poohlikeshunny

I am so pissed right now...I just got into a fender bender during rush hour on I76 in PA 9highway of death)...here's the scenario: The car in front of me slammed his brakes so I did the same and I just narrowly miss hitting him. So at this point my car is still OK. Seconds later I look up into the rearview mirror to see a woman looking down at her cellphone, and by the time she looks up it's too late and she slams into my car (not moving) at 35+mph. So she rams into me and I fly into the cavalier in front of me. Noone was hurt thankfully (except a minor injury to my thumb) and the cavalier and the camry that hit me drove away without any damage (the woman who hit me had a TINY scuff of my white on her blue bumper). I'll have pics to post shortly, but my rear bumper is scuffed lightly with some cracked paint, but my front bumper is marred and my hood has been pushed into the engine bay area...mechanically the car looks fine..it's the hood, bumper and fenders (headlights surprisingly ok). Although it looks kinda like the fan in front of the radiator is slightly knocked back...

I have two questions...this is my first accident, so I called my insurance and reported it, and then called her insurance to report it and got my claim # for the guy to come out on Monday to see it. Now do they look it over, give me an estimate and write me a check? And if they do, what should i do if they don't give me enough? I've never had to file a claim like this before so I do not know if they will try to lowball me or not.

Second question, after I got hit, I was still in gear but could not go anywhere. And my brakes felt like they seized and were not working until I slammed the e-brake pedal. So I shut the car off, and turned it back on and everything seemed to work fine, brakes and all. No lights on the dash or anything...but is there anything I should worry about as far as the tranny not working and the brakes freezing for that brief moment? Any potential problems from the sound of it?

Bklyn02TypeS

glad to hear your ok, about the breaks, that happened to me before in my sisters galant, had to pull the ebreak and restart the car, there wasnt anything that was different from that point on, everything was in order. You should be fine!
Good luck with everything

poohlikeshunny

Thanx for the kind words! After you restarted that galant, did you ever have any problems with the brake or tranny later on? That's what I am worried about...I hope my essentials are ok...

Bklyn02TypeS

no problem . With the breaks there wasnt a problem, I remember getting off the road and stopping the car and just taking in what had happened, after that started it up and went about my business. I remember testing the breaks to make sure it wouldnt lock up on me or do something it wasnt suppose to do.
The tranny, well the car had a lot of miles close to 200k(when the tranny died), the tranny went on the car some time afterwards like 30-40k miles later but im sure that was because of the miles on the car.

I think some other people can give better input as far as the tranny, but from my experience there wasnt any problems.

poohlikeshunny

good to know bklyn02types...makes me feel better. Have you or anyone had experiences with loaners? would the other party's insurance pay for a loaner for when the car is in the shop? Or do I go thru mine and pay for it myself?

timberland73

iTrader: (1)

Get a quote from a body shop. They'll get with the insurance company and find out how much it'll cost to repair it. More than likely the insurance company will write you or the bodyshop a check for the amount of the repairs.
Glad to hear that you're ok!
Don't worry, things will work out.

dreem1er

iTrader: (2)

glad to see your ok......and the insurance thing don't worry about it since its her fault her insurance has to cover it not only your car but the one that see forced you into and give a loaner while your car is getting fixed......get on the phone with her insurance and tell them you had an accident with someone thats under their policy and that you need a rental....once you get a claim # leave the car in a shop and tell them to look at it there....or you can get a few quotes fight the adjuster yourself then go to a shop and get it fixed for less and pocket some money......

peredoz

Yikes! Things will work out with the isurance, but it's still a bummer to have your car sandwiched.

mcflyguy24

Try to use Acura OEM parts only. Some insurance companies like to throw around the terms such as, "like quality", ect. And then pay for lesser quality replacement parts or leaving you with the difference to pay. Only some though and I'm not sure which, my grandfather was a claims adjuster and taught me a few things about these situations. Anyhow, sorry to hear about your car, it'll work out for ya in the end. This is why I hate the schukyll expressway! There's an accident there almost everyday of the year it seems.

dreem1er

iTrader: (2)

mcflyguy24 not only will some insurance companies do that but just about every shop will try that shit too.....any money they cut off the top they keep.....they why you can't pay them until the job is done right.....

poohlikeshunny

Yeah, I'm worried about not getting rippde off here...also, since the accident happened in rus hour traffic, we had to get off the highway so we didn't get hit by cars not paying attn to the accident in front of them. so we moved and exchanged info, and when I went to call the police to file the report I was told that since noone was hurt and everyone drove away that it was an unreportable accident. Is this true?> Because I dont want the woman to end up saying it was my fault in anyway...

poohlikeshunny

Here's the pics from the accident...based on everyone's experience, howm uch should I expect to be quoted? From what I can tell, no mechanical damage except for the fan in front of the radiator being pushed in a little bit...car still starts and runs fine from what I can tell for now...

