My truck was hit, and damaged, I have Tesla insurance. Any thoughts on what my future holds

[eswimm]

That's a dumb way to use insurance. You're paying for their staff and lawyers, use them.

-Crissa

Not only that, but you have certain agreements with your insurance that you don't have with the other party's insurance, such as appraisal clauses (agreement to use a 3rd party appraisal if you don't agree on the repair costs).

I never file through their insurance, always mine. My vehicle gets fixed correctly and my insurance goes after the other party. I'm out my deductible until the claim is subrogated, but I get it back out of whatever my insurance recovers. If the other party doesn't have enough coverage, not my problem. You do have to go after the other party for diminished value and in that case I also inform my insurance that I'm claiming diminished value and that I expect to be made whole first.

When my X was rear-ended, repairs were $57k, my insurance covered $56.5k, I claimed for diminished value and got awarded $10.5k, the 2 insurance companies went back and forth on the subrogated claim and settled on $47k for repairs (meaning my insurance paid what it cost to fix my vehicle without me having to fight them, their insurance would have shorted me $10k). The at fault party only had $37.5k in coverage, I got $11k of that ($10.5k DV + $500 deductible), my insurance got the remaining $27.5k and my under-insured motorist coverage took the remaining hit.

Through the entire process, I used a 3rd party appraiser to represent the value of my vehicle to both insurance companies to maximize my return, costing me $550.

If you have a bad insurance agent, they may tell you to file with the other party to avoid paying your deductible. Don't. I've always told them the same thing, I pay you, not them.

EDIT: And if it comes up, your insurance rates don't go up for filing through your insurance, unless you were at fault. EDIT, EDIT: Or in a no-fault state, I guess.

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[CarMan ElecTruck]

Teamsters License plate frame… good luck with that.

 

[NotMyTruck]

GTFO - this is totaled?!?

 

[REM]

Not a mechanic, so grain of salt...but it seems like the SUV pushed the rear quarter against the tailgate, which pushed the other rear quarter. I think this is all cosmetic. 2 new rear quarters, new tail gate/skin, maybe some inside bits/lights. Annoying but fixable.

Agreed. The other body shops said "frame" because they probably don't understand how the castings are connected to the body panels.

 

[REM]

Not only that, but you have certain agreements with your insurance that you don't have with the other party's insurance, such as appraisal clauses (agreement to use a 3rd party appraisal if you don't agree on the repair costs).

I never file through their insurance, always mine. My vehicle gets fixed correctly and my insurance goes after the other party. I'm out my deductible until the claim is subrogated, but I get it back out of whatever my insurance recovers. If the other party doesn't have enough coverage, not my problem. You do have to go after the other party for diminished value and in that case I also inform my insurance that I'm claiming diminished value and that I expect to be made whole first.

When my X was rear-ended, repairs were $57k, my insurance covered $56.5k, I claimed for diminished value and got awarded $10.5k, the 2 insurance companies went back and forth on the subrogated claim and settled on $47k for repairs (meaning my insurance paid what it cost to fix my vehicle without me having to fight them, their insurance would have shorted me $10k). The at fault party only had $37.5k in coverage, I got $11k of that ($10.5k DV + $500 deductible), my insurance got the remaining $27.5k and my under-insured motorist coverage took the remaining hit.

Through the entire process, I used a 3rd party appraiser to represent the value of my vehicle to both insurance companies to maximize my return, costing me $550.

If you have a bad insurance agent, they may tell you to file with the other party to avoid paying your deductible. Don't. I've always told them the same thing, I pay you, not them.

EDIT: And if it comes up, your insurance rates don't go up for filing through your insurance, unless you were at fault.

Absolutely spot on. You must have worked insurance before, or know someone who does?

 

[eswimm]

Absolutely spot on. You must have worked insurance before, or know someone who does?

I haven't, but I utterly hate haggling and I know when I don't understand a system well enough to navigate it to maximum advantage. A reputable 3rd party appraiser is money well spent when dealing with insurance, even to keep your own insurance company in check. My insurance wanted to total my X originally, it wasn't until my appraiser produced comps for my unicorn of a configuration that they acknowledged the value of my 2016 Model X P100D w/ AP2 (most 2016s had AP1), FSD and Free Supercharging meant it had to be fixed (some might have preferred totaled, but NC is purely 75% of actual cash value).

 

[eswimm]

Agreed. The other body shops said "frame" because they probably don't understand how the castings are connected to the body panels.

