That day we all fear . . .

[alpha754293]

(I exceeded the max number of quoted blocks of text...so I had to split my reply)

 

 

Correct. Private property = no jurisdiction = no ticket, but you can still call the cops (which I did) for the report because the insurance companies need it anyway. FYI, In Michigan, I think if the damage is less than $2K and no one is hurt you don't have to call the police.

 

Well, I would ALWAYS call because you need the police report (like you said) and if it's hard enough, but still less than the $2k threshold (usually more applicable for older, cheaper cars) - you might want them to send EMS for the preliminary medical assessment that way if you end up with problems later on, you'd be able to sue for the medical bill/charges.

 

Maybe that's why that there's quite a large % of the population that drive without insurance.

 

 

My Sport Trac got hit-and-run (while it was parked) in the parking lot of Lowes. Cops came and took witness statements. They finally found the guy and luckily his insurance paid for the repairs. :)

 

yay!

 

Yeah, a lot and very unfair. Sometimes, they'll just cancel you altogether and then you have to go shopping. If you've been canceled, it's extremely expensive, possibly for several years thereafter.

 

Yeah...they need like an insurance version of Obamacare. haha...(the rules need to be reformed/updated cuz obviously, the current system ISN'T working). You have end up with the MDOT vans driving around to get the abandoned cars off the highway which costs the State anyways.

 

12K for that? I thought 4K for the Flex was bad!

 

$12k for that seems a little excessive.

[wmpwi]

12K for that? I thought 4K for the Flex was bad!

 

Well, having an update now, that seems cheap. Adjuster called today and the price got to $19K which is where they stopped counting and just totaled it. They said it usually goes even higher once the repairs start so they folded. Now I have to find one like I had and pay the difference. Right now that looks to be about $3-5K which is not too bad, but the wait on a new one may be up to 6 weeks. That part really sucks.

[hybridbear]

Short story is that we insure our own vehicles. I get whacked, no matter who's at fault, if I have collision insurance it gets fixed. If not, it doesn't. The safety equipment kept me from the hospital, maybe more. If my fault, I have a deductible, if the other guys at fault my insurance company will get it from him.

MN is also a no fault state. However, if the other person clearly causes the damage then your insurance doesn't get involved. For example, I have been rear ended twice while stopped at a red light. Both times my insurance company didn't get involved. I called them and reported the issue but since the other driver was 100% at fault both times his/her insurance paid for my damage and my rental car. My insurance didn't have to pay and then subrogate.

 

However, this is not always the case. My dad was t-boned by a person who ran a stop sign a few years ago. He had the right of way and it was clearly her fault. However, my parents' insurance paid for their totaled vehicle minus their deductible and proceeded to subrogate against the other company. This claim also cost my parents their yearly rebate check (their insurance gives them a % back, I think 5 or 10%, at the end of the year for having no claims). Once their insurance got reimbursed (about 2 years later) my parents got a check in the mail for their deductible plus the missing rebate check from that policy year. If my parents hadn't been carrying collision insurance then just like wmpwi says above there would have been no repair of their vehicle unless they could prove that the other driver was 100% at fault, likely by having to sue them.

 

Yeah, a lot and very unfair. Sometimes, they'll just cancel you altogether and then you have to go shopping. If you've been canceled, it's extremely expensive, possibly for several years thereafter.

This also happens here. Even if you have too many claims for windshield stone chips with full glass coverage you can be dropped. Same thing with having too many claims even if not your fault. You could be t-boned like my dad or wmpwi was and get dropped by your insurance co for being too high a risk. Once that happens then you're stuck with extremely high rates for a few years until those claims disappear off your record. Insurance claims stay 5 or 6 years on your insurance record and tickets stay for 3 years.

 

Well, having an update now, that seems cheap. Adjuster called today and the price got to $19K which is where they stopped counting and just totaled it. They said it usually goes even higher once the repairs start so they folded. Now I have to find one like I had and pay the difference. Right now that looks to be about $3-5K which is not too bad, but the wait on a new one may be up to 6 weeks. That part really sucks.

How close to MSRP of your car are they giving you? How many miles were on your car and how many months did you have it? How long will they cover a rental for you while you shop? A coworker got hit where it was 100% not her fault and her car was totaled. The offenders insurance would only pay for 3 days of rental car for her to shop for a new vehicle after they paid out for her car. Her insurance would not pay for her to have a rental since the offenders insurance co paid for her car. It took her more than a month to find a new car since she had some pretty bad injuries which prevented her from shopping right away after the accident so she and her husband had to pay for the rental themselves for that long.

