Insurance Claim
 

I will start from square one and say that I haven't posted on here for a while, and while I am active on here and login a lot it isn't too often that I comment on threads etc. I am active duty US Military, recently returned from a deployment and haven't been driven my car much over the last 6-9months. I am also a HS Varsity baseball coach, and the other night I was returning home from practice and upon entering the highway on ramp here in beautiful CA where the roads are all so perfectly paved and maintained...just kidding...I was cutoff from a man who was either intoxicated or had never driven on CA hwys before. At 65mph he cut in front of me causing me to swerve out of the way and cross into the wrong highway interchange and run over a pothole about 48" wide and 8-9" deep. I had no choice to but cross the middle of the highway divide and didn't see the pothole until the last minute when it was too late. Not being far from my destination I continued on, after hitting what felt like a concrete block in the middle of the road. Once I got home, I looked around the vehicle and noticed that my right side tire/wheels where bent, sidewall ripped open to the wiring and the undercarriage of my car sustaining a decent amount of damage as well. The debris guard underneath the vehicle (plastic undercarriage cover) was completely ripped in half, and I can only imagine the extent of the damage that isn't visible to the naked eye. My shocks and struts must be shot as well. I have Geico Ins and they are going to cover the repairs as I will be needing extensive work done to repair everything. My deductible is $500, my 8 is being towed tomorrow morning to a local repair shop where I will meet w/the claim adjuster and go over the details of the damage etc. Any advice on going through this process to make sure that quality work is done on the vehicle and they don't skip over anything and avoid repairing any damage? I hope I posted this in the right section. Thanks for the advice in advance.
2006 RX8 Grand Touring 6spd, leather, 66k miles, silver

I used to be in the automotive repair business... Since insurance claims is how the shop gets paid, it's pretty unusual that they would avoid any repair. (Actually, they are more likely to replace things that aren't necessarily needed, to inflate their income.)

If your wheels are bent, then there is undoubtedly some suspension damage.

I presume you have done basic research on the repair shop? Internet search, Yelp search, etc?

The best advice I have is:
- Go over their estimate very well, and ask about anything that you aren't sure about. If you aren't comfortable with the information they are providing, tell them to hold off on the repairs while you do the research (they'll wait a day.) Or take it elsewhere. Just because you meet the insurance rep there, doesn't mean you have to use that facility. Of course, you may have to eat the second tow... but that's better than regretting the repair.
- Ask the insurance adjuster what he/she knows about the facility.
- Most importantly, give it a very good test drive when you pick it up. If you have any concerns whatsoever, go straight back to the repair shop, don't wait even a day.

Ideally you would take it to a shop that has worked on an RX8 before, but most places should be able to figure it out. Just make sure the shop you are going to is reputable (via bbb, online research, and maybe references). Though typically any shop recommended by the insurance company is usually pretty good.

Also, prepare yourself for a total loss.

And finally, just shorten your whole story to "I hit a huge pothole on the highway".

No one is going to believe or care about the rest of the story if there wasn't any contact between your car and "the other car". Its just going to raise a whole bunch of questions that you won't have answers for, and will give the insurance company a way to weasel out of any repairs that they might want to not pay (hint: all of them).

BC.

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discuss...-claim-218419/

Good read.

I'm glad it was a pothole and not a tree. Insurance wouldn't touch that. Yelp the company your insurance wants to send you to. You could always request another one. Most insurance companies recommend companies that give you a guarantee on repair. And, being military, why don't you use USAA? I would go ahead and get a policy (of some sort, even if it's renters insurance) because they get cheaper later on (for cars, homes, etc.)