Claims

Jan. 18th, 2007 02:16 pm
sylvar: (Default)
I'm renting a gray 2006 Hyundai Accent (interior, exterior).  It fits me well, although the rear-view mirror hangs lower than I'd like; traffic approaching from behind will look like traffic coming from the right until my brain retrains.  The error seems to be on the side of caution, though, so that's okay.  And the contract-negotiated price, through State Farm, is only about half of the normal price: $15.55/day, of which I pay 80%.  Even if fees push it to $25/day, that's still 25 days before I'd hit State Farm's $500 ceiling (for my policy), and I'd have only paid $125 for my portion of the rental by that time.

State Farm says it takes 48-72 hours to get a claims adjuster out there, so it'll likely be Saturday before I get their verdict.  Assuming that it's worth repairing (and I suspect it is; if they can negotiate body-shop work they way they negotiate rentals, it'll almost certainly be cheaper for them to fix it), the work would likely be authorized on Monday morning.  I'm guessing that with all the parts they'll have to straighten, remove, and/or install, I'll probably be in the rental for a week, maybe two.

Since the body shop doesn't have an existing partnership with State Farm, I'll pick up a check from State Farm to cover the repairs-minus-deductible.  I'd rather go out to their office near StudlyCaps Plaza than wait for the check to be mailed.  Timing will be essential in the endgame.  Here's why:
  • The body shop will declare they're done with the work.
  • State Farm will stop contributing to the rental cost at that point.
  • I'll be at the office at the time.
  • I'll have to go out to the body shop, pay for the repairs, and collect my car.
  • I'll also have to return the rental that same day, or early the next morning.
So I want to be ready to pay for the repairs, and that probably means having State Farm's check applied to a credit card balance before I re-hammer that card.

TBLC knows I'm coming in tomorrow but not today.  I've got enough to take care of for today.  For example, I'm about to go over to the leasing office and get a temporary parking pass so that the clipboardiferous Tyler of the tarmac won't desecrate the rental with a warning about reserved parking.  (I like that she does that for us; I just don't want to fall afoul of her.)

Crash

Jan. 17th, 2007 08:44 pm
sylvar: (Default)
I got into a crash this evening.  Here's the front of my car:

Car crash - Picture 001

I'm going to take a 4-hour "traffic school" course which will mean that:
  • Hillsborough County will withhold adjudication;
  • I don't get any points on my license;
  • I get 18% off the cost of the ticket (meaning it'll cost me about $100).
The car is at a body shop, and State Farm will be sending a claims adjuster to check out the damage in the morning.  Also in the morning, I'll arrange for a rental car.  State Farm will cover 80% of the rental cost, up to $500.  The damage to the car ahead of me seems minor (there was a dent in the fender and a cosmetic part popped up a bit).  There are more photos of the damage on Flickr; I've already offered copies to State Farm.

This is going to be somewhat expensive, and that's not at all welcome; we're in the middle of paying for graduate school applications, transcripts, etc., and there's a possibility of repeating that process next year.  Fortunately, I've already got almost all of my tax information, so I'll be able to e-file pretty soon and get a refund (I've always gotten a nice refund, kina hora).  That should help considerably.

Jodi has been very gracious about it, and I appreciate that; many people would take it badly.  I'm just glad everyone seems to be okay, and I'm very pleased that everyone was so polite about it all.

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