Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Got Rear Ended, His insurance won't pay for the labor rate

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I would have taken the check and DIY.

I'm not sure if this applies everywhere, but in NJ, you can only accept the check and DIY if you fully own the car. If it is a lease or loan, you cannot. It was explained to me that people were taking the check, not fixing the car and defaulting on the loan. Then the bank not only misses their payments from the owner, but they are now re-possessing a car that has multiple thousands of dollars in damage that needs to be repaired before they can sell it.
 
@viper2ko: Is USAA objecting to that rate on body work, or on painting? Some shops try to play the "aluminum" card on work that is the same on any car. I had an experience where USAA balked at this but covered the body work at the full rate. It's a shitty thing to deal with, but if that's what you're facing, you could propose the Tesla shop do the body work and ship it somewhere else to be painted. Of course, when USAA sees the cost of splitting this work across two shops and towing the car, they may change their tune...
 
@viper2ko: Is USAA objecting to that rate on body work, or on painting? Some shops try to play the "aluminum" card on work that is the same on any car. I had an experience where USAA balked at this but covered the body work at the full rate. It's a shitty thing to deal with, but if that's what you're facing, you could propose the Tesla shop do the body work and ship it somewhere else to be painted. Of course, when USAA sees the cost of splitting this work across two shops and towing the car, they may change their tune...

They were objecting to the labor rate
 
+1 on get your insurance company involved. I got hit in a parking lot once, and in GA there's no jurisdiction in parking lots so it was simply my word against hers. She initially denied causing the accident. One phone call from my insurance to hers and everything was taken care of. I realize this is a different story, but I've had a good experience by getting my insurance involved.
 
Beware of the game that USAA plays. Their client nearly killed my whole family, they had to fight me for some small injury claims. When they didn't pay, I ended up suing their client. I ended up getting more than what I asked of them at the beginning. Let me tell you as soon as they got my lawsuit, they called me back pretty quickly.
 
Beware of the game that USAA plays. Their client nearly killed my whole family, they had to fight me for some small injury claims. When they didn't pay, I ended up suing their client. I ended up getting more than what I asked of them at the beginning. Let me tell you as soon as they got my lawsuit, they called me back pretty quickly.

The game USAA is playing is following the laws. They must defend their client. Think of them as a public defender, they know what happened but they still need to try to get an acquittal.
 
The game USAA is playing is following the laws. They must defend their client. Think of them as a public defender, they know what happened but they still need to try to get an acquittal.

No I don’t have a problem with that. What I do have a problem is I ask them for a small amount for quick settlement. They refused so I ended up suing their client for 5x more and won...
 
I have USAA. Had a rear bumper hit by a hit/run- captured on dash cam. USAA said if I find the guy, they will recover the cost from that insurance, but in the mean time got the car fixed. USAA has been nothing but helpful, supportive and comforting. The local body shop - the only one Tesla approves of for doing structural aluminum repairs, has a labor rate higher than the run of the mill repair shops. Well trained, expensive aluminum welding commands higher rates, and USAA has dealt with that shop and approved the rates long before my claim. It must not be USAA balking at labor rate. It must be some free-lance adjuster that has not had Tesla experience.
BTW - my grapefruit sized dent cost $6,000 to properly repair. Glad I had USAA.