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Insurance won't pay certified Tesla body shop their charges. Claiming they're too expensive!

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was T-Boned by a GEICO driver on Oct 31. She and GEICO accepted liability, but I called my insurance co USAA first because I've trusted them for many years. Now Im not sure why. Maybe because they accept my payments faithfully every month for years, who knows. But they said they would handle the claim and get their money back from GEICO in the end, and I would not even be charged a deductible. Sounded great until now they called me on Friday to let me know that only $6k of my $16k damage would be covered because the Tesla certified body shop, the only one in Orlando, charges too much! So now she tells me I have to pay the rest. So where in the heck was I supposed to take it too? I had to hang up on her because I was already pissed that I now have to pay for gas in a chevy impala from enterprise, while paying a car payment for an electric vehicle that I will now be without for longer than I have driven. I don't understand any of this mess. I think this clearly cut and dry accident is going to get ugly. I think I better get one of those TV lawyers.
 
I was just hit while stopped at a stoplight on Friday. Pretty minor damage, but the rear lift gate and bumper both got bent out of shape. The person who hit me has State Farm, and they told me I had to start by getting an estimate at one of their "approved" shops. I called their "approved" shop and the shop told me that they don't get anywhere near Teslas for any reason and told me to go directly to one of the Tesla certified shops.

I'm expecting a follow up from the insurance company on Monday, but I will not take it somewhere that is not qualified to work on it for any reason.
 
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I was just hit while stopped at a stoplight on Friday. Pretty minor damage, but the rear lift gate and bumper both got bent out of shape. The person who hit me has State Farm, and they told me I had to start by getting an estimate at one of their "approved" shops. I called their "approved" shop and the shop told me that they don't get anywhere near Teslas for any reason and told me to go directly to one of the Tesla certified shops.

I'm expecting a follow up from the insurance company on Monday, but I will not take it somewhere that is not qualified to work on it for any reason.
Good luck. U definitely can't just take it to just anywhere. The Tesla certified body shops send the Tesla back over to the Tesla dealer once the work is done so that they can inspect it. And I don't understand why our premiums are so high if they are only going to pay out but so much anyway. This whole mess is ridiculous! I hope and pray you have a better experience than us.
 
was T-Boned by a GEICO driver on Oct 31. She and GEICO accepted liability, but I called my insurance co USAA first because I've trusted them for many years. Now Im not sure why. Maybe because they accept my payments faithfully every month for years, who knows. But they said they would handle the claim and get their money back from GEICO in the end, and I would not even be charged a deductible. Sounded great until now they called me on Friday to let me know that only $6k of my $16k damage would be covered because the Tesla certified body shop, the only one in Orlando, charges too much! So now she tells me I have to pay the rest. So where in the heck was I supposed to take it too? I had to hang up on her because I was already pissed that I now have to pay for gas in a chevy impala from enterprise, while paying a car payment for an electric vehicle that I will now be without for longer than I have driven. I don't understand any of this mess. I think this clearly cut and dry accident is going to get ugly. I think I better get one of those TV lawyers.
I don't mean to chide you but any insurance company is not your friend. you should consider hiring a lawyer.
 
I was just hit while stopped at a stoplight on Friday. Pretty minor damage, but the rear lift gate and bumper both got bent out of shape. The person who hit me has State Farm, and they told me I had to start by getting an estimate at one of their "approved" shops. I called their "approved" shop and the shop told me that they don't get anywhere near Teslas for any reason and told me to go directly to one of the Tesla certified shops.

I'm expecting a follow up from the insurance company on Monday, but I will not take it somewhere that is not qualified to work on it for any reason.

When you get the list of certified shops in your area, go to state farm and check their list of preferred body shops and see if any match. You will save yourself a huge headache if you find one that does.
 
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When you get the list of certified shops in your area, go to state farm and check their list of preferred body shops and see if any match. You will save yourself a huge headache if you find one that does.

That's very good advice, although it doesn't really help the original poster. I was very relieved when I found out that the one Tesla-approved shop here in my city was also on my insurer's "preferred" list.
 
