| Author |
Message |
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Junior Member
Username: 4re_gt4
Post Number: 168
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Friday, September 13, 2002 - 5:31 pm: | |
A note about the "big" insurance companies: They differ considerably from region to region. I have some experience in this, as I own a body shop. (Don't work in it, so don't ask technical questions!) In Oregon, Allstate will nickel and dime the body shops to death, wanting all manner of substandard parts, etc. Farmers is quite good. State Farm, not too bad. USAA good.
I am sure this has to do with management in their regional offices, and the experience/attitude of the adjuster.
Also, having a good agent is CRITICAL. Farmers messed up some paperwork on my GT4, (a typo in computer entry, but apparently difficult to correct) could have been a nightmare if I took care of it myself. The agent doggedly persued the matter and got it taken care of. Agents can also affect the ultimate decision of the adjuster. |
Robb Good (Robbgood)
New member
Username: Robbgood
Post Number: 15
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2002 - 6:51 pm: | |
William,
You have a good point about them trying to bill it as a Honda. It is just as bad when the Honda people try to bill it as a Mercedes. We have a few specialty shops in San Diego that we use for high end cars. Of course they are more expensive but these cars require more experience and craftmanship than a Honda.
I would not take my Ferrari to Firestone. However, the estimate to paint my Ferrari from the "experienced" shop was $15,000. I got an estimate from our "Honda" type shop down the street who I send most of our business too. He does great work, and I told him if the Ferrari was over his head he should tell me now so I can walk away. He assured me he could do the Ferrari if he was not rushed to get it done. It took 3 months to complete but the car looks AWESOME. He painted the entire car for $3,000. You can see my photos in the Ferrarichat Showroom.
I know I got a great deal because of my business relationship with him, however, there are some guys out there that can do great work on high end cars while billing you for a Honda. |
William Huber (Solipsist)
Member
Username: Solipsist
Post Number: 356
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2002 - 9:46 am: | |
Robb,
I agree with your point. My main problem is working with new adjusters that don't know their job. They just need to be educated more. I know many adjusters in Houston that are the best at what they do but like anyone else they go where the money is. The new, uneducated ones will try to use after market or used parts that are not available for certain cars. I do a lot of Mercedes, the car must be perfect like the accident had never happened. Also Farmers will only allow 49.99 for a front end alignment, they try to bill it as a Honda. Any here know if you go the dealer, they charge $275.00. (1990 300SL car sits lower & will not fit most alignment machine unless you remove the front bumper cover) A friend of mine charges only $130.00 & he only works on Mercedes. This type car is more labor intensive.
Let me ask you this. will anyone here take their Ferrari to Firestone for alignment? |
ross koller (Ross)
Member
Username: Ross
Post Number: 280
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2002 - 7:07 am: | |
parrallel topic
i renewed, for the third year, the insurance on my 512tr, with the same company. they actually got me a great price this year so i booked them immediately on july 1st.
i paid my premium that day by credit card, and received acknowledgement of payment and the transition paperwork.
to this date i have still not received the full documentation from the insurance company.
on monday of this week i received a letter from them saying that they had not realized that the vehicle was left hand drive and therefore i owed them another �250 in order to process the paperwork !
i was livid and blasted them with both barrels! i eventually got them to acknowledge the obvious, that they had known the car 2years already as a lhd model etc etc, and reduced the extra premium to �125. i had to pay or not have coverage, and insurance for fcars in central london for reasonable money is not easy to get, so i coughed it up.
but can you imagine this sort of thing occurring in any other industry !!!! |
James H. (Jamesh)
Junior Member
Username: Jamesh
Post Number: 146
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, September 12, 2002 - 12:43 am: | |
The reason I did not go through my insurance company was because the moving company said they were going to take care of the damages but then turned it over to their insurance company. I did contact my insurance company and they were going to send an adjuster out but since the other insurance company had contacted me, I decided to just deal with them. Hind sight is 20/20. Also, although its probably not true, some of us feels that if we put a claim through our insurance company, regardless of fault, our rates may go up.
