Collison: Rear-ended yesterday

[StarsFan4Life]

Nearly 8 years with my Jeep Cherokee, 160k miles and no accidents, dings, etc......the damage was finally done.....

On my way home lastnight I was stopped at a red light and suddenly....bam.....I was rear ended. It was enough to scar the crap out me and my buddy (who I was taking home from work). We pulled over and it was a little 16-17 year old girl who looked scared shitless. I made sure we were all ok but was nice to the chick because I knew she knew she did something stupid.

The damage to my Jeep is a little bad, mainly just the back bumper and part of the frame.....but nothing to the actual rear door/hatch and no broken lights or anything. It certainly was a hard enough hit that it possibly could have damaged more that I am able to see.

I asked the chick for her insurance information. She was so nervous about it all that she couldn't find her information, but calls her dad (who is just 5 minutes away) and he comes and brings the insurance card. He got out and at first I thought he was going to be a total dick about it all....but I think he was just pissed at his daughter.

He handed me the insurance card and I got the info needed along with the chicks DL # and license plate number to her Mustang. The dad asked if I could get a couple of estimates as he wanted to "take care of this outside of claiming on his insurance". I was perfectly content with this, but I got to thinking this morning on my drive home from work. In order to get these "estimates" I would most likely have to go during business hours and miss time away from my own work....something I cannot afford right now because work gave me lots of time off for my recent home purchase/move-in. Once I do get the estimates (and he pays me for the damage) I have two options:

* keep the money and use it towards a downpayment on another vehicle (as my wife and I decided it might be time for me to get something new - and a truck)

* get it repaired

If I get it repaired I will most likely be without a vehicle for a week or so (time for repairs). I would have to rent a car and such. Do I ask him the dad/chick who hit me to pay for the rented car too? I do want to be nice about all this as I know claiming something small like this on insurance will only make his rate go up....or should I just contact mine/his insurance companies and file the claim and see what route that takes me?

I'm 26 years old and have never been in a wreck before so I am really not sure how to handle this, but I don't want to be a dick about it. To some, a 8 year old Jeep Cherokee may be nothing to them, but to me....taking pride in a car I have taken excellent care of and have no car payment....well....it's a wonderful thing.

Any advice?


http://i43.tinypic.com/28sbwhc.jpg <-----pic of driver

 

[Newbian]

If you report it to your insurance they will pay for a replacement car as long as you have a decent setup so you may want to do that especially with how screwed you can get if you don't report it but they do.

Also pics of said female driver?

 

[isekii]

I would just go through insurance.
Are you hurt anywhere ? You wont really feel the aftermath of the accident until a couple of days or so.
You should've called the police right then and there.

 

[JulesMaximus]

And people wonder why motorcyclists lane split.

 

[krylon]

Pics of the driver that hit you, and then we can decide what to do.

 

[StarsFan4Life]

In Dallas, the police won't come unless someone is injured. Honestly, my neck is a little soar today and so is the guy's neck I work with.....but nothing bad....I mean the girl couldn't have been going more than 10-20 mph....

 

[StarsFan4Life]

I have a pic (my friend took it as proof) but I can't get them loaded to image hosting sites (blocked here at work).

 

[StarsFan4Life]

Nevermind.......quick pic:

http://i43.tinypic.com/28sbwhc.jpg

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
Nevermind.......quick pic:

http://i43.tinypic.com/28sbwhc.jpg

She was wearing knee pads. She could have paid you back right there and then.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
Nevermind.......quick pic:

http://i43.tinypic.com/28sbwhc.jpg

She already has the knee pads on... i guess she will be handling the bill after all. :evil:

 

[StarsFan4Life]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
Nevermind.......quick pic:

http://i43.tinypic.com/28sbwhc.jpg

She was wearing knee pads. She could have paid you back right there and then.

Muahahahaha!

 

[Newbian]

Son of a ... was going with the knee pad joke but got here to late.

Also why are you guys driving on the lawn?

 

[StarsFan4Life]

That is where we pulled over....the truck is "her dad" doing his own thing.....


Seriously though, should I see about his insurance company or just wait to see if he pays for it?

 

[skace]

What is with these people who don't want to deal with insurance, shouldn't it be cheaper?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Rental car from Enterprise or other eco sites will run about $150-$200 / wk

Have him cover the rental cost.
Some body shops may provide you a vehicle - check that out as an option.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: skace
What is with these people who don't want to deal with insurance, shouldn't it be cheaper?

Rates would go up for the kid and the parents probably pay for it and they would go up a ton since the kid is so young and would pay for it for about the next decade.

Also not to mention the kid didn't have insurance on her that would had been a issue also.

 

[AstroManLuca]

rear-ended yesterday

that's what she said

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
Nevermind.......quick pic:

http://i43.tinypic.com/28sbwhc.jpg

She already has the knee pads on... i guess she will be handling the bill after all. :evil:

If she brings her own knee-pads, she MUST be a professional knob-polisher. Be sure to take videos...


OP, get some estimates. Don't go to the cheapest places in town, go to the BEST places in town. (not necessarily the most expensive, but do the best work)

Yes, make them spring for a rental car while yours is in the shop, and there's nothing wrong with them covering the loss of wages while you deal with all the running around getting estimates. Just be reasonable in your charges.

 

[Throwmeabone]

How can you possibly expect it to end well if you don't go through insurance? Don't do it.

 

[StarsFan4Life]

So even something as minor as this I should contact my insurance company?

 

[ggnl]

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
That is where we pulled over....the truck is "her dad" doing his own thing.....


Seriously though, should I see about his insurance company or just wait to see if he pays for it?

I'd give them a chance to pay, but make sure there's a clear deadline so they don't dick around.

 

[Auggie]

"Minor as this" - she could have bent your frame, and from the description your bumper is damaged at least. You're looking at 1500-3500 right there, pretty easily. You have insurance for a reason: you call them up, they handle everything, even your rental car. There's no chance that this girl's dad can bounce out on the payment for your repairs. It's just so much simpler. Sure, the girl's insurance rate will go up, but hey, that's the cost of rear-ending someone.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: ggnl

Originally posted by: StarsFan4Life
That is where we pulled over....the truck is "her dad" doing his own thing.....


Seriously though, should I see about his insurance company or just wait to see if he pays for it?

I'd give them a chance to pay, but make sure there's a clear deadline so they don't dick around.

The problem is if they dick around and you try to go through your insurance company they can deny it for you waiting to long as a loophole.

Not to mention if you didn't get a police report that can be another issue that could arise with the insurance companies since some like them so much.

 

[StarsFan4Life]

So would I be claiming this on my insurance or on hers? I do NOT want to be out any money (deductible) or anything.

 

[BoomerD]

Be aware however...if you go through YOUR insurance, they may want to total the dammed car. With an 8 year old vehicle, it doesn't take a lot of damage to reach the point where it's more costly (for the insurance company) to fix it than to total it...You should however, be given the opportunity to buy it back and fix it yourself. (although at that point, you're usually given a salvage title for the vehicle.)