Unexpected expense from a mistake

[street]

Unexpected expense from a mistake when I bumped into a pickup truck while mowing. I do a part time gig and I was mowing and but a 4 x 4 inch dent in a guys pickup that works for this company that I work a few days a week at part time.

I told the guy to get a bid and I the dent I put in his pickup. Well today I got the bid for the work and one was $1127 and the other was $1227. So I checked with my insurance and they said they wouldn't cover it because I work for this company. I really hate to have them (the company) pay for a mistake I made. Is there anything I may be missing what I need to do or should not do?

One thing I feel would be the best business is to pay the auto body shop not pay the guy direct. Any other advise you would have for this issue?

I wish I could deduct the cost on taxes or be able to get something out it. LOL

 

[Scrapr]

Are you an employee or 1099? If you are employee then company pays. Believe me i've had stuff like that done a couple times. Sucks. But whatcha gonna do? I had a truck going past another one of our trucks at the dispatch yard. He caught the open door on another truck and ripped it off. I got to pay both truck repairs.

If you are 1099 it's on you. But...you can deduct from your business expenses.

Have you informed the business owner?

and yes most small things like that cost about $100-1500. Want to see my receipts?

 

[MBAustin]

I would definitely have the company pay the body shop directly.

 

[flintnational]

If you are an employee, the company is responsible for the payment (generally speaking, employers are responsible for the acts of their employees while the employee is within the scope of their employment). If you are a independent contractor, you would be responsible.

IMO, it does not matter if the body shop or the individual is paid. He just needs to execute a release indicating he has been paid for the damage. He does not have a duty to repair. He can choose to pocket the money. Sorry for your troubles.

 

[97guns]

I’m not saying to do it but I found an out of work auto body guy on Craigslist that did my fender for $300 in my garage, shops quote and insurance payout was $2100, an $1800 win for the good guy

 

[street]

The guy I'm dealing with is a different type of person. There some options like you have mentioned but he wouldn't be open to those options or suggestions.

I am working for this company and I was using their mower so I may ask if they would take care of it through their insurance and see what they say.

I just feel very bad what I did and it was my mistake and kind of I need to pay for it.

Would you tell the company what happened and see if they would take care of it?

 

[RobbieB]

You need to tell the Co you work for what happened.

 

[Aerides]

You need to fess up to the company, because even let's say you work out something privately? That doesn't do the company any good if the person then reached out to the company directly. Liability is a big mess, and you could make things worse by trying to find an economical solution.

Fess up, regardless of who takes care of it ultimately they have the right to know, and you have an obligation to tell them.

 

[street]

Yep I just called and told them I should of told them last week. I wasn't trying to hide anything but thought it was just right for me to pay for the damages.

I just talked them and they said to come in and fill out a accident report. he did say he wasn't sure if it would be covered by their insurance so we will see. I have no doubt they have to take care of the dent because I'm hired by them to for this part time gig.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I’m not sure why the company’s insurance wouldn’t cover it. That’s (one of the reasons) why they have insurance.

 

[Breedlove]

Take it to Maico Paint a whole car for 450.00 LOL

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

I would definitely have the company pay the body shop directly.

The company doesn't have that choice. Let's say you hit my truck and do $1500 in damage. It is up to me as the owner of the truck to decide whether to apply that $1500 to fixing it or just pocket the $1500.

A long long time ago I hit a deer with a car that was a couple years old and which had loan remaining. I got a valid estimate for the repair (from my insurance company), collected the payment (minus my deductible) and proceeded to not do any repair to the vehicle. All of the damage was cosmetic and really barely noticeable. I instead used the money (plus some of my own) to pay off the auto loan.

ETA: It doesn't take much today to have a fairly expensive repair. I had a tiny scratch on my (at the time) new truck. I went to the neighborhood auto body shop to see about it - about $600 all said and done. The auto shop suggested I wait to see if the scratch bothered me over time (it did when it first occurred). For $600, I will live with it (and I have never had a friend or other ask about the scratch - you really, really need to look for it.)

 

[Aerides]

The company doesn't have that choice. Let's say you hit my truck and do $1500 in damage. It is up to me as the owner of the truck to decide whether to apply that $1500 to fixing it or just pocket the $1500.

It's probably more dependent on the State law and the Insurer (assuming the Co. goes thru Insurance which they might well do). Insurers very often require paying the provider vs. the actual damage-victim, and a lot of these laws change over time. They can also dictate the provider where they have negotiated rates.

But all this is sorta moot, it's for the company owner to handle, as they, and not the OP, own the liability.

 

[Scrapr]

I’m not sure why the company’s insurance wouldn’t cover it. That’s (one of the reasons) why they have insurance.

except if your deductible is $1000. You don't want a claim on your record for $1150 where you pay the first $1000. That is why I pay the small accidents out of pocket. I try to pay as fast as I can so the the owner is happy and can fix or not. Doesn't really matter to me either way.

We did the crime and have to do the time

https://youtu.be/5HNWhVXcjV8

 

[street]

except if your deductible is $1000. You don't want a claim on your record for $1150 where you pay the first $1000. That is why I pay the small accidents out of pocket. I try to pay as fast as I can so the the owner is happy and can fix or not. Doesn't really matter to me either way.

We did the crime and have to do the time

https://youtu.be/5HNWhVXcjV8

My insurance won't pay for it because I'm employed by this company using their riding mower and it happened on their property. If hit it and I was doing it with my mower and I wasn't part time employee they would pay for the damage. That is what they told me.

i will go in tomorrow and fill out an accident report and hopefully they will cover the damage to his pickup.

 

[Scrapr]

My insurance won't pay for it because I'm employed by this company using their riding mower and it happened on their property. If hit it and I was doing it with my mower and I wasn't part time employee they would pay for the damage. That is what they told me.

i will go in tomorrow and fill out an accident report and hopefully they will cover the damage to his pickup.

sorry I was writing short hand in a version only i can understand. As a business owner i would never turn in a $1200 claim when i have a $1000 deductible. Made that mistake long ago on a glass claim. Our truck windshield cracked. Turned it in. Claim was like $800. They covered it 100% under comprehensive. And raised my rates. The claim was $800. I could buy the glass out of pocket for $200

 

[splitwdw]

So this is not a company truck? You hit another employees truck parked on company property? What about damage to the company mower? I would think that you would be responsible financially for hitting a fellow employees vehicle. If there is damage to the mower, you would be held responsible by the company.

 

[street]

Yes it was an employees truck owned by him. The mower had no damage at all.

 

[audreyh1]

So this is not a company truck? You hit another employees truck parked on company property? What about damage to the company mower? I would think that you would be responsible financially for hitting a fellow employees vehicle. If there is damage to the mower, you would be held responsible by the company.

Why would you think that?