JMLS

Hi all,

Sadly just before Christmas I was involved in an incident with a deer. On my way home late in my '08 Z, the damn animal jump right out in front of me. Luckily everyone was ok (except for the deer) and I was able to drive the car home. The head light was smashed, the front bumper has stress fractures, the right inner apron and fiberglass liner were smashed and of course the fiberglass right front fender. In addition, my World Challenge Hood was fractured from impact with the deer's antlers.

My car is being worked on by Automotive Enterprises in San Carlos, CA (I've heard they do good work) but I am currently in battle with my insurance company over what parts they will cover. The hood has been on the car for a few years now and insurance co. was aware prior to the incident that I had an aftermarket hood. But now that I need to replace it, they are denying payment for a new world challenge hood and want to replace it with the stock OEM hood.

I've looked through CA law in regard to collision/comprehensive covering aftermarket parts. I've read that some states require 500-1000 in additional coverage within collision/comprehensive for aftermarket but I cannot find the exact literature in CA law.

Does anyone out there have any information that might assist me in my battle? I really feel like I'm getting screwed here!! My insurance was aware of the aftermarket hood, and the difference in value is nearly insignificant to the value of the car thus wouldn't really affect my premiums. In addition, I could have had them pay for a rental during the repairs (but I didn't) and that alone more than covers the difference in price. My family has been customers of theirs for 12 years with 6 cars (sometimes more) and I don't really feel like I'm being taken care of.

I am still trying to handle this issue by directly consulting insurance supervisors, but Im not very hopeful. So again any helpful information would be greatly appreciated!



**I removed insurance company's name

Dan_the_C5_Man

In your post you say fiberglass front fenders - the front fenders on a Corvette ZO6 are carbon fiber, not fiberglass. Furthermore, you may have an issue sourcing OEM carbon fiber front fenders - GM stopped making them, the only ones I know exist will be from a salvaged car. Good luck with your fight, I don't see why they can't just pay you the replacement value for an OEM hood and then you put whatever hood you want on it. Maybe painting is the issue, or additional labor - vollenteer to pay the difference.

stefuel

The right side parts including the wheelhouse might be hard to find. As stated, the right front fender is carbon fiber. Fiberglass reproductions are available and way cheaper then OEM but I don't think anyone does aftermarket wheelhouses

Is the car already repaired and you are just fighting over the bill or is the car in limbo? Interested to see how you make out with this.

cseaman

They owe you to return the car to the condition it was in before it was wrecked. Sounds like a pretty crappy insurance company. It shouldn't even matter if they "knew" about the hood. I had a car with a carbon fiber hood when I was a teenager that I wrecked, and it was no battle at all to have that replaced with USAA.

As a younger adult, I used to handle auto claims for USAA, including claims in the state of California. You're definitely getting the short end of the stick, and I'd probably look elsewhere for insurance.

Can also file a complaint with the Dept of Insurance. No insurer can ignore that. I'd be sure to get a copy of your insurance contract to make sure you're in the right/wrong, prior.

LawrenceFromTorrance

If they just pay for the OEM part then he's out the price difference. The insurance company should put the car back into the condition it was before the accident. If they knew he had and after market hood then they have accepted it as covered unless they specifically told him it wasn't covered.

ChevyCobb

Really? That blows.

Dan_the_C5_Man

Indeed, it does.. The wheel housing (the complex-shaped part that all this stuff bolts to) is also discontinued I believe..

I think over time we will feel some of the pain that exotic car owners do. Made by Chevrolet is not going to shield us..

injfuel

Ok so not to derail this thread but your saying it's impossible to get a new carbon fiber front fender from Chevrolet and they just quit making them on the 2013 model year barely 4 years ago ? That seems insane !!!!!!

JMLS

Wow, I didn't realize the front right fender was carbon fiber. Always thought it was fiberglass.

And the reason, I dont take the replacement value for OEM is because the World Challenge Hood that I have (and is currently wrecked) is more expensive than the OEM hood. So I would be out the difference in price to put my car back to the condition it was in. I don't feel like that should be my responsibility since my insurance knew the car had an aftermarket hood and never said I would need extra coverage for it.

JMLS

The car is sitting at the shop disassembled. According to the shop all the parts are either in shop or on order, with exception to the hood. The insurance has authorized repair and replacement for everything except for the aftermarket hood. They only want to cover the tab on an OEM replacement.

I'll continue to post what happens. I'm sure there are a lot of Vette owners out there that have aftermarket parts (and expensive ones) that this might concern if they are ever in a wreck. And like I said, my insurance knew I had an aftermarket hood and never said I needed to declare it.

JMLS

That's good info. I have a big name insurance provider. I'll look at my contract but I get the feeling the language regarding aftermarket parts assumes the aftermarket parts are cheaper than OEM since that's the language used CA law. I'll also look into filing a complaint if they continue to run me in circles.

Dan_the_C5_Man

I think we'd all be interested in hearing exactly what fenders they will use to replace your originals with.. Are they OEM from a salvaged car? Are they cheap, heavy fiberglass reproductions? I would insist on a used OEM part over a new fiberglass repo.

Unreal

Knowing about a hood, and covering it are two different things. If you are not paying extra for aftermarket part coverage, then most policies will return the car back to stock as intended.

Pony up the extra money for the difference and next time add the parts to the policy.

z06clif

I had a wreck last April and had no problem getting a CF fender. Problem is that only one company makes them. They make a certain number of them a month. If its available .....you got it. If they run out you wait. Thats the way it was explained to me.

Clif

injfuel

I'd be perfectly fine with that , thanks for the info as I'll literally sleep better now

nuke61

I'll second the pay the difference between stock and performance item. I hydrolocked a forged motor, and USAA said they'd pay X toward a replacement stock GM motor. Because the GM price was so high relative to aftermarket, I only ended up having to pay ~$500 on top of the deductible toward the forged (4340 crank, Compstar rods, etc.) replacement motor that's in my C5.

cseaman

I have only had USAA, and also worked for USAA (including receiving my adjuster's license from the TX Dept of Insurance), but I have literally never even heard of "aftermarket part coverage." Can you fill me in on this? Is this something your insurer sells you?

Unreal

It depends on which company. You can get stated value insurance, or added parts coverage. Some companies cover a certain amount with a basic policy, others do not. This is what you get this all settled before an accident to understand what happens if you get in a wreck and have $2-10k in extra work on your car.

cseaman

Sorry, you lost me.

Unreal

Understand the coverage of your aftermarket parts and upgrades before getting in an accident, because your policy may or may not cover them.