Hey,
This is funny coming from me, someone who works in an insurance agency, but I've had my first accident a week ago, and I reported it to my ins. company. Do I have to get body work done on the car? Is there any way that they make out a check and I spend it on (for lack of a better word) anything? i'm thinking of buying a parts car and buying some mods with the money that the body shop would charge. The car would be fixed, but I don't know if this is at all possible. I really don't want a body shop to do it, because the paint won't match, and it would be money wasted in my opinion. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
-Freddy

 

Well who's fault was it in the first place?

 

mine - I have full coverage though.

 

Did you file a police report on the accident? My insurance company allows me to choose my own body shop, I just have to tell them who it is. I bring in the estimate to them and they send out the claim to the parant HQ.

If the insurance company cuts a check to the body shop, then it is their check and they would have consent. If the insurance company cuts you a check, then you are technically suppost to use it towards getting the car fixed. BUT, if its cut to you, then its really your choice. Most of the time, they will make the check to the policy holder unless the car is totalled and there is still a lean against the vehicle in question.

 

i had to get the work done to my car b4 i could do anything with my check. the check i recieved from them had my name and the name of the insurance co. on it.

 

I received a check directly from the insurance company when I needed body work done on my old car. The accident wasn't my fault...im not sure if this makes any difference.

 

They will cut a check to you after they do an estimate. Unfortunatley I know this from several experiences.

 

You still have to pay a deductible right?

 

If you have to pay a deductible you might want to rethink if its worth it to just fix it at your cost (if at around the cost of the deductible )or have your insurance rates go up.

 

anytime i ended up with any insurance work i always played it as i was undecided as to which body shop i was taking my car to and each time i had a checked issued to me. since they didnt have a body shop to assign the check to it was mine to spend as i felt appropriate.

 

When my car was hit on the street (it was parked, old man hit it) he found me and gave me his insurance info.

His company cut me a check and I didn't get it fixed (this was awhile ago, it was an '88 camaro and he scuffed the corner, only scratched paint a little and ripped the bra.)

My mom sewed the bra, and I pocketed the $1100 check.

It might make a diff if it's your own company, they may want to ensure you're using that money to fix the car...

 

I can't understand why you wouldn't just fix the car. Since when are you a body repair and paint expert? Paint is very easy to match these day as its all computerized. I have had my Black Emerald matched before with no problem whatsoever.

 

If you own the car out right without any loans or lein holders on it the check will be in your name alone. But if you have a loan or lein holder on the vehicle it may have your name and the name of the lein holder on it. In which case some times it is nessary to have them inspect the vehicle or require a invoice from a body shop before they will endorse the check for you. For example Honda motor credit requires to inspect the vehicle before they will endorse, But Toyota only requires a invoice from a body shop. It depends on the lein holder. It's probly better for you to repair the max Cause if you try to sell it damaged it's realy gonna hurt the resale value and besides who want to drive around in a smashed up car??

 

If it's factory paint, it is ordered from the factory. Custom paint is a different story. Sometimes the body shop will do stuff for you if your max has been customized. I got hit at an intersection with front end damage, they had to replace the hood, repair 1 fender, replace the other fender,bumper,grill and all front lights. I had grill mesh installed at the time and two side markers. They asked me where I got the side markers cause they were going to replace them even though it was after market, they redrilled the hole in the fender for me to my specs and even reinstalled the grill mesh better than I did initially, I thought all that was pretty cool. One thing to think about is to intercept the accessor or talk to the body shop and if you have any after market damage get the prices so it can be included in the accessment, not sure if it'll work but it's worth a try, your going to pay a higher premium anyway, might as well get what you need out of it.

 

i just think that it's better to get a parts car, replace the parts myself, and part it out. My car wouldn't have any downtime, unlike a body shop, and I don't know what they would be doing to my car in there....i've heard some horror stories...plus there wouldn't be any hidden fees, if I have all the parts I'd need to work with.

I just want to know how to get the check under my name, instead of a body shop's. I would definitely use the money towards fixing the car, so there would definitely be an end result.

 

you guys just remind me i need some repairs in my rear bumper....so ......gas until 30mph... gear into neutral (SEAT BELT ON AND HANDS ON STEERING WHEEL)...here it comes the e-bark.... oooops....Iam crazy cuz the guy behind me hit me and scratched a little bit more my bumper...oops new paint job and new bumper. ... j/k