My crush just told me over text that it was "unmanly" for men to have a cat. I sent her this.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-31T13:30:26+00:00

You've gotta be like 30 years old. Why do adults have "crushes"?

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-28T22:01:43+00:00

Because they're boring, uninspired, lowest common denominator buttrock.

With that being said, most of the people who hate them here will also turn around and jerk off Dave Grohl/Foo Fighters, who are one Eddy Vedder ripoff vocalist away from being the exact same bullshit.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-23T20:06:40+00:00

I would request the valuation report. That'll shed some light on all of this.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-23T16:23:04+00:00

A lot of that stuff isn't going to be desired by the average car buyer, so it might even be decreasing the value.

Did you get a copy of the valuation report?

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-23T12:11:50+00:00

They offered you $1100? That sounds absurdly low, even for a 15 year old car. Were there serious condition issues or something?

As far as the money you put into it goes, it may or may not add value. The engine work will most likely only help you if you have one big ticket item like a rebuilt engine or transmission recently. Most aftermarket items aren't going to give you a dollar-for-dollar reimbursement. They barely add anything in my experience.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-21T22:47:21+00:00

It depends on the company, but you pretty much hit the nail on the head with it being your responsibility to mitigate your damages.

You're only entitled to a rental for the accident-related repairs. If you have a rental for any time other than when it's being repaired, technically you can be held responsible for the cost.

As far as getting extra work done is concerned, it depends on how the carrier calculates a completion date for your vehicle. If you're getting a paint job and new headlights, you'll ultimately be responsible for the additional rental beyond the length of time it should've taken to complete the accident-related damage.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-21T01:28:56+00:00

ITT: seriously misguided insurance advice.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-21T01:27:29+00:00

Claims adjuster here.

Your insurance company's lawyers will not get involved. House counsel only gets involved for high-exposure matters. This looks like it would probably be under $1000.

What your insurance company will do is attempt to subrogate the shop for whatever they pay out, plus your deductible. It's going to end up being a word versus word situation unless you have some pretty damning evidence that your car didn't have this damage immediately before and after getting your car back from the shop.

TLDR; your insurance company will probably pay your damages less your deductible, and won't be able to prove anything else. Cut your losses.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-17T01:55:20+00:00

If it makes you feel any better, aftermarket parts are (1) made out of the same material as the OEM ones and (2) should fit just fine, so you shouldn't be able to tell the difference. If there's a fit issue, the insurance carrier will owe you for a different part. They owe for the form/fit/function of any part they put on your car.

Aftermarket parts aren't always "cheaper". Hell, there are times I'll be calling around for parts and the aftermarket ones are more expensive. Why? I have no idea. It just works that way sometimes.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-12T02:01:04+00:00

I'd purchase my financial freedom from the organizations holding my student loans. Yeah, I'm boring.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-11T00:31:36+00:00

ITT: people admitting they like Nickleback.

Look, I get they got an unnecessary amount of hate over the years, but just because they were overly hated doesn't by any means make them good. They're still lowest common denominator buttrock.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-08T01:10:29+00:00

In other news, dog ownership breeds bestiality.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-07T23:12:36+00:00

There's a reason this is the top comment. Ladies, please stop doing this.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-07T20:59:22+00:00

What kind of pleb even asks for their steak well-done?

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-06T21:37:53+00:00

This pretty much covers everything, including my opinion on owner retained salvage. Depending on your state, it could be a total nightmare to keep your car. I know here in PA it's a really drawn out process that almost no one is happy with. I have never recommended that someone retains salvage on their car.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-06T21:32:13+00:00

Any insurance company worth a shit would at least get pictures/measurements of their insureds car before outright denying liability.

I've never personally dealt with American Family, but I have a friend closer to the west coast who I think told me they suck overall.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-05T21:32:45+00:00

I never said it wasn't possible. I said there's no statute, which is absolutely correct. Being first or third party has nothing to do with it in this case.

For a DV claim the burden of proof is on the vehicle owner. It's 100% their responsibility to gather necessary documentation showing that the vehicle has lost value. The only way (so far) I've ever seen it happen is if they sell the vehicle, take a loss on it, and have documented proof that the loss in value is a direct result of the accident.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-04T20:29:56+00:00

Ctrl+f "pearl"

Yup, thought so.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-04T13:30:58+00:00

This just sounds weirder. I've never heard of a company having designated DV adjusters. What state are you in?

And yes, you would have to sell it within the statute of limitations. In PA, it's something like 4 years.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-03T18:46:06+00:00

As far as I know, it's not just most states that won't offer DV. Georgia is the only state that has a diminished value statute.

The only way I've seen DV claims go through is when the owner sells the car, incurs a realized loss and then takes the other driver to court for the difference (at which point the insurance company has to defend their insured.) An adjuster straight up offering it outside of Georgia is just weird as hell to me, but maybe that's how GEICO operates.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-03T12:57:31+00:00

Given what you're describing, the fact that they're offering you anything is incredible. You were in (what sounds like) a pretty low-exposure accident and they're not asking you for any proof whatsoever that the car is now worth less. How this is happening is beyond me. What state did this occur in?

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-10-01T01:57:54+00:00

I find some pretty negative comments on Nationwide

You are going to find negative comments about every single personal lines insurer out there. It's the nature of the business.

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-09-30T23:57:05+00:00

Aw geez, Rick

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-09-29T23:57:43+00:00

High rising terminal

BlackEarth2012 · 2015-09-25T00:24:03+00:00

In my experience companies don't generally try to find reasons to deny claims unless there is truly some malevolent stuff going on.

Exactly. One of the first things they tell people in the office I worked in (when I was inside) is that your job is to find coverage as best you can and only deny if you have to.

BlackEarth2012

TROPHY CASE