[wmpwi]

<snip>

 

How close to MSRP of your car are they giving you? How many miles were on your car and how many months did you have it? How long will they cover a rental for you while you shop? A coworker got hit where it was 100% not her fault and her car was totaled. The offenders insurance would only pay for 3 days of rental car for her to shop for a new vehicle after they paid out for her car. Her insurance would not pay for her to have a rental since the offenders insurance co paid for her car. It took her more than a month to find a new car since she had some pretty bad injuries which prevented her from shopping right away after the accident so she and her husband had to pay for the rental themselves for that long.

 

Still to early to tell yet. Right now it looks like it going to be a $4k - $6k difference, but not all the numbers are in yet. With luck, I may get it down to $3k - $4K. I had 10.5K miles on it. Picked it up from the dealer on 02/11/13. My policy covers up to 30 days rental @ $30 / day if the vehicle was getting repaired. Once they total it, I have to return the rental because it only covers me while under repair. MN sounds as bad as MI.

[wmpwi]

So I over stated how far I was moved left when hit. I was in the yellow lane and from my best calculations, it was about 6 foot.

 

[hybridbear]

Still to early to tell yet. Right now it looks like it going to be a $4k - $6k difference, but not all the numbers are in yet. With luck, I may get it down to $3k - $4K. I had 10.5K miles on it. Picked it up from the dealer on 02/11/13. My policy covers up to 30 days rental @ $30 / day if the vehicle was getting repaired. Once they total it, I have to return the rental because it only covers me while under repair. MN sounds as bad as MI.

That's pretty amazing if they give you that close to MSRP. Right now there are some nice incentives from Ford on Fusions and dealers seems to be pretty keen to move any remaining 2013s so you might be able to get a similarly equipped 2013 for $4-5k off MSRP. If the insurance gives you the MSRP of your car minus about $4-5k of depreciation you could get a new FFH for basically nothing except paying sales tax and licensing fees again. That isn't a bad deal.

 

Granted, that doesn't cover the hassle this is or your pain and suffering from the injuries, but as far as the insurance covering the value of your loss that sounds very fair.

[fusionTX]

Well, having an update now, that seems cheap. Adjuster called today and the price got to $19K which is where they stopped counting and just totaled it. They said it usually goes even higher once the repairs start so they folded. Now I have to find one like I had and pay the difference. Right now that looks to be about $3-5K which is not too bad, but the wait on a new one may be up to 6 weeks. That part really sucks.

Sorry to hear about your accident. Seems like a big hit to have happened in a parking lot.

Totaling the car is probably for the best. Good luck finding a new ride.

[wmpwi]

That's pretty amazing if they give you that close to MSRP. snip>

 

Fingers are crossed. The adjuster said the big part is the salvage value is so high on the hybirds right now makes the equation a bit skewed. My MSRP was $32 and I had about $1.5k in rebates so that helps. We'll see what the final totals come out to. This will be a continuing thread through the process until I get distracted by the new car, whenever that is.

[Eddie Sessum]

In no fault states if you drive a POS that has big steel bumpers and dont care about your vehicle. You have the cheapest insurance ever.

[Eddie Sessum]

Also another comment on this one. Id check with a local ford dealership on what they will give you for the car AS IS. You may be able to take the money plus a trade-in and come out ahead.

 

I know someone who had a mustang that got totaled out after a year. They actually gave him around 48% of his original pay price for the car AS IS. They with the insurance money he got he was able to buy a brand new one plus some customizations.

 

dealerships can get them fixed for alot cheaper than you would ever pay. maybe less than half.

[wmpwi]

How they deiced what issues are hiding inside.

Note how they cut away the left front fender to get a better look.

Edited September 28, 2013 by wmpwi

[Eddie Sessum]

Based on that picture, id think that rollover rigidity will never be the same. Even if they fix it id trade it in on a new one.

[Eddie Sessum]

Alpha, no fault insurance is very cheap and it prevents insurance fraud and people who pull out in front of you and slam on the brakes. If someone in a no fault state does that there own insurance pays for everything and it goes up.

 

 

This insurance is good and bad. Down here auto insurance is HELL. Maybe the OP can tell us what he pays for the no fault insurance so we can all compare.

[hybridbear]

Also another comment on this one. Id check with a local ford dealership on what they will give you for the car AS IS. You may be able to take the money plus a trade-in and come out ahead.

 

I know someone who had a mustang that got totaled out after a year. They actually gave him around 48% of his original pay price for the car AS IS. They with the insurance money he got he was able to buy a brand new one plus some customizations.

