Hail Damage Claim x2

[MarkBradford]

Hey there. I was curious if anyone knows the answer to this. Two years ago my car was hit by hail, enough that AllState decided it could use a new hood., and claim was made and a check written. I never had the damage repaired and dealt with the dings on my hood. Just recently, we had another huge hailstorm. I've got twice the dings now, enough to really make it an eye soar.. and feel like this time I need to actually fix it.

I don't know whether I should make another claim.. it's clearly more damage now, but the fact that a check was written and I never had the initial damage fixed worries me that they would think I'm trying to fraud them. I don't want to lie about any of the older dents.. just don't know the repercussions of never actually getting the first damage repaired.

Ideas, thoughts? I may just pay for this one without a claim, but I don't really know what I should do.

 

[ecmst12]

Since there was previous damage, you'd only be able to get a percentage of the cost covered - maybe 50% if they're in a good mood, less your deductible.

 

[LdiJ]

Since there was previous damage, you'd only be able to get a percentage of the cost covered - maybe 50% if they're in a good mood, less your deductible.

I am not sure that I agree. The last time around they apparently gave him money to actually replace the hood, and he did not. Therefore his insurance company already paid for a new hood. I think its highly unlikely that they will give him anything this time around if they can tell that some of the damage is older.

 

[ecmst12]

If he'd replaced the hood before, the new damage would still be there.

Also, which of us has actually worked in this business before? (Hint - not you)

 

[LdiJ]

If he'd replaced the hood before, the new damage would still be there.

Also, which of us has actually worked in this business before? (Hint - not you)

Yep, the new damage would be there even if the hood had been replaced before...but it wasn't...and its going to not only be difficult to determine before and after damages, but before damages also lead to other issues...like determining value prior to totaling a car.

While I don't work in the insurance industry, I grew up as the daughter of someone who did. Someone who worked his freaking butt off to provide for his family. Someone who had a special phone situation (back in the day when technology was limited) that rang into his home if he was out in the field. Someone who not only trained his wife on how to deal with issues but also trained his 12 year old daughter.

At 12 years old I was taking claim information and filling out forms and never letting a single person who spoke to me know that I was only 12...and I never ended up being totally uninvolved with my father's business until he retired. Even at 35 I still sometimes answered the phone and filled out the forms...despite the fact that he had a staff of 5 at that point. If I happened to be there and the phones were ringing, I stepped up.

So, your "hint, its not you" is pretty insulting. I not only don't mind but welcome a civilized debate on any issue that comes forth on these forums. However, your remark wasn't a result of a civilized debate. It was an egocentric response to someone disagreeing with you, and it disappoints me because I did not expect that kind of response from you. You normally are above that.

 

[HighwayMan]

If they already paid to have the hood replaced then just use that money and replace it now.

 

[ecmst12]

Well apparently your goldfish's experience is not enough for you to actually know the right answer.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

As long as you are honest and advise them of all the pre-existing damage that was there, then you are not committing fraud. They will have pics of it. Of course they likely will not pay your claim either since you will be whole once you complete the previous repairs. Failure to notify them is insurance fraud.

 

[I'mTheFather]

Yep, the new damage would be there even if the hood had been replaced before...but it wasn't...and its going to not only be difficult to determine before and after damages, but before damages also lead to other issues...like determining value prior to totaling a car.

While I don't work in the insurance industry, I grew up as the daughter of someone who did. Someone who worked his freaking butt off to provide for his family. Someone who had a special phone situation (back in the day when technology was limited) that rang into his home if he was out in the field. Someone who not only trained his wife on how to deal with issues but also trained his 12 year old daughter.

At 12 years old I was taking claim information and filling out forms and never letting a single person who spoke to me know that I was only 12...and I never ended up being totally uninvolved with my father's business until he retired. Even at 35 I still sometimes answered the phone and filled out the forms...despite the fact that he had a staff of 5 at that point. If I happened to be there and the phones were ringing, I stepped up.

So, your "hint, its not you" is pretty insulting. I not only don't mind but welcome a civilized debate on any issue that comes forth on these forums. However, your remark wasn't a result of a civilized debate. It was an egocentric response to someone disagreeing with you, and it disappoints me because I did not expect that kind of response from you. You normally are above that.

I disagree with the bolded. Well, not just the bolded, but the bolded in particular. Your response shows more egocentricity than you realize.

Is there any field brought forth in these forums in which you don't have intimate knowledge?

 

[ecmst12]

Filling out claim forms has nothing to do with adjusting the claim and doesn't mean that you either read or understood the policy's terms and provisions. Insurance agents are not claims adjusters and especially neither are their children.

Here is the fact - no one is ever obligated to use insurance claim money to fix their damage by the insurance company. If they have a car loan, they might have an obligation to the lienholder, but the insurance company doesn't give a flying fig about what the claimant does with the money once the claim is paid. They will not care that OP chose not to repair the previous damage. The only thing it means is that the current claim needs to be adjusted to account for the pre existing damage. That's what the betterment percentage represents. Seeing that I actually did work as an insurance adjuster (legally, unlike a 12 year old pretending to be an agent and misleading your dad's customers), I understand how prior damage is accounted for. And it won't be as hard as you think to determine what the prior damage was since there was a claim for it - they will have PICTURES of the previous damage!

 

[TreyP.]

I own a hail damage repair shop in Texas. I tell everyone after they pick up their car to "save the repair ticket, put it with your insurance papers, somewhere you won't lose it, etc. If you get hailed on again, they will see the previous claim and ask you to produce proof of repairs."

If you don't have proof of previous repairs, they can deny the claim outright. I have seen a few instances where they estimate the damage and subtract the amount of the first claim. But, with you being paid for a new hood the first time, you'll have to pay for at least that part entirely out of pocket. But more than likely, they will just deny the claim. I get people coming to my shop every time it hails, asking if I will write a ticket that says I fixed their car some time in the past. I let them know that that is fraud.