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Sitting at my desk, I got a call that a tow truck had hit my parked car. I desperately hoped that someone was playing a prank, but no.
Tow truck driver was in a hurry, did not set his brake, and his truck rolled into my C6.
Deep gouge across the nose, measures 16" long, 4" wide, 1/4" deep.
Speaking as a woman (because I am), I wanted to beat the crap out of him. Stupid F*&^%$#@ D@#$%^&*(. And I had to stand there and be polite.
On the plus side, he did stay and give his information. Because "it looks like a really nice car."
So. I honestly can't recall having an accident, so I haven't the faintest idea how to proceed. He called and made a claim with his insurance (Progressive) and gave me the claim number, but now what do I do? Should I call my insurance, too?
Oh, photo attached. I think it's blurry because my hands were shaking. Yes, I know in the grand scheme this is small stuff, but I'm still in the middle of "furious" and "cry."
Last edited by the kid C6; 10-25-2017 at 11:16 PM.
Sorry for your misfortune. That had to be miserable experience. At least no one was hurt and the driver is insured. I say contact your insurance company and have them deal with the other insurer. You should come out of this with your car as great as it was prior before this occurred. Good luck!
call progressive. Go to a good body shop that can match the paint. Ask for a rental car while the car is being repaired. I see little advantage calling your own insurance company.
You might consider getting a diminished value claim but since the damage is so minimal it might not be worth the hassle.
As already stated, call your insurance agent, give them the information and let them deal with it ... that's what you pay them for. Your insurance rates will not be affected and if they require you to pay the deductible, you will get it back. Some times, if your insurance company knows the other party is at fault, they will wave the deducible, mine has done so in the two accidents I've had where the other party was at fault and insured. Regardless, going through your insurance will help to insure your vehicle is fixed the way you want it (properly) and they will handle/contend with any issues the other insurance company may bring up. Often when you try to deal directly with the other party's insurance they will give you a hassle & and try to 'cheap out' on you and/or only authorize your vehicle be fixed at one of their 'approved shops'.
Clean Air Vehicle: "A vehicle that meets specified emissions standards may be issued CAV decals that allow the vehicle to be operated by a single occupant in the HOV (carpool or diamond) lanes of California's freeways."
My employer requests that employees park in the back, by the fence... these spaces happen to be marked "Clean Air Vehicle," even though the car dealership where I work does not manufacture clean air vehicles at this time.
"Clean air" is also a racing term. It amuses me to park there. Or, did.
I see little advantage calling your own insurance company.
.
100% Accurate. I just went thru this last month when a older gentleman backed into the door of my parked daily driver 2000 Deville. I just happened to be sitting in the car waiting on my girl in Costco. I took all his info and called HIS ins company (State Farm) and told them what happened. They called me back in one hour after they verified it and gave me a brand new Cadillac for a rent a car and set me up with a adjuster at my repair shop. I called my insurance (Liberty Mutual) and told them and they said there is nothing for them to do and to just keep dealing with HIS insurance company being he was totally at fault. HIS insurance (STATE FARM) could not have been nicer and agreed to everything I wanted without any hassle at all. They gave my body shop WHATEVER he wanted to fix my car.
As already stated, call your insurance agent, give them the information and let them deal with it ... that's what you pay them for. Your insurance rates will not be affected and if they require you to pay the deductible, you will get it back. Some times, if your insurance company knows the other party is at fault, they will wave the deducible, mine has done so in the two accidents I've had where the other party was at fault and insured. Regardless, going through your insurance will help to insure your vehicle is fixed the way you want it (properly) and they will handle/contend with any issues the other insurance company may bring up. Often when you try to deal directly with the other party's insurance they will give you a hassle & and try to 'cheap out' on you and/or only authorize your vehicle be fixed at one of their 'approved shops'.
I'm not 100% sure how or why things get reported to Carfax or the other car condition reporting companies, but if this...as minor as it appears....shows up as an accident it could cost you potential buyers at resale and will definitely reduce the trade or resale value of your car. That is why another member mentioned a diminished value claim. I don't want to bum you out. I'm just saying that if you are going to get a couple grand less when you go to sell then someone should give you a couple grand now to make up for that. Good luck.
