Insurance question
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 539
Likes: 0
From: Ohio
Insurance question
Someone hit my car while it was parked. I was in the store so I dont know who did it. Damage is on rear bumper. Its not too bad but its very noticeable.
So my question is If I call my insurance and report it, would it be cosinder "at my fault"? and will there be a deductible? If there is a deductible I might as well not report it cuz the damage probably no more than $400-500 and my insurance deducts $500. also, will it effect my nsurance rate? My insurance is pretty high as is.
Any advice?
BTW I have 99 GS300
Thanks,
JR
So my question is If I call my insurance and report it, would it be cosinder "at my fault"? and will there be a deductible? If there is a deductible I might as well not report it cuz the damage probably no more than $400-500 and my insurance deducts $500. also, will it effect my nsurance rate? My insurance is pretty high as is.
Any advice?
BTW I have 99 GS300
Thanks,
JR
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,334
Likes: 237
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
$500 for a new Lexus bumper, painted and installed, is very reasonable. That is what IS300 bumpers were going for in this area about 3 years ago.
From what you have told us, if there were no witnesses, just pay the $500 or so that a new bumper will cost and then be willing to park in end spaces and walk a little.
From what you have told us, if there were no witnesses, just pay the $500 or so that a new bumper will cost and then be willing to park in end spaces and walk a little.
Lexus Connoisseur
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 19,882
Likes: 603
From: USA
Re: Insurance question
Originally posted by Jujharoo
Someone hit my car while it was parked. I was in the store so I dont know who did it. Damage is on rear bumper. Its not too bad but its very noticeable.
So my question is If I call my insurance and report it, would it be cosinder "at my fault"? and will there be a deductible? If there is a deductible I might as well not report it cuz the damage probably no more than $400-500 and my insurance deducts $500. also, will it effect my nsurance rate? My insurance is pretty high as is.
Any advice?
BTW I have 99 GS300
Thanks,
JR
Someone hit my car while it was parked. I was in the store so I dont know who did it. Damage is on rear bumper. Its not too bad but its very noticeable.
So my question is If I call my insurance and report it, would it be cosinder "at my fault"? and will there be a deductible? If there is a deductible I might as well not report it cuz the damage probably no more than $400-500 and my insurance deducts $500. also, will it effect my nsurance rate? My insurance is pretty high as is.
Any advice?
BTW I have 99 GS300
Thanks,
JR
Ryan
Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,206
Likes: 0
From: Florida
I agree with Flipside. Determine if the damage is greater than your deductible and by how much, if it's close just fix it and don't report it thru insurance.
Recently I had some hurricane damage done to my rear door on the GS (going thru my friends security entrance the gate got blown back into the car by the wind). To replace the skin and paint it cost $1,300 and my deductible was $1,000, so I just paid for it. IMO, the cutoff is around $400-$500 over your deductible before you would consider claiming it thru insurance.
Although when discussing this with repair shops let them know that this isn't an insurance claim and they will usually give a better price. Paying cash might save you a few extra bucks too (saved me approx. $150). Usually if it is an insurance claim they have standards for each repair and this is what is used to create an "estimate". These standards are greatly exaggerated from a "labor" standpoint and most good shops can cut considerable time off of these standards and still perform quality work.
Recently I had some hurricane damage done to my rear door on the GS (going thru my friends security entrance the gate got blown back into the car by the wind). To replace the skin and paint it cost $1,300 and my deductible was $1,000, so I just paid for it. IMO, the cutoff is around $400-$500 over your deductible before you would consider claiming it thru insurance.
Although when discussing this with repair shops let them know that this isn't an insurance claim and they will usually give a better price. Paying cash might save you a few extra bucks too (saved me approx. $150). Usually if it is an insurance claim they have standards for each repair and this is what is used to create an "estimate". These standards are greatly exaggerated from a "labor" standpoint and most good shops can cut considerable time off of these standards and still perform quality work.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,334
Likes: 237
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
I agree with Flip's post too....and the fact that he makes his living doing this gives him credibility in this area. I only suggested that you pay the $500 yourself because I think that that is a very good price for a Lexus bumper....and it is your deductible anyway. That's what I paid a couple of years ago when a hit-and-run guy backed into my front bumper when I was in a restaurant, collapsing the edge of it, got out and looked at it, and drove off. I would have not known that except I get home and got a call from the local police department saying that a witness had seen him look at it and drive off...the witness wrote his number down, my number down, (Bless him) and turned it in to the police. I won't go into the whole detail of what happened next, ( the guy ' fessed up after trying to weasel out ) but I ended up paying the $500 out of my pocket for a new bumper....and then collecting it back from HIM out of HIS pocket. He didn't want to use his OWN insurance, and he chose that rather than a formal hit-and-run charge.
So THAT's why I said that I thought $500 was a good price .....I paid that myself 2 or 3 years ago.
I realize that, unfortunately, there were no witness in your case....so I wish the best of luck for you here
So THAT's why I said that I thought $500 was a good price .....I paid that myself 2 or 3 years ago.
I realize that, unfortunately, there were no witness in your case....so I wish the best of luck for you here
Pole Position
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,379
Likes: 20
From: St. Thomas, Ontario
Pay for the repair out of your own pocket when you have the cash.......if you make a claim for something of that nature, it give them an excuse to hike your premiums when you re-new & it's on your record. It's unfortunate, but if the damage was more severe, I'd say go thru insurance.
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