Should i claim insurance?

[caineroad]

I have a couple of 'injuries' on my car, but i am only going to keep the car for another 2 years then I will sell it. Is it wise to wait until the last month and fix all the injuries and claim insurance all at once?

I hit the side of a pole in a car park and scratched the side of the car, also the windshield is cracked but is small I think it can hold longer. The antenna broke off and has a slight dent on the roof where it attaches to the base of the antenna.

Last problem is theres one headlight(small) blown and the tech said if I am going to replace it might as well replace everything in the car as the labour would cost the same.

So all those problems could I claim them all at once before I sell it? I am currently in my 1st year of the policy

I think the total would cost
windshield $700
body work $1100
antenna $500
lights $180

so total around $2500, and im paying $1500/yr for insurance
thanks!

[41magmag41]

I'd make the claim, you're paying the insurance to take care of items like this why not use it. I believe that most insurance companies won't fix an item if it's past a 60 day mark on the claim. They will want to know why you waited so long. Do you have a high deductable on the policy and have you had a lot of claims in the past is also another issue.

Better to take care of them now then wait to the last minute, besides it you wait another year or two the cost might be more to repair the issues. Just my 2 cents worth.

[mazilla]

If you're going to do that, drop your deductible down to 0 or 50.00(like me) first. Give it a couple of months, then make your claim...a couple of months later increase your deductible if you want to save those couple of dollars again.

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by mazilla

If you're going to do that, drop your deductible down to 0 or 50.00(like me) first. Give it a couple of months, then make your claim...a couple of months later increase your deductible if you want to save those couple of dollars again.

wow haha nice trick! they wont suspect you are going to make a claim soon if you suddenly drop the deductible lol? besides I have paid the whole year already($1500)

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by 41magmag41

I'd make the claim, you're paying the insurance to take care of items like this why not use it. I believe that most insurance companies won't fix an item if it's past a 60 day mark on the claim. They will want to know why you waited so long. Do you have a high deductable on the policy and have you had a lot of claims in the past is also another issue.

Better to take care of them now then wait to the last minute, besides it you wait another year or two the cost might be more to repair the issues. Just my 2 cents worth.

I can just tell them I had all the injuries in one week?? like monday i got the crack, Wednesday i hit the pole and saturday the dent on the roof and antenna? no? cuz I am afraid if I make too much claims (this is 3 claims,right) they will increase my premium next year so if I wait until the last year I can avoid this.

I had no previous claims before and my deductible is $500

[WeeYari]

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suck it up and pay for the repairs.

I've worked in IT for an insurance company for 19 years and am married to a licensed broker.

I just had her read this thread full of crap, and she is still on the floor laughing.

Do not take advice from an American. In Ontario, you cannot lower a deductible to less than $300.

Your door damage, which is an at fault will haunt you with rate increases. You cannot wait to file. Any adjuster will be able to tell whether or not something that has damaged body panels is recent, or prior unreported damage.

...the list of stupidity and miss-information be tossed about here goes on and on and on...

[auxmike]

Ins. won't cover a blown bulb and it would never cost $180.

$700 for the windshield?

$500 for the antenna fix? You can get a shorty honda S2000 unit for $20.

I think your projected estimates are way too high...

[SailDesign]

Bottom line is that if you HAVE insurance, why the fcuk would you NOT claim immediately? That's just throwing $$ at the insurance companies and expecting nothing in return...
Just my 0.02

[WeeYari]

^ His biggest problem is hitting that pillar. Other stuff are comp claims which pretty much equal his deductibles.

Hitting the pillar, where he lives, is considered an at fault claim. Sure he can file, but as I said, his subsequent rate increases will bite him in the a$$ for years to come.

Unfortunately the way the insurance industry has evolved, the only benefit to rate payers is the event of a not at fault collision.

[shima]

I just put an insurance claim in and got my passenger side repaired, was parked and it was really windy outside, passenger opened the door, and the wind ripped it out of their hands and into a light post. Had to argue w/ the insurance so they'd file it as no fault instead of at fault, but they did change it at the end of the day and I was good to go and it only cost me my deductible (500....but the repair work was 1,400 so that's a $900 savings for me)

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by WeeYari

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Do not take advice from an American. In Ontario, you cannot lower a deductible to less than $300.

Don't say you worked for 19 years, you are disgraced. Of course we can, my dad has his car with $0 deductible is a toyota matrix. I guess your insurance company doesn't do that, but mine does.

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by auxmike

Ins. won't cover a blown bulb and it would never cost $180.

$700 for the windshield?

$500 for the antenna fix? You can get a shorty honda S2000 unit for $20.

I think your projected estimates are way too high...

a blown bulb won't cost $180, is the labour that kills $106/hr at my toyota dealership, plus if I get one bulb replaced, might as well change other bulbs(interior) hence the extra cost

$599 + 13%tax is the windshield = $676 here

$500 for the antenna, yes please check the price of the base where it connects the antenna to, that's the most expensive part. That was the part that is broken off.

total seems right to me, I got all quotes from dealership

[DMZ]

Originally Posted by mazilla

If you're going to do that, drop your deductible down to 0 or 50.00(like me) first. Give it a couple of months, then make your claim...a couple of months later increase your deductible if you want to save those couple of dollars again.

