front bumper recognition needed. insurance issue incl.

Mtech II broski. Go all out for OEM replacement, even if it was aftermarket.

Sorry, we're not the insurance company. You don't even mention who you're insured through.

Bottom line: call them and ask.

Originally Posted by TitaniumCranium

This.

You are entitled, as a paying customer of insurance, to obtain the check from the insurance company for the repair and go where ever you want to get it fixed. Remember YOU are the one that is insured, not the autobody company. Your car has been damaged. You can chose to do the work yourself if you want, so you can get the check cut to you.

You should go to at least 2, if not 3 shops and get estimates for the repair from all the shops. File the estimate that most suites you (without totaling the car) to the insurance company. Ask them to cut you a check for the repair. Go to the repair shop of your choosing and give them the parts list for the OEM MTech II bumper and let them fit and paint to match your car. Chances are you may come out slightly ahead. Note this is NOT fraud, it's how the system works

If you want to know who the shops are that charge the most for their work go to your local autobody supply shop (yellow pages - too many hits on the internet) and ask who does the best work. Get your estimates from those shops. The autobody supply shops are kind of like a wholesale paint and body shop supply depot for the local autobody shops.

GL

Most of what you state is incorrect. The insurance is going send an adjuster to give an estimate, the check they give you is based on that estimate alone!
You roll the dice in this situation...and here is why...
If you take your car to the repair shop and let them handle everything and they find additional damage that the adjuster missed they can file for a supplement for the additional damage.

If you decide you want to try to make a few $$$ and get a check cut to you so that "you can everything on your own" if there is an additional issue with the car they will not be willing to help you out since you are not a registered repair shop.

I know this because I worked for an insurance company as an adjuster for 8 years!

Originally Posted by Herbalicious

Most of what you state is incorrect. The insurance is going send an adjuster to give an estimate, the check they give you is based on that estimate alone!
You roll the dice in this situation...and here is why...
If you take your car to the repair shop and let them handle everything and they find additional damage that the adjuster missed they can file for a supplement for the additional damage.

If you decide you want to try to make a few $$$ and get a check cut to you so that "you can everything on your own" if there is an additional issue with the car they will not be willing to help you out since you are not a registered repair shop.

I know this because I worked for an insurance company as an adjuster for 8 years!

Maybe it depends on the state, I'll grant that, but what I stated is correct, and I have done it three times. What you brought into the conversation is an additional variable, filing a supplemental for additional damage. Again that is also something that you can work with the autobody shop with and do the leg work yourself, filing the supplemental and getting it covered based on evidence the body shop brings forward. In this state the body shops do a lot of the leg work for the adjusters. If things get expensive you're probably going to be contacted by an adjuster that may want you to take it to someone else. Rarely do they want to come and see it, but who cares if they do... providing it's legitimate.

Accidents happen so frequently in the bigger cities like Seattle that the adjusters just call you for 5 minutes on the phone and tell you to go visit a couple of autobody shops and fax them the quotes. Maybe it happens differently in other states but I can't imagine how it's that much different given the amount of work a single adjuster needs to get done in a day.

Bottom line - you are entitled to the check for the repairs. You can work with the adjuster and the repair shop to determine the value of the repair. If there are extenuating circumstances, submit an extension and have the shop explain the issue. At the end of it you can also take the money, buy all the tools, paint, and parts, and do all the work yourself including the full bumper kit. Doing exactly this I purchased the full body kit, (got hit in the front) a 60 Gal, 18 CFM, 240V air pump, the air hose an Iwatta LPH400-LV (top end paint gun) a lifetime supply of sandpaper and a Dynabrade 3/32" orbital disk sander, along with PPG paint, thinner, cleaner, clearcote and catalyst for way less expensive then the repair was going to cost.

This is not inaccurate information but maybe by the state that it occurs in things happens differently.

Originally Posted by E RaK

Yes you could easily pass that off as said before, it's quite common and essentially the same cost to replace.

just wanted to verify if this is correct

thought coupe shape was way different from sedan so i'm not sure how it would fit easier?

Originally Posted by Mr_325

just wanted to verify if this is correct

thought coupe shape was way different from sedan so i'm not sure how it would fit easier?

That post was written before you notified us that the bumper you had was for the wrong bodystyle. It is not so easy to make them work and will probably cost more. Why can't you source a coupe M-tech 2? It should be just as easy to get

Summary: They make OEM m-tech 2 bumpers specifically for coupes as well. Get that, don't fiddle with a sedan bumper.

