Hit and run..

[jetpack]

Had a hit and run on my 2 year old car last night. Messed up my front quarter panel & mirror. I usually don't report small stuff to the insurance company. I assume I'm just going to pay more for it in the long run anyway. What level of damage would it take you guys to report issues like this?

I think I have a $500 deductable.. this is probably $1500 or more in damage, though I might be lucky and find some replacement parts..

 

[MRG]

You're not at fault, don't think your premiums should increase.

MRG

 

[pb4uski]

I'd report it if it was $1500 or more. No reason, just a judgement call.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Do you have a police report that says it was a hit and run? If so I would report it. If not it might be assumed that you were at fault.

 

[samclem]

Had a hit and run on my 2 year old car last night. Messed up my front quarter panel & mirror. I usually don't report small stuff to the insurance company. I assume I'm just going to pay more for it in the long run anyway. What level of damage would it take you guys to report issues like this?

I think I have a $500 deductable.. this is probably $1500 or more in damage, though I might be lucky and find some replacement parts..

I'd report it to the police and to the insurance company. Then, I'd increase the deductible on my insurance (or drop the insurance altogether, except for liability). If you are having doubts about filing a claim on damage of $1500, you should definitely increase your $500 deductible to whatever your personal "I'll file a claim" cutoff amount is and save yourself some money in premiums. As it is, you are paying for insurance you don't plan to utilize.

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

No picture, but that should buff right out. O.K.---that's what they always say on the car sites I visit when this happens. Don't think I'd be dropping deductible on a 2-yr old car. I'd also report it to insurance to make sure it gets fixed right. Sorry about your loss.

 

[mn54]

I would also report it and as was mentioned, file a police report. If it wasn't your fault your rates should not go up.

 

[imoldernu]

Can't help mentioning this...
DW was pulling in to the parking lot at the"clubhouse" in our community. She touched the rear bumper of the car next to us, got upset, and went in to the office to report it... The lady to whom the car belonged was there, and DW told her she had "hit" her 4 year old car, then called me. I went to take a look...nothing on our car... a tiny scratch 1/4 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long, and no damage to the plastic bumper. I'll swear to that detail.

A little moral to this story...
1. Don't deal with an old person, if you can avoid it. They know nothing... and aren't used to practical solutions. In this case, a $5 bottle of Rustoleum Touchup paint was the answer.
2. Don't try to settle it on the spot... like "I have insurance"... That was my big mistake.

I should have waited, given our name and number, and gone to her house the next day. Instead, as soon as I mentioned insurance, she reported it to her insurance company, so I had to report it to mine.

Then... the estimates... no kidding... I figured perhaps $50... OMG... one for $736 and the second for $1356. My agent paid the $736 and my insurance won't go up... If the $1356 (over the $1000 limit) had gone through, my insurance would have gone up.. probably forever.

Some examples of the stuff in the estimate...
$350 for the bumper "cover" $218 for the base, $60 for the paint, $175 for the paint application, $280 for labor, $265 shop costs etc.

I grew up in a different world...
The scratch was this big.

XXXXXXXXXX

stuff happens...

 

[youbet]

Can't help mentioning this...
DW was pulling in to the parking lot at the"clubhouse" in our community. She touched the rear bumper of the car next to us, got upset, and went in to the office to report it... The lady to whom the car belonged was there, and DW told her she had "hit" her 4 year old car, then called me. I went to take a look...nothing on our car... a tiny scratch 1/4 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long, and no damage to the plastic bumper. I'll swear to that detail.

A little moral to this story...
1. Don't deal with an old person, if you can avoid it. They know nothing... and aren't used to practical solutions. In this case, a $5 bottle of Rustoleum Touchup paint was the answer.
2. Don't try to settle it on the spot... like "I have insurance"... That was my big mistake.

I should have waited, given our name and number, and gone to her house the next day. Instead, as soon as I mentioned insurance, she reported it to her insurance company, so I had to report it to mine.

Then... the estimates... no kidding... I figured perhaps $50... OMG... one for $736 and the second for $1356. My agent paid the $736 and my insurance won't go up... If the $1356 (over the $1000 limit) had gone through, my insurance would have gone up.. probably forever.

Some examples of the stuff in the estimate...
$350 for the bumper "cover" $218 for the base, $60 for the paint, $175 for the paint application, $280 for labor, $265 shop costs etc.

I grew up in a different world...
The scratch was this big.

XXXXXXXXXX

stuff happens...

Fantastic story! Thanks!

This made me think about the purpose and importance of insurance.

Insurance is there to protect you from experiencing significant negative life changes due to sh*t happening. You should use your insurance that way.

Keep deductibles high enough so that they truly represent your need to be insured from risk. It might be nice to have a policy that pays for "sh*t happening" from penny one. But if reporting every tiny event might put your policy, which is intended to protect you from the "big stuff," in jepordy, then raise your deductible and don't report the little stuff.

Keep small events out of your insurance experience. Don't raise your hand and draw attention to yourself unless you're doing so to get protection from a big hit.

 

[Buckeye]

I subbed on Friday at a middle school in a very wealthy neighborhood. During the school day, there was a hit and run accident in the parking lot where both teachers and guests park right out in from of the school. A teacher's car was pushed into a sub's car that was pushed into another sub's car.

The person who caused the accident left without notifying anyone. No one witnessed the accident and there are no cameras on that parking lot. I can't believe no one heard it because the first car sustained enough damage to require towing.

What a bummer for the subs. Come to work all day for a measly $90 and get your car damaged!

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

You should check your state law- Texas, for example, requires all accidents with >$1000 damage to be reported. There's an online form.

 

[Al in Ohio]

I would also report it and as was mentioned, file a police report. If it wasn't your fault your rates should not go up.

Ditto that. We have several cars in our family and not a year goes by without one of them getting hit by some careless driver. I always file a claim. I have filed 6 claims in last 10 years. Never at fault. Rates don't increase in my state after a claim where your not at fault.