Be careful. Adjusters aren't that stupid and you could be criminally charged with fraud for stuff like that.

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by SailDesign

Bottom line is that if you HAVE insurance, why the fcuk would you NOT claim immediately? That's just throwing $$ at the insurance companies and expecting nothing in return...
Just my 0.02

Your bottom line might be different.... if you make a claim now your premium would go much higher next year especially with two at fault claims that we discussed here. That means you are still throwing $$ at the company with no return.

Insurance company will always make money, unless you cancel the policy after the claims you will always lose money otherwise they won't be in business.

[caineroad]

Guys

I never claim insurance before, so I am not sure how that works.

I was thinking I just report it to the insurance company, they acknowledge. Then bring in the repair receipt and maybe snap a few pictures of the damage then they will honour you whatever after your deductible. How would they know if it is a recent damage or a year back honestly?

Right now I think I can claim the windshield because it was not at-fault, i was on highway and a small rock hit my windshield. But the rest I am not sure hence I am asking on this forum to see what's the best thing to do, since insurance is insurance at the end of the day I can make claims on any damage to the car but how to do it right, that is the question:)

[DMZ]

Originally Posted by caineroad

Guys

I never claim insurance before, so I am not sure how that works.

I was thinking I just report it to the insurance company, they acknowledge. Then bring in the repair receipt and maybe snap a few pictures of the damage then they will honour you whatever after your deductible. How would they know if it is a recent damage or a year back honestly?

Right now I think I can claim the windshield because it was not at-fault, i was on highway and a small rock hit my windshield. But the rest I am not sure hence I am asking on this forum to see what's the best thing to do, since insurance is insurance at the end of the day I can make claims on any damage to the car but how to do it right, that is the question:)

The windshield they will usually pay, no questions asked.

Other damage will be assigned to a claim adjuster, who contracts his services to different insurance companies. He will come out and take a look at the damage and research the cost. If the damaged was cause by an accident, that meaning while the vehicle was moving, then he will need to have a accident report. Hopefully, you filed one with your company after the damage was incurred. If that was not done, I am not sure where it goes from there.

He needs that report so he can make a accurate assessment of the damage you are claiming. It helps prevent fraudulent claims. Good claim adjusters are good at spotting things that do not seem make sense. In other words, it is very hard to try and get over on them, after all they assess damaged autos for a living.

After the adjuster looks at the auto, he will contact you within a week or so with a settlement. If you do not agree with his offer, there is some room to negotiate, but not much.

[SAV912]

Originally Posted by caineroad

a blown bulb won't cost $180, is the labour that kills $106/hr at my toyota dealership, plus if I get one bulb replaced, might as well change other bulbs(interior) hence the extra cost

The insurance is not going to cover blown bulbs. Lightbulbs, like tires, belts and all other maintenance items are considered wear items. Buy the tiny parking light bulb (any 194 wedge will do), pop your hood, replace the bulb and you'll be done with that. Savings of $178 and your insurance won't be at as much risk of going up in the future for 'bogus' claims.

The dealership is, like most anything else, a business. They charge you for an hour of labor to do two minutes of work. Moreover, if this was an expensive car, I'd understand your concerns, but filing claims like this at the end of 'planned' ownership on a Yaris is not going to net you coming out ahead in the long run. A Yaris in good condition in two years might sticker for $6500 or so, vs one with some bumps and bruises for $5000. I guess in your case it would depend on the severity of the roof and door dents. Are they relatively minor or what? From what it sounds like, I wouldn't bother at all with claiming on insurance at the other end. It seems like an unnecessary risk. File as soon as they happen, if it's that big of a deal.

-C

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by SAV912

The dealership is, like most anything else, a business. They charge you for an hour of labor to do two minutes of work. Moreover, if this was an expensive car, I'd understand your concerns, but filing claims like this at the end of 'planned' ownership on a Yaris is not going to net you coming out ahead in the long run. A Yaris in good condition in two years might sticker for $6500 or so, vs one with some bumps and bruises for $5000. I guess in your case it would depend on the severity of the roof and door dents. Are they relatively minor or what? From what it sounds like, I wouldn't bother at all with claiming on insurance at the other end. It seems like an unnecessary risk. File as soon as they happen, if it's that big of a deal.

-C

Got you! Only thing I wont replace the lightbulb is that the yaris HB has a really hard to get place to change the small bulb, i did this before and took me an hr and help from a friend. that's why they have to charge me an hr to do cuz it is not easy as the sedan.

the roof is not very bad, but like every dent it is obvious when I tell you there is a dent on the roof otherwise the next owner might not even spot it. As for the side of the car, there are at least like 40-50 light scratches, my car is silver and the scratches appears white, some have gone deeper so i got a touch up pen and fix every scratch to prevent rusting at the moment.