I have to say that I feel insurance companies need to adjust the way they handle collisions with deer. My fiancée hit a deer with her car. Not only are they fixing a car (or at least trying to) that shouldn't be fixed, but she can't get any money for her injured back or for the diminished value of her car after being wrecked. Maybe we should sue mdc for inadequate control of the population. This happened on a busy street in the city, where the deer bolted out in front of her. She didn't even have time to react. It wasn't avoidable. Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
She's in pain. Nothing was broken, but a back doesn't need to be broken to cause pain for life (I know this personally). I'm hopeful that her pain is short-term, and I'm very glad she wasn't more injured. Only time will tell. What really bothers me is the insurance company is saying "hey, we're going to fix it", the body shop saying "it could take 8 weeks or more to fix", then the insurance co saying "well, you only have rental car coverage for 30 days", on top of the state of Missouri saying "you can't get diminished value for single vehicle accidents", and the state of Missouri saying "you can't sue for pain and suffering in single vehicle accidents". SOmething needs to be done about this, whether on the side of the laws/insurance, or the deer population. A rifle just got added to my short "to buy" list. Next year I'll be shooting every deer I see. The only positive to come of this is that she's ready to go hunting. I think she feels some payback is in order.
Yeah that car should definitely been totaled out. They are going to have to replace at least every body panel and support brace from the doors forward, radiator, probably some other engine components and god knows what else could have been bent or damaged that they won't find till months after the car is "fixed". What did the estimate come to? Most companies use somewhere around 70-80% of the cars value is considered totaled. If you can't get them to total it I would definitely get rid of it quickly. In my experience cars that have been fixed like this usually only offer headaches and misery. Hope your wife gets over her back pain quickly. Hopefully it was just a little sprain and will dissipate with some R&R. Good Luck.
The inital estimate was $9400, and I think that's way off (granted, I'm not a body shop guy). The exact words from Honda were "The insurance companies have to come back out 90% of the time and add to the intial". The engine compartment appeared to have been moved about 3 inches into the firewall. Also, the passenger side door doesn't open, yet shows no damage (sounds like frame work to me). The air bag deployed, obviously, so that's another big expense. Being that the cars "value" is about $18k, there's some room, but seriously, I'm going to insist the insurance company insures the work from any suprises. Getting rid of it quickly would be fine, except it'll have a diminished value, and will probably not be able to get what she owes. So, they're trying to screw us. I'm hoping that honda goes to bat for us, and makes sure everything gets fixed properly (or at least the estimate includes fixing it properly). I'm also going to call our broker on Monday and let them know I'm extremely unhappy. I have about 8 things insured through them, including my house and cars. That should give me some kind of bargaining power... I hope.. I wish I would've seen the deer, looks more like she hit a damn moose. Amazing how bad a 200lb animal can tear up a car when hit doing 55mph
So the estimate is no where near even 70 or 80 percent of the cars value. The insurance company is going to pay to repair the vehicle and also provide a rental vehicle for 30 days. That sounds like you are getting exactly what you were paying insurance for. As far as diminished value, that is your states decision, not the insurance companies. Also, the door not being able to open likely has nothing to do with the frame of the vehicle. Cars are designed to crumple in the front to lessen impact. The frame is likely fine. As far as wanting to sue everybody, that just sounds like part of the reason everybodys insurance rates continue to go up. Auto medical payments are available at whatever level you wish to buy that will pay for her back injury. I sympathize with your agent, his company is doing everything they promised by contract to do, and you are still going to complain. Good luck with that.
Exactly what I was thinking. Oh, and who exactly would you (th OP or his fiance) sue in a single vehicle accident with a deer? The deer's father and mother, for not keeping an eye on it and keeping it from crossing the road before looking both ways? Or are you wanting to sue the Department of Natural Resources for not letting everyone kill as many deer as possible? Look, I realize you're upset that your fiance hit a deer and her car got wrecked, but you can't just sue somebody or go out and kill every deer possible simply because you're angry. Talk to the insurance adjuster and let them know she injured her back in the accident and find out if her medical coverage will cover the doctor visits. She does have medical on her auto insurance, doesn't she? Does she have any health insurance coverage at work? See if the two insurances can combine to cover 100% of medical so she doesn't have to pay a deductible. Sometimes that's possible. But don't get angry at a deer for running out in front of the car and don't get angry at the state for not allowing hunters to kill every deer possible.
