I was involved in a collision in which I was determined to be at fault. The other party's damages were determined to be more than my policy covers (>$5,000).
My issue is that $6,000+ seems way too high to fix the damage that I documented on the date of the incident. What are my options to dispute this amount? Or do I even have any?
Appreciate any advise and apologize if this is covered in the FAQ. I couldn't find anything by googling or checking the faq.
Posted by stevotherad
3 Comments
Where was the dent? What kind of car was it?
There is often damage that is underneath what is caused by a dent. It is impossible to know how much damage there actually is until the body panel is removed. Personally, I would just report it to my insurance and let them figure it out. Most likely, the other driver will just take the $5k and move on. They would have to sue you to get the other $1k, which they have every right to do. If you are sued, your insurance company will defend you, but they will still only pay $5k.
Also, please raise your liability insurance. At an absolute minimum, it should be closer to $50k for property damage and 50/100 for bodily injury. Personally, I would prefer it even closer to 100/300 and 100 at a minimum. Mine is actually 250/500 and 300 with a $1 million umbrella policy.
$5000 has to be your states absolute minimum coverage. I understand times are tough, but you’re finding out why going with the minimum can be a false economic move.
If you’re going to end up paying for this, you should have the right to know what you’re paying for; ask to see the estimate.