Really, when my Camaro was rear ended, I went through my insurance. They waived the deductible, my rates didn't go up and I got my car fixed where and to the standards I wanted. In addition, when the other party's insurance company wanted to only pay to have the side panel cut and weld in a quarter panel, my insurance company stepped in and had them pay for a new OEM side panel. (On the new Camaros, it is a solid piece from just behind the front fender to the rear of the quarter panel).
call progressive. Go to a good body shop that can match the paint. Ask for a rental car while the car is being repaired. I see little advantage calling your own insurance company.
You might consider getting a diminished value claim but since the damage is so minimal it might not be worth the hassle.
No reason to involve your insurance co. You will get better results dealing directly with his insurance unless he denies responsibility. I say this as someone who has a half-dozen claims on other peoples insurances (they keep running into my cars in parking lots).
Diminished value for a C6 is no longer a real issue due to the age of even the youngest C6, so unlikely that you will get that.
Inform your own insurance company, but don't file a claim through them unless you have to. If you file through your own issuance, they will collect your deductible from the gross damage bill (may take up to a year to get it back), and a rental car is the at-fault insurance's responsibility and easier to deal with "the other guy".
Unless you are passive and just don't want to deal with it, don't do this through your own isuranse company if you are not at fault.
100% Accurate. I just went thru this last month when a older gentleman backed into the door of my parked daily driver 2000 Deville. I just happened to be sitting in the car waiting on my girl in Costco. I took all his info and called HIS ins company (State Farm) and told them what happened. They called me back in one hour after they verified it and gave me a brand new Cadillac for a rent a car and set me up with a adjuster at my repair shop. I called my insurance (Liberty Mutual) and told them and they said there is nothing for them to do and to just keep dealing with HIS insurance company being he was totally at fault. HIS insurance (STATE FARM) could not have been nicer and agreed to everything I wanted without any hassle at all. They gave my body shop WHATEVER he wanted to fix my car.
In some states (Oklahoma being one of them) you wouldn't want to involve your insurance co. or agent UNLESS your claim is denied. More than likely you will get treated fairly in this case. At least the damage was confined to one body panel, the bumper cover. OBD
No reason to involve your insurance co. You will get better results dealing directly with his insurance unless he denies responsibility. I say this as someone who has a half-dozen claims on other peoples insurances (they keep running into my cars in parking lots).
Diminished value for a C6 is no longer a real issue due to the age of even the youngest C6, so unlikely that you will get that.
Inform your own insurance company, but don't file a claim through them unless you have to. If you file through your own issuance, they will collect your deductible from the gross damage bill (may take up to a year to get it back), and a rental car is the at-fault insurance's responsibility and easier to deal with "the other guy".
Unless you are passive and just don't want to deal with it, don't do this through your own isuranse company if you are not at fault.
My wife, who just happens to be an insurance agent, would tell you the same thing. Call your agent and see what they have to say.
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I agree you had bad day for sure, but when it's time to sell the car, a CarFax report will show accident, and the value of the car just went down.
Once the repairs go with insurance companies and report is made, on your car.
I'll just offer some condolences and maybe some support.
Looks like the damage is purely the bumper cover and the car looks like black paint.
Might not be any damage to the parts behind the cover.
You might be in okay shape and still have a nice car.
FWIW: When replacing insure the clips at the headlight to bmr cvr are replaced...do a search notorious failure.
So new cover, new clips and maybe brackets, black paint, add clear bra later + rental car.
I would pursue diminish value as your car is now "marked" and non oem paint.
Your option to deal with their insurance or let yours handle everything.
If you're worried about the Carfax report (and getting less money at sale time) I would take a bunch of pictures and put them and the insurance reports in a folder somewhere and save them. This is minor damage and shouldn't have any impact on a potential sale, I know it wouldn't deter me from buying your car if everything else was in order. I't not like you have frame or mechanical damage, it's cosmetic and I'm sure will be fixed as good as new. Good Luck!
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
It is good to know that the tow truck driver stayed and took responsibility. At this point the insurance companies will sort out responsibility. Fortunately it was the bumper cover that was damaged with no panel damage. Good luck with the repair.
10-25-2017, 11:15 PM
Tow truck rolled into my parked C6
OBD
