Hey all,
I recently got into an accident and the front of my hood is bent up.

--I was hit and runned by a jeep wrangler. I went into a store and when I came out, my tip of the hood was crushed and it bent up.

I talked to the person that owned a auto shop. He said it would cost around 700 to get a new hood and the paint job.

My question is, for anybody experienced out there with this..should i report this to my insurance or pay it out myself?

I have a $500 insurance payment thing, where thats all i would pay if i was in a accident. BUT wouldnt my insurance skyrocket high? Even thou, it wasnt my fault..its still my first new car and my first year of driving. :[

Please help!!!!!! please :[

 

Talk to you insurance agent....BUT, This type of claim would fall under your COMPREHENSIVE coverage, which does NOT make your rates go up....at least with any company I have ever used or heard of.

 

on a comprehensive claim your rates will not go up, as Nuke stated. However if you're smart you'll try to get it under hit and run (which it was) because the deductable is smaller. You'll have no problems with that. talk to the insurance agents.

 

Definantly use your Comprehensive insurance for this. No rates to go up unless you claim more then 2 a yr or within 3 years at most insurance places.
For 700.00 they better be blending the hood panels into the fenders.

 

Just get a carbon fiber hood

 

If it was only his hood damaged that would be a good idea...but I think more then the hood was damaged on this one therefore I would go through Insurance

 

Only the hood is damaged. Im assuming the back of the jeep (the tire) hit it.

THey said they have to replace my whole hood plus painting which will cost 6-700 dollars. But my deductible is 500. SHould I try and keep a clean record by paying a bit more? since im alreayd paying 500?

What woudl you guys do?

 

You might want to talk to a few other body shops.

Most shops will "work" with the customer to help out with your deductible - meaning, they will try to jack up the cost of the repair a little bit, so that you can get some money back to put towars the $500 deductible.

If the repair will cost $700 (which sounds kinda low anyway, IMO for replacing and painting a hood - but I'm not really in the business), they may be able to jack the price to $1000, and get your insurance to pay that - then they give you back $300, and the whole thing only costs you $200. Fraud? - well, yes...umm....maybe....umm....well...... It's standard practice in the body shop industry - right or wrong.

On another note - those of you who make these statements about his insurance NOT going up, I have a story or you:

I bumped mirrors with a cabbie in NYC a bunch of years ago. Of course, took his right off the car. I gave him all my information (no cops called - not necessary), and asked that he PLEASE have his boss call me, so I can pay for the mirror. Well, the ******* called my ins company instead. I told my ins. company NOT to pay the claim, that I'd shell out the $150 myself. And that was that - until I renewed my policy. My rates went up $200 a year! When I called furious, they said ANY reported incident will affect my rates, regardless of whether or not they have to pay out. So they paid nothing, but still got to bump me up $200 for the next couple of years.

I'm in New York, and I know insurance is crazy here - but the same thing could happen to this guy. My ins co. did not break the law - they had every right to raise my rates, even if it was a dick move.

Dude - go talk to your insurance agent first - see what he says about your rates going up. Because if they will, it just might make more sense to pay for the hood yourself.

~HH

 

see with the company i work for here in alberta we charge you your comp deductible...also you loose u're claims free discount...you should be able to get a quote from them to give you a ruff idea how much it would cost you in the years to come!

danielle

 

One other Idea, never go with what the INS co offers for the Repair, do not use there Estimator. You have the right to take the car to the place that you feel will do the best work.
Take the car a few places to get the Estimates.
And tell them that you want the Check cut to you. Minus the deductable.

 

so.. im not really getting it here

My insurance will go up even thou I was hit and runned?

 

It depends - and I don't think anyone here is sure.

Your best bet is to contact your insurance agent and discuss it. There's no penbalty for that. He/she will be able to tell you what the ramiications will be if you let insurance cover the damage. My only advice is NOT to discuss the estimate you already recieved. Just tell what happened, and find out how your insurance company will handle something like this.

Sometimes, you gotta go to the experts......

~HH

 

I definitely say go to the insurance. Thats why they are there. Discuss you options but not any figures and in the long run it may cover you rear end.

 

If it is going to cost you this much...instead of fixing the old busted hood...go for a carbon fiber hood.

Here is a carbon fiber hood for $695.00

Carbon Fiber Hood Site

 

OMg sweet nice
But for carbon fiber hoods..what benefits do they have?

Cause they....do look the same