 

dealerships can get them fixed for alot cheaper than you would ever pay. maybe less than half.

If the insurance totals the car and pays you doesn't that mean that it becomes property of the insurance company? That's how it works in MN. You could possibly choose to sell the car to someone else as is rather than sell to the insurance company since basically that's what happens when you total your car. But typically you sell the car to the insurance company when they pay out on it as totaled. They then may choose to fix it and sell it with a salvage title or sell it to someone else who will fix it and sell as salvage. If the damage is too bad to do that then the insurance just recycles the car as scrap.

 

Alpha, no fault insurance is very cheap and it prevents insurance fraud and people who pull out in front of you and slam on the brakes. If someone in a no fault state does that there own insurance pays for everything and it goes up.

 

This insurance is good and bad. Down here auto insurance is HELL. Maybe the OP can tell us what he pays for the no fault insurance so we can all compare.

There are a million variables that go into calculating insurance. Zip code is a huge factor in MN. I believe some states, including Cali, have put laws into place limiting how much insurance costs can be based on Zip code. Your coverage limits and deductible also play a big role. And your age, occupation, marital status and driving history. Married ppl statistically have less claims than single ppl. Divorced ppl have the most claims. If your marital status is divorced your rates will be higher. Certain occupations, specifically high stress jobs like doctors or lawyers statistically have more claims. So do most "professional" drivers such as truckers, bus drivers, etc so if you work in one of those occupations your rates will be higher. Age plays a big role too, under 25 your insurance is quite expensive. Once you cross over 25 it gets a lot cheaper.

 

MN is a no fault state but ranks 32nd overall in insurance costs. Louisiana is the 3rd most expensive. Michigan is a no fault state but has the 10th most expensive insurance overall. No fault is just one of many factors in setting insurance prices.

[wmpwi]

If the insurance totals the car and pays you doesn't that mean that it becomes property of the insurance company? That's how it works in MN. You could possibly choose to sell the car to someone else as is rather than sell to the insurance company since basically that's what happens when you total your car. But typically you sell the car to the insurance company when they pay out on it as totaled. They then may choose to fix it and sell it with a salvage title or sell it to someone else who will fix it and sell as salvage. If the damage is too bad to do that then the insurance just recycles the car as scrap.

 

Yes that's the way it works here. There is one permeation and that is where you want to keep the car. If you choose to do that, the insurance company establishes a price it your cost will be deducted from from the 'totaled' amount. Then you own the car and their obligation is complete.

I can't imagine the formula for that, but in my situation it doesn't sound like a good idea. As much as I liked the car, I don't have the resources to make use of $XX,XXX worth of salvaged Fusion parts. I tried it once with a 53 Chevy and my parents were pretty cranky about having it sitting in the yard all that time.

Edited September 29, 2013 by wmpwi

[Eddie Sessum]

I was refering too if they dont total it out take the check and the messed up car and trade it in as is. Car wouldnt have a salvage title at that point so it would be worth more than a salvage car.

[wmpwi]

I was refering too if they dont total it out take the check and the messed up car and trade it in as is. Car wouldnt have a salvage title at that point so it would be worth more than a salvage car.

True, that becomes a completely different story. If I had $17K worth of repairs to a $30K vehicle, I'd have gone nuts driving it being hypersensitive to every little nuance, noise, or new quirk. No sure what I would have done if they hadn't totaled it.

[wmpwi]

You aren't the only one. I feel for you. $12k so far, and it's been in the shop for 20 days. 16 year old hit me-had his license for 2 weeks.

 

<snip>

BTW, I never expressed my condolences. What this end up costing and how long do you have left to wait for the car to come home.

[acdii]

 

How they deiced what issues are hiding inside.

Note how they cut away the left front fender to get a better look.

 

There is some undercarriage damage there. While it could be repaired where they hook chains to various parts and pull the frame straight, it also weakens the metal, so if there is another crash, the safety cage wont be able to absorb as much energy. It can be repaired, but wonder at what cost.

 

In any case, good reason to have GAP insurance.

[kuzzi]

Did the seat recline by itself or was that done manually?

[wmpwi]

Did the seat recline by itself or was that done manually?

It did that by itself. I think it was a function of the seat airbag. It went back (as in front to back) and down as you see it.

[MaineFusion]

wmpwi, I'm sorry you got hit. It felt kind of weird "liking" a post about someone getting hit, but thank you for sharing. You're photos give me and my wife greater confidence in the safety of our FFH.

 

What I don't like about "no fault" states is that when a driver is clearly at fault as is this case, they and their insurance company should be responsible for damages. Stupid/careless drivers also deserve to have their insurance rates go up. It is part of taking responsibility for your own actions.