I am still not sure weather to pursue this or not. Its more the principle than money. The insurance company sent me a check for 1500.00 over 2 months ago and its still sitting on my kitchen counter. They can take their check and shove it up where the sun don't shine. |
Henryk (Henryk)
Junior Member
Username: Henryk
Post Number: 243
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 10:20 pm: | |
I have Allstate insurance, and am VERY happy with them. Recently I hit a deer on the road, and their estimate was Right On! They gave me a check on the spot!!!!! Later it turned out that slightly more damage was done.....no problem.....they covered it. This was on a Toyota Camry. They insure both my Ferraris, and I would not expect a problem. The agent knows that these would be very expensive to repair.
Why didn't James just file with HIS insurance company, and let the insurance companies haggle the details, while he already has the check in his hands?....that is what I would have done. |
Robb Good (Robbgood)
New member
Username: Robbgood
Post Number: 14
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 10:00 pm: | |
William
Please don't take this personally. I own an agency for one of those big 3 insurance companies on your bad list. Here is my point:
The insurance companies that actually "CHECK" the work being done by vendors in order to reduce fraud are labeled as slow payers and/or difficult to work with.
Most venders like the companies that just send a check. If I was a vendor I would too. But companies who check the work are not necessarily bad insurance companies. Everyone knows the insurance companies just increases rates when claims increase, so it benefits our premiums when companies verify what repairs are made.
James has a legitimate complaint on this thread. The industry is far from perfect. This is not a personal attack on you or your industry, just a comment from the other side. (Geez, I work for the insurance industry, I am a walking target anyway, the last thing I want to do is tick off a bunch of people here).
|
Todd Gieger (Todd328gts)
Junior Member
Username: Todd328gts
Post Number: 124
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 5:38 pm: | |
Exactly Tom!...I tried with Leland yesterday...I got their name out of Forza.
Kevin & James, I will try your companies tomorrow.
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Kevin Marcus (Rumordude)
Junior Member
Username: Rumordude
Post Number: 58
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 4:17 pm: | |
http://www.chubb.com/personal/collector_veh_program.jsp |
James H. (Jamesh)
Junior Member
Username: Jamesh
Post Number: 145
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 4:07 pm: | |
I insured one of the ferrari totally independant of my other cars. It is insured with Response Indemnity. I dont know their phone number but their claims department is 800 552 3150. Claims can probably give you their underwriters phone number. Their rates seems resonable. Give them a call for a quote. I was able to get a quote over the phone. Hope this helps |
TomD (Tifosi)
Intermediate Member
Username: Tifosi
Post Number: 1271
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 3:47 pm: | |
Todd
One company ( i think leland west??) requires you have another car that is newer that 10 years old. Reason being with out another dependable car they think you will drive your ferrari more therefore increase their risk - this is even if you have a milage limitation - isn't that funny
it has nothing to do with insuring the older car |
Todd Gieger (Todd328gts)
Junior Member
Username: Todd328gts
Post Number: 122
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 3:37 pm: | |
...or can I just get an all-together-separate policy for the Ferrari without there being any issues of my other or primary car? |
Todd Gieger (Todd328gts)
Junior Member
Username: Todd328gts
Post Number: 121
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 3:35 pm: | |
Speaking of insurance...I was denied coverage b/c my primary vehicle is over 10 years old and it is older than my Ferrari. Can't I just keep the minimum liabilty policy on my primary car and get full coverage on the Ferrari? Who do I call? |
William Huber (Solipsist)
Member
Username: Solipsist
Post Number: 355
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 1:07 pm: | |
Martin,
Your right about USSA, I haven't had any problems with them, the are willing to accept my shop estimate & not argue over labor rates & materials cost.
