ST Alpha - "ST want to help me with some fun conjecture? On my way home from camp on the 4th, I got rear ended by an industrial dump truck." (Reading a Post)

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ST want to help me with some fun conjecture? On my way home from camp on the 4th, I got rear ended by an industrial dump truck.

Posted by TFox Jul 6 '09, 07:29

It was in stop and go traffic, but basically the guy had pulled so close to me that he couldn't see my Escort over the nose of the truck, and tried to drive through the back of me twice. It was one of those big tri-axle things with a welded steel bumper, so you can imagine who won that battle. I could drive the car home, but the rear end is completely crumpled: trunk lid is destroyed, rear spoiler broke off the car, left rear brake light is toast, holes punctures in the left rear body of the car below the brake light, rear bumper damaged, etc.

It turns out the driver wasn't on official company business, but had borrowed the truck from his boss to do some work at his house. I took down all the information but the driver said his boss would likely far prefer to just pay for the damage out of pocket than run something like that through his commercial fleet insurance and see his premiums spike. Totally understandable, I have no problem with that.

My question is, the Escort only Blue Books for like $2200, and I'm not a bodyshopologist but it seems like it would cost in that same ballpark to get it fixed. I am obviously going to bring it to my body shop guy to get it looked at, but in circumstances like this, it isn't unreasonable to say "hey, the damage is almost/all of/in excess of the value of the car, so just write me a check for the value of said damage, we'll call it even, but I think I'd rather go shop for another car than dump $2k of repairs into a $2k car", right?

Just want to check the reasonableness before I call the company and make an ass of myself.

Responses:

this is *exactly* what happened to dave last fall. - Andie Jul 6, 07:38
For a $2200 car...that amount of damage will result in the car being totaled. I'd almost guarantee it. - Jim Jul 6, 07:32 11
- [deleted] 10
  - OK, word, thanks for verifying the gut check. I can only imagine how quickly he'd be out the $3k if he ran it through his commercial fleet insurance. - TFox Jul 6, 07:35 8
    - Yeah, I would imagine the business owner will pay it in a heartbeat. -- nm - Subversive Jul 6, 07:36 7
      - the driver was using it for himself? I say he makes the driver pay it (or run it through HIS insurance). -- nm - loosilu Jul 6, 07:37
      - I wonder what the shit job you demoted to is at the garbage company. -- nm - Reagen Jul 6, 07:37
      - I think he'll run it through the insurance. -- nm - Loyola Jul 6, 07:37 4
        
        To do that he'd probably have to file a police report. Rear end collision? Could get messy. -- nm - MojaveMeg Jul 6, 07:38 1
        
        Culpability has already been agreed to by both parties involved though. -- nm - Loyola Jul 6, 07:39
        
        No way. $3000 is peanuts compared to how much his insurance could go up. -- nm - Subversive Jul 6, 07:38 1
        
        Bet you $10 he goes with the insurance option. -- nm - Loyola Jul 6, 07:38
  - Well...if there's one thing I know...it's wrecking cars and dealing with insurance. ;) -- nm - Jim Jul 6, 07:34
your insurance company will probably call it a total loss and pay not more than the value of the car. -- nm - loosilu Jul 6, 07:32 1
- *His* insurance company, you mean? -- nm - Loyola Jul 6, 07:37
That's what the insurance company would do if you did put it through insurance. - Subversive Jul 6, 07:32 13
- and they get to charge higher premiums on a newer car! -- nm - zork Jul 6, 07:33 11
  - for a rear end? they can't. -- nm - loosilu Jul 6, 07:33 10
    - the insurance on anything he buys will be more than for an old Escort. plus around here they bump your rates even if your not at fault - zork Jul 6, 07:34 4
      - A rear ender would never be considered your fault. - Subversive Jul 6, 07:37 3
        
        Exactly. -- nm - Loyola Jul 6, 07:37 2
        
        not saying it would be your fault but you are still a higher risk to them -- nm - zork Jul 6, 07:39 1
        
        because you attract accidents that are not your fault? -- nm - loosilu Jul 6, 07:43
    - I think he meant just because the car might be worth more so the insurance would be higher. - Subversive Jul 6, 07:34
    - Don't tell us what we can't do! -- nm - Insurance Company Jul 6, 07:34 2
      - if someone raised my rates for a rear end, I'd switch companies. -- nm - loosilu Jul 6, 07:35 1
        
        you'd have to move from here to avoid it -- nm - zork Jul 6, 07:36
    - oops sorry, I thought you were referring to points for the accident. -- nm - loosilu Jul 6, 07:33
- exactly, they are not interested in paying more than that. -- nm - loosilu Jul 6, 07:32
[deleted] 1
- I was thinking the whichever is greater part also. -- nm - zork Jul 6, 07:32

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ST want to help me with some fun conjecture? On my way home from camp on the 4th, I got rear ended by an industrial dump truck.

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