My car was dinged in the parking lot, who pays?
#1
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My car was dinged in the parking lot, who pays?
So, I went to the parking lot after work to find a guys back door ajar and resting against my 8! Behind it was a decent sized ding and paint damage. The guy wasnt there and I had to go to the airport, so i left him a note, took pictures of the damage, his car door and his liscence plate and called my insurance.
I talked to the guy later and according to him somebody broke into his car, stole his stuff and must have hit my car with the door during the robbery. My question is, who pays in this instance? I've got a 1k deductable so i hope its not me!
Thanks!
I talked to the guy later and according to him somebody broke into his car, stole his stuff and must have hit my car with the door during the robbery. My question is, who pays in this instance? I've got a 1k deductable so i hope its not me!
Thanks!
#4
you should be able to file it through the same claim... assuming he is filing a claim.
otherwise, small dings are pretty cheap to fix via PDR...if it's a door ding, i can't imagine it being much more than $50
otherwise, small dings are pretty cheap to fix via PDR...if it's a door ding, i can't imagine it being much more than $50
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Right, that's part of my concern too. I was hoping maybe someone around here may have had some experience with this. I havent filed a police report and I m not sure if he has. There is paint damage down to the primer so its more than just a small ding. Going to get a quote tomorrow.
#8
Otherwise, I'd just fix it for $50 or live with it.
*edit, just read above post.
Take a picture of it, if it's down to primer it's gonna be a lot more $$ then you might think.
I'd try and find out if he's going to claim or not. As long as he's working with you, there shouldn't be a problem.
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That aside, because it's car on car damage, and even though nobody was in either car, it's still covered under collision and his insurance will likely cover me. Still have to wait and see about that one.
#11
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It also does not matter if he's going through his insurance...if he's at fault, he pays. It goes easier if he reports it to his insurance company.
The problem here is that the other guy claims this was all done by thieves. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but without witnesses or evidence victims can get screwed.
Ken
#12
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Well, this is a learning experience! Called my insurance and apparently my deductible on my comprehensive coverage is 1k as well! I don't remember signing up for that, but that just goes to show you that you really need to pay attention to what you're getting. I'm changing my policy now.
That aside, because it's car on car damage, and even though nobody was in either car, it's still covered under collision and his insurance will likely cover me. Still have to wait and see about that one.
That aside, because it's car on car damage, and even though nobody was in either car, it's still covered under collision and his insurance will likely cover me. Still have to wait and see about that one.
#13
I swear its a family car!
Incidents like this are why I keep a low comp. deductible. figure 'why am I gonna have the extra stress to pay a higher deductible for something's that not my fault?'
I keep our collision higher as a punishment for doing something stupid.
I keep our collision higher as a punishment for doing something stupid.
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Comprehensive is coverage that you pay for to cover your own car. It covers fire and theft, usually glass, and maybe vandalism. The other guy's comprehensive does not cover you.
It also does not matter if he's going through his insurance...if he's at fault, he pays. It goes easier if he reports it to his insurance company.
The problem here is that the other guy claims this was all done by thieves. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but without witnesses or evidence victims can get screwed.
Ken
It also does not matter if he's going through his insurance...if he's at fault, he pays. It goes easier if he reports it to his insurance company.
The problem here is that the other guy claims this was all done by thieves. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, but without witnesses or evidence victims can get screwed.
Ken
As far as his insurer is concerned, you are a third party claimant. As to his liability coverage, the terms of this will vary from policy to policy, but in general an auto liability policy will contain language to the effect that the insurer will cover injuries or damages "that an insured person is legally obligated to pay." If a thief actually broke into his car and that caused the damage to your own car, it's hard to see how he would be "legally obligated" to pay for your ding. Absent some unique aspect of California law (which I am not at all familiar with), you are probably out of luck.
That said, you probably should file a police report, and get a copy of the one he filed. If he did not file one, that casts doubt upon his claim that his car was broken into.
#15
The Professor
Its his word vs. your word.
Fact is you will never win a dime from his insurance company with any amount of pictures or whatever unless you get an unrelated 3rd party witness file a police report with you.
Fact is you will never win a dime from his insurance company with any amount of pictures or whatever unless you get an unrelated 3rd party witness file a police report with you.
#16
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Ok, just as an update, according to my insurance guy his collision will cover my damages. Things got a bit more interesting though. I gave him my insurance guy's number to contact about the situation. He calls him up and tells him that he believe that I stole stuff out of his car and that I may have been the one to break in in the first place!!!
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#18
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Ok, just as an update, according to my insurance guy his collision will cover my damages. Things got a bit more interesting though. I gave him my insurance guy's number to contact about the situation. He calls him up and tells him that he believe that I stole stuff out of his car and that I may have been the one to break in in the first place!!!
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Ok, just as an update, according to my insurance guy his collision will cover my damages. Things got a bit more interesting though. I gave him my insurance guy's number to contact about the situation. He calls him up and tells him that he believe that I stole stuff out of his car and that I may have been the one to break in in the first place!!!
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After I heard about this I filed a report with our security on base. This actually occured on federal property. Haven't filed a report with the police.
I am starting to wonder about this guy's break in claim. I've been making sure that the people i've talked to (security, insurance) understand that it is only a claim he's made and there's no evidence. He hasn't filed a police report either.
I am starting to wonder about this guy's break in claim. I've been making sure that the people i've talked to (security, insurance) understand that it is only a claim he's made and there's no evidence. He hasn't filed a police report either.
#22
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Follow Shaun's advice to focus only on that his door dinged your car. That's the only thing you really know, and the only thing that matters. If your insurance company asks you what he may have said, then answer as best you can. But the shorter and more relevant you are, the better off you and your inusrance company will be.
Ken
Ken
#25
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hha hd to read back a bit because when i saw the pic just now I thought- "or maybe this guy had a ding there already, saw the other guys door was unlocked and opened it just to take the picture"
and now i scroll back and see thats what the other guy is claiming
and now i scroll back and see thats what the other guy is claiming