How to prove to insurance carrier new problems resulted from same accident (1 Viewer)

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SoCal moving To AZ
Hello! My cruiser was hit hard by a drunk driver on driver side front wheel when parked. The quarter panel is bent, tie rod, control arm, steering knuckle, steering rack, cv axle etc probably need replacement. These are what I'd call "normal" from an accident on this part of the truck.

But beyond that, headlight on passenger side stopped working, ahc pressure off, windows not rolling up as fast among some other seemingly not directly related issues also show up now. How can i prove these secondary but costly damages are caused by the same accident and should be covered?
Thanks!
 
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I'm sure there are more hidden problems discovered by detailed inspection once the shop takes things apart. Should i go to a body shop or to a specialized cruiser mechanic (who's more likely to find out all the related issues knowing Hundys in great detail)?
 
I went through a similar issue after hitting an elk. There were multiple “under the surface” items like the fuse/junction box and charcoal canister that I just had to buy and replace myself to keep insurance from totaling the truck. The big ticket stuff, like body work and paint, insurance covered, but they made it clear to me that if the repair costs exceeded 70% of the value of the vehicle then they would total it. I couldn’t let that happen.
 
I went through a similar issue after hitting an elk. There were multiple “under the surface” items like the fuse/junction box and charcoal canister that I just had to buy and replace myself to keep insurance from totaling the truck. The big ticket stuff, like body work and paint, insurance covered, but they made it clear to me that if the repair costs exceeded 70% of the value of the vehicle then they would total it. I couldn’t let that happen.
Thanks for your input.

Suppose if my truck worths $20k. Obvious primay damage costs 5k, and the secondary non obvious damage from the same accident costs 6k to fix. What would be the best approach to convince insurance to pay 11k rather than 5k? The insurance will probably try to claim the 6k damage is unrelated or preexisting. And a general mechanic not knowing Hundy details may not be too much helpful.
 
Thanks for your input.

Suppose if my truck worths $20k. Obvious primay damage costs 5k, and the secondary non obvious damage from the same accident costs 6k to fix. What would be the best approach to convince insurance to pay 11k rather than 5k? The insurance will probably try to claim the 6k damage is unrelated or preexisting. And a general mechanic not knowing Hundy details may not be too much helpful.
Unless you and your insurance have a pre-approved valuation for your 100 at $20k, be prepared for their value to be about half that. Therein lies the problem with the $11k scenario.
 
Unless you and your insurance have a pre-approved valuation for your 100 at $20k, be prepared for their value to be about half that. Therein lies the problem with the $11k scenario.
Thanks for the warning. The $20k number is just for ease of illustration. Suppose it's an 07 with 100k miles :D. I just don't want to have to end up paying the 6k from my pocket when i did nothing wrong:cry: Plus i may likely take the diminished value loss even if the truck get fully repaired.
 
Any good adjuster will be able to tell if the damage is related or not. But, be aware, although used prices for these trucks are high right now, insurance values haven't moved similarly, so all these things you're adding may push you over totaling the truck.
 
Thanks for your input.

Suppose if my truck worths $20k. Obvious primay damage costs 5k, and the secondary non obvious damage from the same accident costs 6k to fix. What would be the best approach to convince insurance to pay 11k rather than 5k? The insurance will probably try to claim the 6k damage is unrelated or preexisting. And a general mechanic not knowing Hundy details may not be too much helpful.
There is a comedy show called Schitts Creek. You may need to consider moving "up" there.
 
has it been to a body shop yet? with bent steering, is it drivable?
did the person who hit you have insurance? or are you using yours? do you have full coverage or under insured or uninsured coverage?
a good body shop will deal with the adjuster for coverage
some of the "hidden" damage could be near the fuse block, but some may be tough to prove it was working before hand
the more damage that is found could be bad as it will drive the price up to the point of no return
be prepared, whichever insurance will most likely want to total it.

go slow, don't rush it, the insurance companies want to get things cleared quickly, better if you have another rig or rental car coverage to extend things out.
 
has it been to a body shop yet? with bent steering, is it drivable?
did the person who hit you have insurance? or are you using yours? do you have full coverage or under insured or uninsured coverage?
a good body shop will deal with the adjuster for coverage
some of the "hidden" damage could be near the fuse block, but some may be tough to prove it was working before hand
the more damage that is found could be bad as it will drive the price up to the point of no return
be prepared, whichever insurance will most likely want to total it.

go slow, don't rush it, the insurance companies want to get things cleared quickly, better if you have another rig or rental car coverage to extend things out.
Thanks for the advice. It hasn't been to any shop yet. No longer drivable. Fortunately i have a small car to commute with in the meantime. I don't have the collision damage coverage, so have to rely on the other party's insurance which is valid.