OntarioTL

Wow! looks like the deja vu from my own accident a few years back!


It cost me 5k for my little accident, and that was in CDN funds...so yours will be a little cheaper. Looks like your headlights can be saved...but the hood has to be replaced and most likely the top crossmember. Bumper shell probably could be saved too.

poohlikeshunny

holy crap...5k? so thats like what, closer to 3500 US? (I'm hoorible at math and numbers...pls forgive me...not all asians are math whizzes...lol) Headlights seem to be perfectly fine, but if I can manage to get a few xtra bucks I would like to get some projectors in there anyway...hahaha...it's awesome that you posted your pic. I know people get into accidents all the time, but it is kinda comforting to see that someone got into a similar one and came out alright. So did the other party's insurance take care of everything for you? rental too?

OntarioTL

It depends were you get your bodywork done....but 3500 sounds about right. They had to replace my rad and condenser too....its not just the parts....but the labour as well you have to figure in.
Where I live its no fault insurance....so my own company paid for it..and my coverage has rental car too. Best 9 bucks a month spent.

poohlikeshunny

I don't think I have no fault insurance...doesn't appear on my statements anywhere. I am not sure who I should ask to cover my rental...how long did it take for your car? I'm trying to get some days off of work to take care of this but I am not sure how long this kind of work will take. Hopefully either one of the two companies will give me a rental.

Trackruner228

iTrader: (1)

Well if she rearended you and that caused you to hit the person in front of you shouldnt they have to pay for all the damange since it was there fault?

poohlikeshunny

That's what I figure, but I've dealth with so many sheisty people that I am not so sure anymore...especially since there is no police report.

OntarioTL

Was there any report done? Your state might not have no fault insurance....it was a law that was passed here. I think my car took 3 weeks as a part (crossmember) was on backorder from Japan.
As for your insurance questions about rental and such...you should be talking to your insurance broker or provider for those answers...not the forum community. Everyone has different types of policies.

poohlikeshunny

The state police refused to make a report because they said that it was an unreportable accident since everyone was fine and was able to drive away. as for the insurance questions, I am asking the community for ideas because I called my insurance and they told me that the other party's insurance would handle everything and I had to call them. So I called them and they told me they would file the claim and get an adjustor out there, but since there was no official report, that's all they would do. And when I called my insurance back to tell them that, they said "sorry, but that's what the claim number is for". So I had called the other party's insurance today and told them what I was told by my carrier, and all I got was the adjustor would inspect your car first. Everytime I asked them if they would cover my rental, they just kept telling me that is something I have to sort out with my own provider...so I am hella confused, and since the other party's insurance keeps going around my question, I am lost until I can talk to the adjustor on monday...I am very disappointed with how both Unitrin and Safeauto are handling my accident.

mcflyguy24

^ In Pa every accident is reportable and every party can be held for partial-fault, non-reportable just means the police don't send their report directly to the insurance companies. The insurance companies have to get them from the police upon request. The reason you get a report done no matter how bad the accident was, is because if someone tries to lie about anything the statement is already given to the police when the accident occurs. Those cops were being lazy, and it's actually not uncommon of them in no-injury accidents to do that. I had a cop try that on me once before when i got rear ended by some rich cunt on RT.30. I told him, that I know I have a right to file a non-reportable for insurance purposes and he just got all flustered and hesitant, but he did the report. We both had the same insurance co. too (Travelers) and they said it was a good move on my behalf to do that. I just kept remembering my Grandfather telling me always get an accident report no matter what, along with countless other things when I first learned to drive. He was an adjuster himself and has seen some really bad accidents along with lots of attempted fraud.

dreem1er

iTrader: (2)

thats some shit.....i've been in a few accidents and they never tell me anything......since your crash is the other person fault once you call that person's insurance and they give you a claim # they will usually get an account of what happened from the drivers involved, whats good in your case is that there is two driver's that are gonna say that it was caused by that person.....i had to tell my story like 5 times to different people over the phone because the ass tried to say that it was fault so they needed a bunch of statements and even recorded one of the statements.....since there is no report they are gonna try to hustle you so they don't pay for the damages to three cars......just fight it out with them and try to get the driver that you hit involved as well.....if it comes to sue whoever you have to......

