Car "Accident"

[Kirsch 1]

Well. I was driving home from work on a four lane one-way when a guy that was side-by-side with me decided to change lanes. I was in the far left lane and he was right next to me in the next lane. I tried to turn into the entrance of a parking lot but wasn't fast enough. No one was hurt but the vehicles didn't drive away unscathed. My '74 Challenger has a dent at the very front of the right fender. He actually hit me in the wheel-well. I hadn't realized it at first but the dude actually bent the A-frame and messed up my alignment. His car, an almost new Saturn mid-size SUV took a pretty good hit and did some major damage to the fender.

My car is nicknamed "the shark" because it looks like a shark and it's a nice shade of grey thanks the couple coats of primer on it. Me and friends have been joking that the shark took a bite out of the other guy.

But anyway my question is concerning insurance. I paid $1000 for the car plus about an extra $1000 in random parts put into it. This repair will cost atleast $2500 if not $3000 because of the frame damage. Will the insurance company claim a total loss and pay for the value of the car or will they pay to repair the damage and get it repainted?

I will hear from the insurance company sometime but I'm wondering what to expect. I am going to be seriously upset if they claim a total loss. I don't want to have to sell my '74 Challenger because some moron hit me.

[Stampeder 2]

You wont have to sell it, you'll likely get a choice of getting it written off or the damages repaired.

[mack 44]

It'll be rough trying to sell it, frame damage is a huge deduct on units. I'm not sure if you have to disclose that since you'd be selling it on your own though.

[LegoDoom 0]

I hope you have a low deductable.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I'm not sure if it's the same in the states, but if it is prepare for your insurance company to screw you royally. You may consider asking your parents for financial help with paying the car off or even taking the other guy to small claims court. The misses wrecked up her car pretty good and opted to go outside of insurance for the damages. Generally when the insurance is under $5G's its not a bad idea because it'll help keep your costs down. I had my own insurance company try and sue me a while back. I'd suggest avoiding them at all costs.

[LegoDoom 0]

This is what insurance is for. You shouldn't be avoiding them. If it's the other guys fault, you shouldn't pay a dime and it should reflect badly on you. Let your insurance company deal with his, that's what you're paying them for.

[Eazy_b97 1]

I don't disagree that this is what insurance is for, but the insurance company will raise your rates and take this money from you. When they tried to sue me the police report said it was the others fault. They tried to sue me because the car I drew on the accident report was over the imaginary line. If you have faith in the company go ahead, but I know there's been a junkload of problems with this in Canada as of late.

[chippa13 1844]

I'm thinking you'll probably have the insurance company "total" your car since the repairs would be so much more than the value of the car. You'll probably get the going value for your car from them which will most likely be less than you paid for it.

If you try to sell it after they total it, I know in the States you can get in trouble for that, especially if you don't disclose everything that is wrong with it. In Mass. there is a "Lemon Law" which means you have to disclose everything about the car, including any accidents and resultant damage.

Good luck.

[Kirsch 1]

Well the accident was in no way my fault and the officer behind us saw that. So my rates will not go up and I don't have to pay anything. I just wanted to know what's going to happen to my car. Also I think more damage was done then I know. The car died while driving to work today. I was able to get it restarted but died again in the driveway and I haven't been able to start it since then. This whole situation is shitty and like I have been saying to everyone else the worst part is is that there was aabsolutely nothing I could do about it.