!

 

One other not about reconditioned/recycled parts... and I'm sure most states, if not all, require insurers to meet this standard:

Any reconditioned/recycled part used to repair your car must in in As Good Or Better condition than the part it's replacing.

So we can't take a door of an 04 BMW and put it on an 06 BMW, as just an example.

I often get customers complaining to me about their estimate including these reconditioned/recycled parts. Amazing how they don't grasp the concept of Indemnity. That is, the insurance process owes to put you in your pre-loss condition. Not better. Not worse. You didn't have a brand new door on our 06 BMW, we don't owe you a brand new door. "

As I said earlier in the thread, if the insurance companies were required to use only new, OEM parts in the repair process, everybody's rates would go up. A lot.

 

I hope you did due dilligence and got an accident report filled out.....Otherwise I see gray hairs in your future.

 

$4500.00 is probably not that bad considering part costs for the MINI. Best Wishes with the repair of your MINI and I hope your Motoring again soon.
Mark-

 

Yes, we did get a police report. I am so glad we did, especially since it could have looked like I rear ended her. The police officer actually gave me a look of surprise when I told him that she had reversed into my car. She admitted fault and was a very nice woman.
There was more damage on the inside than I had realized. The radiator and condenser both need replacing, and $450 (10%) is my clear bra. I'm still waiting for an adjuster to call me.

I forgot to add - i found my under hood eyes I thought I had lost, while I was waiting for my estimate. Somehow my three-ring binder ended up on top of my parcel shelf - an area that keeps stuff pretty well hidden on a cabrio.

 

Update: My car will be ready on Monday.

It's been painted and they need to put the bra on Monday morning. They did go with an after market radiator and condenser, but the parts have a lifetime guarantee.

What I don't totally understand is the financial hit I'll take if & when (and that's a big if & when - I love my car and want to keep it forever) I go to sell it. The car will not be worth as much as a car that has never been hit. This was 100% percent the other person's fault. I guess the rental car company and the lady who hit me insurance company finally duked it out and her company is paying 100%, but what about my car's value loss, apart from the actual damage?