When is a fender-bender NOT a fender-bender?

[LisaKinVA]

When your car is so old, that finding replacement parts is near impossible...and broken taillights and a little body work gets you half-way to the financial point at which your insurance company will declare it a total loss. They have yet to remove the bumper cover, or look under the panel.

 

I'm currently driving a rental...as mine is "un-driveable" due to the broken taillights. I've spoken to 2/3 of the insurance companies involved, and our insurance company wants to talk to me again...they want more details. I'm not sure what I can say.

 

"I was stopped in traffic on X road, when, from out of nowhere BAM, I'm hit and I look off to my right and see this car careening off the road onto the shoulder attempting to stop, when BAM...I'm hit again from behind. "

 

How hard were you hit? They ask...."Well, hard enough to throw us forward, twice...causing the seatbelts to lock." What did it feel like? They ask...like I'd been hit. It was more than a bump, and not like an explosion...hard enough to make me think my car would be totalled by the impact."

 

What more can I say? No one went to the hospital. My daughter and I experienced some neck/shoulder pain...but one dose of Ibuprofen and some rest seemed to clear it up...I wasn't doing anything. I was at a complete stop in traffic. Even if I had been looking out of my rear-view mirror I wouldn't have been able to prevent it. I was focused on the cars ahead moving toward the intersection...I wasn't even looking at my phone/GPS.

 

UGH. This is so not what we need.

 

It's like the universe knows our pay has been cut 20%, and it's just throwing one thing after another at us...broken dishwasher...van in a wreck...notice from the HOA...UGH. UGH. UGH.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Sorry :(. Glad you guys are ok.

[vonfirmath]

I completely understand :( Right before we got married, my husband lost a car that way. MUCH more valuable running than after the minor accident -- but it was old so it didn't take much to total out.

[MomtoCandJ]

Go to a scrap yard for the parts. I hit a deer with my car, not sure if it would have been covered since I only have collision but still doubted it would have been worth the $500 deductible. My hood is slightly kinkeled but we bought a headlight assembly and a grill for $50.00 from the local scrapyard. There have been other times when my husband has just pounded out the dents (people love hitting my car when I'm not in it)

[Lara in Colo]

I know how overwhelming this can be.

 

Take a deep breath and know that we are here to give you a hug.

 

Lara

[bettyandbob]

I was in a minor accident a year ago that was my fault (I skidded on ice). the other driver made a claim with my insurance company. My insurance company called a couple times to ask if I wanted to make a claim. I knew they would total the vehicle so I made no claim. I found a repair shop that would punch out my rear quarter panel and track down the rear light. The guy who owned the shop immediately agreed the vehicle would be totaled by the insurance company. I think my cost to repair was like $800, which is way cheaper than buying a new or used vehicle.

 

I know someone who parks their knew car outside during big storms and puts their other very old vehicle in the garage. If a tree fell on the new car, insurance would give enough to replace, but they'd be in trouble with the pay out for the old vehicle.

[skimomma]

 

 

I know someone who parks their knew car outside during big storms and puts their other very old vehicle in the garage. If a tree fell on the new car, insurance would give enough to replace, but they'd be in trouble with the pay out for the old vehicle.

 

We do this. If the roads are bad and only one person has to go out, we take the car that has collision. Same with the garage.