Not only that, but the concept of frame damage is dated with these castings and even to some extent the earlier Teslas with frames that can be cut and repaired. As long as the core is still true, you either unbolt and replace or cut off and weld a new section. It all comes down to the cost to repair. My Model X had rear frame damage and the shop simply cut off and replaced the damaged sections of frame to Tesla's specifications. It drove like a dream and wore tires evenly until the day I traded it.

 

[REM]

I haven't, but I utterly hate haggling and I know when I don't understand a system well enough to navigate it to maximum advantage. A reputable 3rd party appraiser is money well spent when dealing with insurance, even to keep your own insurance company in check. My insurance wanted to total my X originally, it wasn't until my appraiser produced comps for my unicorn of a configuration that they acknowledged the value of my 2016 Model X P100D w/ AP2 (most 2016s had AP1), FSD and Free Supercharging meant it had to be fixed (some might have preferred totaled, but NC is purely 75% of actual cash value).

Ah, then you are smart enough to hire the expert who does know how to play the game. power move right there.

 

[Lasttoy]

Months in body shop. Maybe a year.
Tesla horrible with sending parts. I can't get spare tire kits I ordered in August. Other parts I ordered in September. Good luck

 

[koolio]

Not only that, but you have certain agreements with your insurance that you don't have with the other party's insurance, such as appraisal clauses (agreement to use a 3rd party appraisal if you don't agree on the repair costs).

I never file through their insurance, always mine. My vehicle gets fixed correctly and my insurance goes after the other party. I'm out my deductible until the claim is subrogated, but I get it back out of whatever my insurance recovers. If the other party doesn't have enough coverage, not my problem. You do have to go after the other party for diminished value and in that case I also inform my insurance that I'm claiming diminished value and that I expect to be made whole first.

When my X was rear-ended, repairs were $57k, my insurance covered $56.5k, I claimed for diminished value and got awarded $10.5k, the 2 insurance companies went back and forth on the subrogated claim and settled on $47k for repairs (meaning my insurance paid what it cost to fix my vehicle without me having to fight them, their insurance would have shorted me $10k). The at fault party only had $37.5k in coverage, I got $11k of that ($10.5k DV + $500 deductible), my insurance got the remaining $27.5k and my under-insured motorist coverage took the remaining hit.

Through the entire process, I used a 3rd party appraiser to represent the value of my vehicle to both insurance companies to maximize my return, costing me $550.

If you have a bad insurance agent, they may tell you to file with the other party to avoid paying your deductible. Don't. I've always told them the same thing, I pay you, not them.

EDIT: And if it comes up, your insurance rates don't go up for filing through your insurance, unless you were at fault.

Use your insurance to help with the situation. Your insurance will interact with the other insurance co.

 

[Crissa]

That would be fraud.

-Crissa

 

[IronJoe]

EDIT: And if it comes up, your insurance rates don't go up for filing through your insurance, unless you were at fault.

This as a blanket statement simply isn't true anymore. Rates have gone up 2-3x even with no claims, no tickets, no accidents and insurance companies are quicker than ever to identify higher risk drivers.

It's case by case, here in Washington State the insurance company I left last year started increasing rates even if you were not at fault. They deemed my wife "higher risk" because she was hit by another car while parked in a parking lot. Got everything on Tesla cam video, police report filed, claim was against the other driver's insurance, but we still got dinged. I have their response in writing.

IMHO its a ridiculous policy but insurance companies have been hurting ever since claims and repair costs skyrocketed during covid. These days I basically drive like I don't have insurance.

 

[eswimm]

This as a blanket statement simply isn't true anymore. Rates have gone up 2-3x even with no claims, no tickets, no accidents and insurance companies are quicker than ever to identify higher risk drivers.

It's case by case, here in Washington State the insurance company I left last year started increasing rates even if you were not at fault. They deemed my wife "higher risk" because she was hit by another car while parked in a parking lot. Got everything on Tesla cam video, police report filed, claim was against the other driver's insurance, but we still got dinged. I have their response in writing.

IMHO its a ridiculous policy but insurance companies have been hurting ever since claims and repair costs skyrocketed during covid. These days I basically drive like I don't have insurance.

Fair, likely some difference depending on state. NC is an at-fault state, your mileage may vary in a no-fault state.

 

[CyberGus]

These days I basically drive like I don't have insurance.

And yet, half of the Wham Baam perpetrators are uninsured.

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