Insurance Money

[Marshall05]

The other day, my Firebird was pushed across the parking lot at work by a loader about the size of my house. The decklid and finish panel need to be replaced and the total will come to about $1500. My question is, can I collect the check from the insurance company for the 1500 and then do the work myself for much less and using used parts. I figure that it would cost me aprox. 500 to do the job myself using a used decklid. I just want to make sure that this is legal and not frowned upon before I were to do it. And if it is ok, should I let the other inusrance company know? Thank you for all your imput.

[kristen]

Re: Insurance Money

yeah, just call your insur. company and see if they have a office near you that they can figure out what they will give you.

[slow6]

Re: Insurance Money

when i was hit by another car, their insurance company made me go to their adjuster and their repair facility. Of course they did not let me use my own parts, bastards.
good luck with that one

but when I knicked a brick wall I was able to use my own parts since it was only my insurance company involved

[BLLDOGG]

Re: Insurance Money

I always just got a check. I told them who I *entended* to use though

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: Insurance Money

The other day, my Firebird was pushed across the parking lot at work by a loader about the size of my house. The decklid and finish panel need to be replaced and the total will come to about $1500. My question is, can I collect the check from the insurance company for the 1500 and then do the work myself for much less and using used parts. I figure that it would cost me aprox. 500 to do the job myself using a used decklid. I just want to make sure that this is legal and not frowned upon before I were to do it. And if it is ok, should I let the other inusrance company know? Thank you for all your imput.

Why in God's name would you want to do the work when THEIR
insurance company is liable for all the work your car requires?
This is taking it Do It Yourself into sublime.

[slow6]

Re: Insurance Money

Why in God's name would you want to do the work when THEIR
insurance company is liable for all the work your car requires?
This is taking it Do It Yourself into sublime.

because their insurance company uses an adjuster to estimate the cost of damage, parts, and labor
If at all possible the insurance company writes the check to the victim.
Then the victim uses his own parts (cheaper) and can go to a cheaper body shop

[BobbyZ72]

Re: Insurance Money

This is kinda like if you get hurt on the job....you DONT go to the companys doctor, you go to yours! Same thing here, you dont go to their shop, you go to yours! When i was hit while driving my moms honda, we took it to the dealer, the guys insurace company never said a thing...and if they got cocky i think my neck and back would have started hurting...lol...just playing...but maybe.

[T-Mill]

Re: Insurance Money

It completely depends on the insurance company but I'll tel you now that it is frowned upon. What I would do instead of getting a check and doing it yourself, maybe see if you can get something fancier and then you pay the diff between stock vs. what you get so that you basically get it at a discounted price. I know that they don't like to write checks, they'd rather just pay the bodyshop because they're not paying you for what your damage is necessarily worth, they're paying to put your car back into the condition it was before the damage was done. But then again you may get lucky and the insurance company will simply hand you the money and it will never be a problem. I got rear-ended in my friends 89 Ranger and it just barely bent the bumper underneath, and he got a check later for $250... (keep in mind this was an 89 RANGER... we used the money for a few kegs).

[black98V6]

Re: Insurance Money

when i was hit by another car, their insurance company made me go to their adjuster and their repair facility. Of course they did not let me use my own parts, bastards.
good luck with that one

but when I knicked a brick wall I was able to use my own parts since it was only my insurance company involved

it is my understanding that this is called steering, and it's illegal in tx. or was that when I was in louisiana. either way I don't think they can require you to use their body shop unless you sign away your right to use your own shop, and whether it's frowned upon, well that does depend on the company, typically though if it's someone else's insurance they will give you a check and make you sign something saying you waive any further right to sue or collect future damages. Now if it is your insurance company they might require you to show that the work was done because they are paying to restore the vehicle to pre-accident condition to maintain it's value, this is espicially important if the vehicle is financed.

[Stock98camaro]

Re: Insurance Money

I got rear ended and got a quote from a corrupt mechanic and faxed his $900 quote to their insurance company and recieved my $900 check for a little scratched bumper. :) In their quote they charged for taking off the bumper, getting a new bumper and repainting it to match the car. They could have easily just repainted it:). That sure helped pay off my car!

Anyways, good luck!