Here's my bad list
Farmers
State Farm
Any state owned insurance companies. (TX, CA, NM, OK, etc. for city or state owned vehicles: the worst)
Allstate (they are buying their own body shops & sending the work there. In Texas, that is against the law.)
Keep in mind that I fix the cars, not in insurance companies.
James, I wish you sent to me car, this would have done along time ago. Keep me posted. |
martin J weiner,M.D. (Mw360)
Member
Username: Mw360
Post Number: 546
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 12:34 pm: | |
The exception to the rule is USAA ins which is fabulous.If any of you younger guys have fathers who were officers in any branch of the armed forces you are eligible.In fact I think they may have opened up to non-comm officers and their families.
Their rates are the lowest and there never is any hassle to have stuff repaired quickly and with top of the line original parts.
Tele # 800-531-8080 |
James H. (Jamesh)
Junior Member
Username: Jamesh
Post Number: 144
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 10:38 am: | |
The furniture company accepted liability and wanted to handle the repairs without getting their insurance company involved but when they saw the estimate, they decided to let their insurance company handle it. No, I did not get a rental unit while the car was down. That was what the loss of use claim was for. I actually thought I was being real fair with the insurance company. I only asked for 1000 for lost of valued whereas it should have been around 10% of the value of the car. Also accepting 2 weeks lost of use when the car was out of service for over 2 month was fair. I even brought it to a regular body shop instead of bringing it to a high price specialty shop. Thats what we get for being nice to the insurance companies. |
magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member
Username: Magoo
Post Number: 3132
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 10:25 am: | |
William, Good for you and I gotta tell ya I respect a guy who tells it like it is. Best Regards, |
Kevin Marcus (Rumordude)
Junior Member
Username: Rumordude
Post Number: 57
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 12:54 am: | |
Use Chubb!
I hate insurance companies, but Chubb really has their crap down straight. I am very happy with their service people, etc. They function mostly by having you agree on the cars 'replacement value' and it all goes from there - real simple. |
William Huber (Solipsist)
Member
Username: Solipsist
Post Number: 354
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 12:49 am: | |
Welcome to my world. All I do is fight for customers on proper repairs. Remember you are a claimant, the moving company's adjuster is trying to get out as cheap as possible. Ferraris ain't cheap my friend. New adjusters are a joke, even on hand made cars. Most of them are clueless on repair time on a car like yours. They only go by what their supervisor tells them or wrong info on their computer estimating software. They will try
to use after market replacement parts (like a front ABS plastic bumper cover on a 1998 MB SL500? WRONG!) All I do is send in supplements for additional parts & labor missed out on the original estimate. Keep in mind the insurance industry is one of the scams when you are the claimant. Good luck & if need help, let me know. |
magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member
Username: Magoo
Post Number: 3131
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 12:37 am: | |
James, I hate to say it but you would be fighting a losing battle. I'm surprised they even gave you the 10 days. Had your insurance co. repaired your car as we had talked about because you were not sure the furniture co. would accept responsibility, then your insurance co. could subregate against their ins. co. to get the lost down time. No legal fees for you. Also a rental until it was repaired. Did you get that? |
James H. (Jamesh)
Junior Member
Username: Jamesh
Post Number: 143
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 11, 2002 - 12:06 am: | |
A while back I posted my story about my 308 being hit while in my driveway. It was a hit and run but I was able to catch the guy. It was a furniture delivery company. They turned it over to their insurance company. The car was in the shop for over two month waiting for the insurace company to verify coverage and to approve the repair. I asked for 3 weeks lost of use and settled for 2 weeks. Two weeks to them meant 10 days and not 14 days. When I called them on it, they said the repair should of taken 10 days to complete and thats all they are responsible for. I reminded them that my car was in the shop for over 2 month waiting for them to get their act together and they replied that I should have gone through my insurance company first. Grrrrr. I should sue them for damages and for punitive damages for the hit and run. But reality is I will do nothing and accept this cuz its too much trouble to persue this. Sorry for this long thread but I needed to vent. |