Originally Posted by TitaniumCranium

Maybe it depends on the state, I'll grant that, but what I stated is correct, and I have done it three times. What you brought into the conversation is an additional variable, filing a supplemental for additional damage. Again that is also something that you can work with the autobody shop with and do the leg work yourself, filing the supplemental and getting it covered based on evidence the body shop brings forward. In this state the body shops do a lot of the leg work for the adjusters. If things get expensive you're probably going to be contacted by an adjuster that may want you to take it to someone else. Rarely do they want to come and see it, but who cares if they do... providing it's legitimate.

Accidents happen so frequently in the bigger cities like Seattle that the adjusters just call you for 5 minutes on the phone and tell you to go visit a couple of autobody shops and fax them the quotes. Maybe it happens differently in other states but I can't imagine how it's that much different given the amount of work a single adjuster needs to get done in a day.

This is completely based on company policy. I worked in a big city, had more work than I could possibly deal with, yet our company doesn't authorize work based on shop estimates regardless.

Update

I finally could make the insurance company pay for the original bumper and I ordered aftermarket bumper. but they only paid 60% of the original bumper because it had some scratches at the bottom from the towing.

Originally Posted by youngs

Update

I finally could make the insurance company pay for the original bumper and I ordered aftermarket bumper. but they only paid 60% of the original bumper because it had some scratches at the bottom from the towing.

So was 60% enough to get the aftermarket bumper you wanted?

Originally Posted by ///MPR77

So was 60% enough to get the aftermarket bumper you wanted?

Yes. it was $40 more than I needed and body shop gave me credit.

Originally Posted by youngs

they only paid 60% of the original bumper because it had some scratches at the bottom from the towing.

What?!?!?!

The bumper loss occurred when the other driver hit your car. What happened afterwards is irrelevant. It worked out for you, apparently, but...

Generally speaking, insurance companies insure what you tell them you have. Typically, you give them the model and VIN which indicates packages. The policy premium is based on that information. If you have "upgrades" that you want to insure, then you need to tell them. Do you have an CF hood and trunk? $3K wheels + $2K tires? $6K entertainment system? Maybe a $8K "chameleon" paint job? FI for the engine? etc? Don't expect these to be covered in the coverage for a "plain jane" model.

Originally Posted by sunsetcoast

What?!?!?!

The bumper loss occurred when the other driver hit your car. What happened afterwards is irrelevant. It worked out for you, apparently, but...

Generally speaking, insurance companies insure what you tell them you have. Typically, you give them the model and VIN which indicates packages. The policy premium is based on that information. If you have "upgrades" that you want to insure, then you need to tell them. Do you have an CF hood and trunk? $3K wheels + $2K tires? $6K entertainment system? Maybe a $8K "chameleon" paint job? FI for the engine? etc? Don't expect these to be covered in the coverage for a "plain jane" model.

many policies also limit the amount of customization endorsements you can add to a vehicle as well, usually based on the value of the vehicle. Want your $15k turbo insured on your $10k vehicle? Not likely.

Originally Posted by NOVAbimmer

many policies also limit the amount of customization endorsements you can add to a vehicle as well, usually based on the value of the vehicle. Want your $15k turbo insured on your $10k vehicle? Not likely.

Mike,

Does that also include "stated value" policies?

What happens in a state that doesn't have no-fault, and I've got a $6K car with documented upgrades of $12K (or more)? Is is proper to expect the other driver's liability coverage to make me whole?

Originally Posted by sunsetcoast

Mike,

Does that also include "stated value" policies?

What happens in a state that doesn't have no-fault, and I've got a $6K car with documented upgrades of $12K (or more)? Is is proper to expect the other driver's liability coverage to make me whole?

Probably for the most part. Or at least faster the value of your modifications into a total loss settlement. They would get to keep anything they pay you for, though.

YMMV based on your state laws

Originally Posted by NOVAbimmer

They would get to keep anything they pay you for, though.

That much I expected. Just know a young guy down the street who has with a 24 yr old car with loads of body mods, a $8K paint job, $6k (excluding labor) under the hood, $4K interior, fancy wheels, plus, plus, plus... The "book" value is probably $500, but that wouldn't even buy the paint in the event of a fender-bender.

It's been featured in enthusiast sites and is, obviously, primarily "show" car, but he does drive it at least weekly in the summer. He doesn't carry collision or comp, because, he says, his company doesn't know what to do with it. (He may just be practicing false economy.) I've wondered what would happen in a fender-bender, never mind something more dramatic.