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what is USAA asking you for, to pay your deductible and they will take care of the rest?
No. They say I am excused from my deductible because it was not my fault. But what they are saying now that the estimate is in, is that the cost to repair is $10,000 more dollars than they will pay. Estimate is $16k, USAA says their appraisers acknowledge the damage as a $6000 cost to fix.
 
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was T-Boned by a GEICO driver on Oct 31. She and GEICO accepted liability, but I called my insurance co USAA first because I've trusted them for many years. Now Im not sure why. Maybe because they accept my payments faithfully every month for years, who knows. But they said they would handle the claim and get their money back from GEICO in the end, and I would not even be charged a deductible. Sounded great until now they called me on Friday to let me know that only $6k of my $16k damage would be covered because the Tesla certified body shop, the only one in Orlando, charges too much! So now she tells me I have to pay the rest. So where in the heck was I supposed to take it too? I had to hang up on her because I was already pissed that I now have to pay for gas in a chevy impala from enterprise, while paying a car payment for an electric vehicle that I will now be without for longer than I have driven. I don't understand any of this mess. I think this clearly cut and dry accident is going to get ugly. I think I better get one of those TV lawyers.

Get on the phone, and ask to talk to the supervisor. Tell them that repairs at non-tesla body shops WILL void your warranty, and that for this reason they must be done at the body shop that you had the work done with.

They WILL tell you "too bad, it is still too expensive". This is when you tell them that "your job as the insurance company is to 'make me whole' again after this, are you refusing to do your job? A Tesla is like any other Exotic car, and it cannot be worked on any old body shop, but must be done with one certified in high-end aluminum repairs and that will work to the standards dictated by the manufacturer to maintain the warranty. Do we need to have a conversation with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation because you are refusing to follow proper insurance guidelines?"

Your insurance company's job is to get payment from GEICO for the damage that their client caused, not try to put you on the hook for the difference that GEICO is most likely trying to short them on.


EDIT - and yes, you should have probably worked through GEICO first, and held your insurance company in reserve if GEICO refused to pay. You've already expended that ammo in this circumstance.
 
As Rockster noted, problems with GEICO paying out have been noted here before. I am sure there was at least one other thread aside from the one he pointed out.

I subscribe to a service called checkbook.org that is kind of like a local version of Consumer Reports. They survey members on insurance companies, and check with the AG office for complaints, and survey body shops on problems working with insurance companies. In my area GEICO was very near the bottom of insurance companies that body shops wanted to work with. (Not that that knowledge necessarily helps when the accident is somebody else's fault and they are insured through GEICO, as with the OP).

PEMCO was very near the top, great in all the other ratings, and in my case had some of the cheapest rates too. I am insured with them, though of course rates and such vary a great deal.
 
I would contact a lawyer with experience with car insurance. Bryan Thomas in California might be able to steer you to someone in Florida. Situation sounds fishy and illegal on the part of your carrier, if it is really exactly as you describe with no other details.

Facts being that I was taking my son to school and a lady coming out of the school parking made a left across traffic where the signs says "No Left Turn", Well she made a left turn anyway and plowed right into me on the drivers side. Said she didn't see me she only saw the big black escalade behind me and she was trying to come out before it got there, not seeing that I was already there. She had to admit fault because it was her fault and witnesses were a plenty, all parents from the school. Now I have an estimate from Dayas auto here in Orlando for 16k and usaa is saying they only estimate 6k. There is nothing i can really make up or leave out, i got hit and my insurance doesn't like the cost to fix. Thats it. Will definitely get a lawyer on deck. I may feel a different way if I was at fault, but the fact that all i did was take my son to school and now have to go into debt for doing so. It just seems wrong thats all. Oh and get this...the insurance lady says she always has problems with this shop and i could have taken it to a TC shop 3 hours away from near near Miami or 2.5 hours North of me in Jacksonville. My thing is...How the heck was I supposed to know that. She says well its illegal for us to tell you where to take it...whatttttt????