So It sounds like i should shop around body shops instead of mechanics for assessment? Will the body shop know enough about suspension, steering/front end, ahc, electronics etc? I thought they only specialize in paint and body work.
 
I don't have the collision damage coverage
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If you are in the SF area (per your handle), you may want to duck into your local Clubhouse and get local suggestions/recommendations.
 
Thanks for the advice. It hasn't been to any shop yet. No longer drivable. Fortunately i have a small car to commute with in the meantime. I don't have the collision damage coverage, so have to rely on the other party's insurance which is valid.

So It sounds like i should shop around body shops instead of mechanics for assessment? Will the body shop know enough about suspension, steering/front end, ahc, electronics etc? I thought they only specialize in paint and body work.

not sure how your state laws are, here we can use any body shop of our choosing for repairs, not what the insurance company chooses.
has the insurance company contacted you yet?
the insurance company should send an adjuster to check it out first
what are the laws in your town for a damaged rig on the street? be cautious, the town could tow it
the insurance company wants to pay the least amount possible, this is where the waiting game comes in

getting comps of comparible rigs close by will help your cause, you will need to do this as the company is not working for you,
same year similar mileage, similar wear, etc
new tires, special rims, add on bumper, big roof rack, high end stereo, etc, do not add value to what the insurance company will appraise the rig for

how about some pics?
what year rig is it?
 
How can i prove these secondary but costly damages are caused by the same accident and should be covered?

Almost impossible to “prove”. To get insurance to pay you at least have a couple options though:

1. Have a repair shop diagnosis the cause as the accident. Most likely, repair shop will state it could have been the accident or it could have been something else, which will result in insurance not covering.

2. Get a lawyer who knows how to deal with insurance claims.

Probably go with option 2 before trying option 1.
 
Thanks for the advice. It's a stock 07 with somewhat high mileage but everything up to date. I'll explore the option with insurance attorney.



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Given that damage, it may make sense to find an undamaged Hundy and take prolific pics of the FL corner of both rigs. Minus filth, if both pics don't look the same, assume it's broken on your rig. Start a spreadsheet of parts that appear damaged. Don't forget the details like fasteners, clips, etc.

Also pay super close attention to evaluate the hood to fender gap and alignment. If that is even tweaked slightly, it becomes another level of expense to fix it properly.
 
Also pay super close attention to evaluate the hood to fender gap and alignment. If that is even tweaked slightly, it becomes another level of expense to fix it properly.
Truth. The fender apron can be pulled back straight only so much. If the apron has wrinkles or anything like that, it probably will have to be cut out and a new one welded on.
 
It doesn't look that bad mechanically. New bolts for the tie rod bracket, probably a new ABS sensor harness and sensor.

I would consider carrying collision in the future as the value on these has gone up quite a bit; but its of course your decision in the end what to carry for coverage. I think the last Insurance Institute statement was that one in eight US drivers is uninsured. Crazy.
 
Hello! My cruiser was hit hard by a drunk driver on driver side front wheel when parked. The quarter panel is bent, tie rod, control arm, steering knuckle, steering rack, cv axle etc probably need replacement. These are what I'd call "normal" from an accident on this part of the truck.

But beyond that, headlight on passenger side stopped working, ahc pressure off, windows not rolling up as fast among some other seemingly not directly related issues also show up now. How can i prove these secondary but costly damages are caused by the same accident and should be covered?
Thanks!
I work for a body shop part of TD insurance as a Production Manager.
All I can say is complain to your adjustor, they will make it happen.
The only thing that insurance will not take care will be the windows going up slower than before, its close to impossible to relate it to the accident. The shop can lube the tracks buts that's it. Did they use a used door? Was the door damaged? I imagine they had to paint the door but the glass or regulator doesn't have to come out.
If you provide more info about the repairs I can help out.
 

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