Cummins Diesel Forum banner

Advice on insurance claim or not

1K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Cummins0867 
#1 ·
My pickup was recently forced off the road by an oncoming driver who swerved into the wrong lane. Luckily there was only damage to the passenger side mirror, rear door handle, paint on the bed and rear fender flare, and the rear passenger side wheel.

I think my options are 1. File a claim to have the damage repaired, 2. Buy a passenger side mirror and leave the cosmetic damage, or 3. Don’t file a claim and pay out of pocket to repair the damage.

I think option 2 would be the cheapest but I really don’t want to have the side of the pickup scratched up. With a claim the vehicle report will have an accident report for something that is just minor cosmetics and I don’t like that. Seems like a claim would do a lot of damage to resale down the road.

I would like to hear any opinions or personal experiences with this.

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
I would file the claim depending on how bad the damage is. Trying to trade in a truck with body damage is going to get you a “fair” condition trade appraisal at best. My last truck had two accidents on its record and I still got slightly more than KBB for it.
 
#3 ·
It’s good to hear that the trade in may not be compromised too much. I think I’ll go get a few quotes on what it will cost to fix the damage. I talked with USAA and I don’t think it will be hard to get it fixed with insurance and from what I have read so far they don’t report claims to carfax. If the auto body shop doesn’t report it I’ll be set.
 
#4 ·
What is your deductible? if you are within 2x of that I would consider just paying out of pocket. Unless you have "forgiveness" built into your comprehensive coverage, then turn it in and take it to a shop you trust.

Option 2 sounds like a "everyone loses" situation and would avoid if at all possible.
 
#5 ·
What is your deductible? if you are within 2x of that I would consider just paying out of pocket. Unless you have "forgiveness" built into your comprehensive coverage, then turn it in and take it to a shop you trust.

Option 2 sounds like a "everyone loses" situation and would avoid if at all possible.
I do have forgiveness included in my plan but I don’t know if it’s associated with collision, comprehensive, or both. I assume both but I will call and find out.

I agree about avoiding option 2. The more I think about it I really do want the damage fixed. I’m going to get a few quotes next week. If it’s just a polish to remove the scratches I think I can do it and buy a mirror for less than my deductible ($500). If it needs paint, well then, that’s another story.
 
#6 ·
^ You don't know if it needs to be repainted? Either it's scratched through the clear and paint or it's not. If it may need to be re-painted anyway, try carefully color sanding and buffing it out. If it doesn't work, you didn't hurt anything by trying. And if it's just a couple smaller scratches through the paint, you could touch them up by hand and then sand/cut/polish the area.
All depends on how perfect you want the repair to look.
I would have zero concern about resale value with a minor insurance repair. But I'd want to verify and weigh the options based on insurance record and insurance premiums vs out of pocket.
 
#7 ·
My pickup was recently forced off the road by an oncoming driver who swerved into the wrong lane. Luckily there was only damage to the passenger side mirror, rear door handle, paint on the bed and rear fender flare, and the rear passenger side wheel.

I think my options are 1. File a claim to have the damage repaired, 2. Buy a passenger side mirror and leave the cosmetic damage, or 3. Don’t file a claim and pay out of pocket to repair the damage.

I think option 2 would be the cheapest but I really don’t want to have the side of the pickup scratched up. With a claim the vehicle report will have an accident report for something that is just minor cosmetics and I don’t like that. Seems like a claim would do a lot of damage to resale down the road.

I would like to hear any opinions or personal experiences with this.

Thanks.
If you have a police report...it sounds like it was the other guys fault. If they were at fault then their insurance company should have to pay to have it fixed and it costs you nothing. Often you go through your insurance company and your insurance company goes after the other guys insurance to get paid. If it truly was the other guys fault and its documented then you get your truck fixed for free. If the other guy did not have insurance then talk with your insurance company they may fix it without you paying a deductible.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top