poohlikeshunny

Thanx for all the good feedback guys! That info about the police report is very handy, unfortunately it's over 24 hours and I was told by the insurance that it had to be filed within that time...so hopefully the other woman didn't do anything about that either. I guess its very unlikely that they can try to blame me since I was the one who got hit from behind, right? The woman seemed nice enough, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was nice to my face and then told the insurance otherwise...good thing for full tort!

mcflyguy24

Hope it works out for ya man. I don't see why it wouldn't, the damage pretty much speaks for itself in this one, plus those witnesses will help.

AZN.M3NACE

man... sorry to hear bout the accident man.... i unfortunally was in an accident myself.. and your total damage cost is way less then mine... 12,800 $$$$$ with damage.... luckly not a total loss..

poohlikeshunny

ouch...azn.m3nace...that sux! I feel for ya! That's quite a crunch! Sounds like you came away fom that one quite alright though, so thats good! Good to keep all the a-tlers alive and well!

AZN.M3NACE

yeah... 3 cars were involved during that situation.. luckly we were in the right of way... and this person tries to make a u turn......... i just dont get it.. why do people want to cut in front.. i mean it makes it so its in a more dangerous situation...

poohlikeshunny

yeah man...some people are just idiots on the road and are very inconsiderate of the fact that they are to SHARE the road...but now the woman hadnling my claim with the other party's insurance is saying that the woman who hit me is not replying to their calls and emails about confirming that she indeed was the one who hit me! And it sucks I have to pay for towing and my rental until they can get a hold of this woman. If for any reason they say it's not her fault for rearending me, then I have to pya for all of the damages MYSELF!!! this is such total bs...

AZN.M3NACE

i would say hire a lawyer to deal with this... because my insurance company told me that encompass insurance co is really hard to deal with and that they dont take some claims whatsoever... and the next step that my agent told me to do is to hire a lawyer.. and i think 2-3 days ago, we recieved a check from encompass of 500$ for the deductable.. now they are taking all claims... =D.. thats a relief

poohlikeshunny

Oh yeah? So you hired a lawyer to call the insurance company? How much did that cost? Did it cost more to hire him than it did to get the check? So the company you ahd to deal with is called encompass? The one I am dealing with is Unitrin, and they haven't even started working on my claim yet..I am seriously considering this as the woman on the phone made it sound like it's likely they would not cover it because she is not liable..but she hit ME!!! I don't get this bs man...and now the freakin rental i got was a 2 door cobalt when I specifically aked for a four door that can handle my family, and they said no problem. They weren't suppose to even send a guy over and waste my money unless it was what i wanted, but lo and behold I get this tniy ass POS AND they tell me I have to pay for it all even though it's pretty worthless for me.

AZN.M3NACE

yea basically.. but we dont know how much we owe him yet because he is also going to help us get money for injuries... but i just dont understand some people.. they ignore calls because they dont think it is their fault.... that is just bs... its just going to cause even more problems...

BigLizard

that'll cost some where around 5-6 grand to fix. Here's mine from last year.

poohlikeshunny

damn...i was quoted 3167.97 for all of my damages...that seems kinda low compared to what I was quoted...man I hope I'm not getting lowballed. Good thing for full tort eh? hahaha...now greenmachine, was that including all the labor? Did your adjustor give you an estimate based on the parts AND labor?

BigLizard

It was mostly parts...BRAND NEW parts. The labor was a little less than a grand. I pleaded with my adjuster. He must of marked up my car a little higher. In the end he said it is worth almost 12k even with the high miles I have on it. 2001 CL-P, at the time of the crash I had around 112,xxx miles.

If the air bags popped I would have been out of a car.

AZN.M3NACE

i was quoted for about 12,800 total with labor and everything... now i gotta wait til may 8th until i can see the car... =(

poohlikeshunny

ouch..I feel for both of you guys...the body shop didn't even give me a date yet or even an approximation. Well, they told me between 1-6 weeks...what kinda estimate is that? So greenmachine, you pleaded with your adjustor to raise the value of your car? that's pretty cool of the person to do so...and yes, I am glad my air bags did not blow as well...or I would not have much of a car right now...even WITH the damages!