I got my nice new car smashed by a Sprint Van my question is where do i go about finding who to get a hold of about getting my money to fix my car. My second question is how hard is it to pull the driver side fender on a 90 RS Never pulled one before. I've got all the infoon the driver. The police filed a report, and they told me to file the claim with my insurance company. but i'm scared my insurance will go up. What should i do. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!

 

if it wasnt your fault your insurance WILL NOT go up...if it wasnt a moving volation on your part then it shouldnt go up...the other person,im assuming, hit you then their insurance will go up probably 10% of the total amount to fix your car...at least thats how much state farm told me about it just please whatever you do make sure you take your car to a very very good body shop & not one that does a rush job on it (been there,done that!! more then once ) sorry to hear about that! hope your ok & good luck on everything!!!!!

depending on how the insurance companys work where your at,they will probably have you go & get like 3 estimates & you choose whichever one you want....

the persons (that hit you) insurance company will give either your insurance company the check for the amount or they will give it to the body shop-however they do it

 

I got in tuch with a guy that handles Sprint's Accidents and the man said he talked with the man's superviser who hit me and he said to give him 3 estimates and Sprint will cut me a check. I've already found myself a fender and plan to fix it next weekend. seeing I can fix it myself, I'll have a nice little check to spend on the car. Camarogirl thanks for the info and the sympathy.

 

This Pic was taken on June 29 2003
Now The Front is scuffed up and the LF. Fender is totaled and the mirror is scuffed pretty badly.

 

geez i might as well go & get a job at the insurance company-lol

i know im the body shops best customer where i take my car too cuz everytime they turn around im in there for an estimate

this last time it was my dumb azz fault & i was in tears about the insurance going up cuz of my age & all that happy chitt & thats how i found out that itll go up 10% of whatever it costs to fix the other persons car....

in simple terms the guy that hit you,his insurance will go up 10% of what it costs to get your car fixed...just promise me youll take it to a very good body shop!!! good luck with everything!!

 

Depending on state laws, your rights vary, so everything I say may not be applicable to you.

1) You can take the car wherever you want, so find the best, most expensive shops in the area to get estimates. Even if you plan on repairing it yourself, don't shortchange yourself by getting cheap estimates (i.e. don't go to maaco or little shops. The guy that gives you the estimate shouldn't work on cars, he should just write estimates. Make sure they give you an itemized estimate too. That way it will show where parts come from and for how much)
2) Before you settle, make sure that you don't have any "hidden damage" The last thing you want to do is have them cut you a check for fixing the body damage, only to find a smashed frame rail when you go to fix everything.
3) Don't touch the car until you have a check in hand. The last thing you want to do, is give the other guy's insurance an estimate, have them sit on it for a few weeks and then say that it's too high. I had to wait almost a year before I finally got a check from Farmer's insurance. They kept "revising" the estimates I got to reflect what they felt was "fair" (read: 1/2 what it would cost to fix the car myself).
4)If they drag their feet, ask to talk to a supervisor. Threaten to contact the state board of insurance on them if they try to screw you. Basicly make it so that it's easier for them to give you more than they think they should than to fight with you over it. Remember, you don't have a cadillac escalade, your car is relatively cheap to repair, so a difference of $500-1000 isn't a big drop in the bucket for these people. But they'll act like it is.

That's about it, good luck. hopefully you'll get faster result than I did.