Glad your wife is OK and sorry about the car. ??? Was she speeding? Never seen a 55 mph speed zone in a city.
I haven't bought a salvage title car yet but, I know people that have and I wouldn't hesitate to also. That car is damaged bad but, I wouldn't say it is totaled. I would have to look at it in person to be able to tell one way or another. If it is going to a Honda dealership, it will be repaired right. Dealerships are notorious for over doing the estimate so that they have some wiggle room so to speak. It does suck that it happened though. I hope she recovers fine and has no longer term effects from it.
I was stationed in MO for about four years and that state is know to have suicidal deer.......Glad she is ok and will pray for a speedy recovery....
Greg, it's a 2 lane highway that has stoplights every 1/4-1 mile or so. It's lined with businesses and communities. It's in the middle of the city of Saint Charles, it connects it all. The speed limit is 55 mph on this road. The road outside my house is 45mph and it's next to schools and such. The area where she was involved in the accident has a shopping center on the one side, and a subdivision on the other. Me wanting my fiance to be provided a rental car for the entire duration of a repair that the insurance company insists on performing doesn't seem that unreasonable to me. We pay for rental car insurance for that reason. I'm not a body shop guy, but when doors stop opening when they aren't damaged, it sounds a lot like frame damage. Perhaps you're right, and it's not, again I'm not a body shop guy. Also, I think 55% is pretty close to 70%, mathmatically speaking of course. Especially considering that was the intial estimate. Me being upset at the overpopulation of deer in suburban areas doesn't seem that obtuse to me either. Sueing people is, generally speaking, the only way to propagate change in today's society. I live in a community where we see deer often, because we have a small area of woods and a field right across the street (maybe 1 acre). Last night I counted 17 deer in the field next to my house. The field is surrounded by a college, several 45mph roads, and is in highly populated area. Yet, we can't hunt these deer, because our city ordinances prohibit hunting. Still, MDC does nothing to decrease these deer numbers, and I feel they should. Sorry if our views are different. I guess some people here think you shouldn't complain about things. Sorry, I do, and I will continue to. Insurance rates go up because of greed, not because of lawsuits. Go take a look at insurance companies' compensations, and annual profits. I thought it was obvious who I was implying we'd sue for the single car accident morgan: The insurance company. Do you think the insurance company really has your best interest in mind? They're out to make a profit, and yes they will do things for that reason, even if they aren't the "right" thing morally. I also can't help to think that you've never been injured. Medical bills aren't the only thing. Once you get fixed, that doesn't mean you are "fixed". God forbid, if you had an accident and couldn't work your two jobs, and couldn't go to school. Your perspective might just change. I hope you get to remain oblivious.
You are getting every bit of the rental coverage that you purchased. If that is not sufficient, buy more coverage for the next time. If your company doesnt provide higher coverage options, find one that does. Again, you are getting 100 percent of what you paid for. Seems fair to me. Saying that 55 percent is close to 70 percent mathematically is like saying you could use the same sight pin on your bow from 55 to 70 yards. Really not very close is it? Also, it would probably take closer to 80 or 90 percent damage of vehicle value to total. The gap from 55 percent to 85 percent is huge. Would you sell your car for 55 or even 70 percent of its value? No. So why should an insurance company play by different rules? And yes, the reason rates continue to go up is precisely because of lawsuits. I will never get the mentality of wanting to sue an insurance company that is fulfilling every aspect of the coverage obligation that you purchased. The accident is terrible and inconvenient, but the company is doing everything to fulfill its obligation to you and you want to sue them? I do hope she enjoys a full recovery from her injury. But, I really dont think sueing people is the only way to "propagate change". In fact that mentality is perverse to me.
The mentality that someone must be sued when YOU hit a deer with your car with no one else around on the road, is exactly what is wrong with this country these days. Sue the state for not controlling the deer population? lol Seriously?! I hope she makes a speedy recovery on her back, and gets her car back in a timely manner.
You're entitled to your opinion, but stop being naive. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2011/snapshots/10199.html 1.7billion in profits... you're right, they can't afford the lawsuits.
Just because someone can afford to be sued doesn't mean you have the right to do so. lol It wasn't a question of whether they can afford it anyway. It was a question as to why they raise prices. If they lose a $10 mil lawsuit, you think they are going to just eat that loss or bump prices across the board to keep the same bottom line on profits? Sure they make a boatload of money, if you have a problem with that, start an insurance company.
