insurance claim on accident

[irulual]

my girlfriend recently got into a car accident in which she was rear-ended. the insurance company dragged out the claim three weeks, even though the other insurance company admits fault due to the police report. they gave her the impression that the car would be totalled. the car was taken to the repair shop to be estimated. she purchased a new car with the belief that her car would be totalled and even if not, she would not repair the vehicle. the repair shop then contacted her notifying her that the the car was ALREADY HALF REPAIRED WITHOUT HER CONSENT !!!!! she paid her deductable and received the car back after the repair. the rear passenger door was not repaired as well as th front strut. the repair shop fixed the door, but, along with the insurance company, refuses to fix the front strut. she had just had the car at her machanics shop for repairs on the front end the day before the accident and the mechanic checked the struts. what should we do?????? hopelessly bad situation in ROCHESTER, NY

[Edited by irulual on 06-13-2001 at 02:27 PM]

 

[Juan Rodriguez]

If the insurance company took 3 weeks to process the claim then that is a reasonable amount of time. Anything less than 30 days is considered good.

Your girlfriend counted her chickens before they were hatched when she bought the new car before the claim was settled.

If you are having a problem with the body shop then you should file a complaint with the state agency that regulates them.

Unless the front struts were replaced just prior to the loss, the insurance company will not pay for front end damage on a rear end collision.

 

[irulual]

front struts

they won't repair the front strut? even if i have a certified mechanic to state that he specifically did work on the suspension ( the shocks ) the day prior and checked the front struts?

 

[Juan Rodriguez]

Most likely not. Unless of course they are feeling generous (unlikely). There has to be proof that the accident caused the strut to be damaged. Absent that proof they won't pay. Their counter to your certified mechanic is that things can work one day and fail the next.