 

As a side note, when one gets in an accident, make sure to take lots of pictures of everything and keep the talking with the other party to a minimum other than to make sure everyone is okay, to exchange insurance information and to make sure the proper authorities have been contacted. Anything you say could end up being taken out of context as to admitting fault.

 

A number of years back I had backed out of a parking place, had stopped and was about to go forward when an SUV backed into me. At first, the other driver's insurance company was trying to get out of paying my damages claiming fault couldn't be determined. In arbitration, what changed the decision in my favor were my photos of the damage to my car that clearly showed I could not have been moving when I was hit because there were no linear scratches. Because I wasn't moving, that meant I was already in the physical space and it was the other driver who had backed into me rather than a case of us both going for the same space at the same time and not seeing each other. The damage was less than my deductible so winning meant I got my out of pocket expenses back.

 

Interestingly enough, the parking lot (which was at a post office) was totally redesigned a couple years later so maybe there had been frequent accidents in it. I will say it is now much easier to keep track of all the potential directions vehicles could be coming at you when backing up.

Edited September 29, 2013 by MaineFusion

[kuzzi]

It did that by itself. I think it was a function of the seat airbag. It went back (as in front to back) and down as you see it.

That's amazing. I did not know it could do that. As a first responder (especially in Houston) we need as much space as possible to get injured patients out of vehicles. Protocol is to first disconnect battery, and in doing so we no long have the ability to move electric seats so what we see is what we get. The auto reclining seat would help tremendously especially if the spinal integeity has been compromised and we do not want to move the patient more than necessary. Downside is anyone in the rear would get cramped.

[wmpwi]

wmpwi, I'm sorry you got hit. It felt kind of weird "liking" a post about someone getting hit, but thank you for sharing. You're photos give me and my wife greater confidence in the safety of our FFH.

 

What I don't like about "no fault" states is that when a driver is clearly at fault as is this case, they and their insurance company should be responsible for damages. Stupid/careless drivers also deserve to have their insurance rates go up. It is part of taking responsibility for your own actions.

 

As a side note, when one gets in an accident, make sure to take lots of pictures of everything and keep the talking with the other party to a minimum other than to make sure everyone is okay, to exchange insurance information and to make sure the proper authorities have been contacted. Anything you say could end up being taken out of context as to admitting fault.

 

A number of years back I had backed out of a parking place, had stopped and was about to go forward when an SUV backed into me. At first, the other driver's insurance company was trying to get out of paying my damages claiming fault couldn't be determined. In arbitration, what changed the decision in my favor were my photos of the damage to my car that clearly showed I could not have been moving when I was hit because there were no linear scratches. Because I wasn't moving, that meant I was already in the physical space and it was the other driver who had backed into me rather than a case of us both going for the same space at the same time and not seeing each other. The damage was less than my deductible so winning meant I got my out of pocket expenses back.

 

Interestingly enough, the parking lot (which was at a post office) was totally redesigned a couple years later so maybe there had been frequent accidents in it. I will say it is now much easier to keep track of all the potential directions vehicles could be coming at you when backing up.

Thanks and you're right to consider that safety issue. We starting looking for a car for my wife today and side air bags seemed to be a more significant factor then every before. As to your comment about photos, I could not agree with you more. As a matter of fact, I circled around the entire scene and took video and even made sure the audio was functional because, well, people say all kinds of sh*t and then when the cops get there, they've had time to reconfigure their thinking and the story changes. In this case, it may not have be so much of an issue, but I'[m kind of used to documenting evidence and dealing w/ flakes so it's my default. The photo thing is particularly true in a parking lot situation because in a private property accident, the cops will take the report out of courtesy, but they won't do any photographic documentation or measurements unless it was a non private property jurisdiction. I've been seriously considering a dash cam.

[wmpwi]

That's amazing. I did not know it could do that. As a first responder (especially in Houston) we need as much space as possible to get injured patients out of vehicles. Protocol is to first disconnect battery, and in doing so we no long have the ability to move electric seats so what we see is what we get. The auto reclining seat would help tremendously especially if the spinal integeity has been compromised and we do not want to move the patient more than necessary. Downside is anyone in the rear would get cramped.

Yeah, I never knew the seat did that until I was looking at the pictures. I remember it was a bitch getting out the passenger side door though and made all the more unpleasant by the 16 oz cup of sprite my brother had in hand when it happened. When I went back to get some stuff out of the glove box the yesterday, the whole inside of the car was like flypaper.