My experience with Tesla Insurance after destroying my leased Model 3 in a freeway accident

[T3SLAROD]

I said fair for that, my bad.



I bought a new one yes.



I removed the video, it's not going to bring anything to the conversation (this was enough of a trauma to have people say it's all my fault and that everyone would have just avoided the crash).

moderator note: removed link to video, as user specified. Link was already dead when I did so.

Would you mind putting the video back up? I wanted to show my teenage son why it’s important to always look at what’s happening in front of the car in front of him so he can have an idea what the car in front of him or around him will probably do.

This is a good instructional video.

Glad everyone is ok

 

[SageBrush]

"Maths" say that it should take ~1.25 second to bring a Model 3 from ~65MPH to a complete stop. (Stopping distance is ~133 feet for ~60 MPH.) Add one second for a reaction time, and you should have had an extra 0.75 seconds to stop.

I'm not following. How did you calculate the time to stop from 60 mph once the brake is fully depressed ?

My casual arithmetic comes up with this:
65 mph is ~ 30 meters per second
Cars have about a -1G max deceleration, perhaps up to -1.3G with a grippy tire so we are talking about 10 - 13 meters per second^2 deceleration. That works out to somewhere in the range of
30/10 = 3 seconds
30/13 = 2.3 seconds

 

[TLLMRRJ]

No!! Not a white interior Model 3!!! That hurts so bad! Why couldn’t have been a black interior!!!

 

[jjrandorin]

(personal opinion inc, not representing TMC or anyone else but myself in this post).


OP, in any case, lots of people were questioning Tesla Insurance, and I remember your other thread where we were really questioning how much of your down payment (if anything ) you would get back.

Two things of note:

1. I am glad the car protected you as well as it did, given the apparent speed you were going on the freeway. This reinforces for me that this are pretty darn safe cars.

2. It sounds like Tesla insurance ended up doing right by you from a monetary perspective, but it took a while to get there.

As for the rest, one thing I know from my time here on TMC is that users here like to dive into accident details. Chalk it up to a learning experience, but in your shoes I would have focused on the "tesla insurance" part of your story since that is the part you were trying to give feedback on.

 

[cerealzealot]

(personal opinion inc, not representing TMC or anyone else but myself in this post).
OP, in any case, lots of people were questioning Tesla Insurance, and I remember your other thread where we were really questioning how much of your down payment (if anything ) you would get back.

Two things of note:

1. I am glad the car protected you as well as it did, given the apparent speed you were going on the freeway. This reinforces for me that this are pretty darn safe cars.

2. It sounds like Tesla insurance ended up doing right by you from a monetary perspective, but it took a while to get there.

As for the rest, one thing I know from my time here on TMC is that users here like to dive into accident details. Chalk it up to a learning experience, but in your shoes I would have focused on the "tesla insurance" part of your story since that is the part you were trying to give feedback on.

Yes. I probably should have avoided accident details. As for insurance yes in the end I am happy. It was just extremely stressful because very slow and unsure of how this all works in lease situation (especially with a big down payment).

 

[MP3Mike]

I'm not following. How did you calculate the time to stop from 60 mph once the brake is fully depressed ?

My casual arithmetic comes up with this:
65 mph is ~ 30 meters per second
Tyres have about a -1G max deceleration, perhaps up to -1.3G with a grippy tire so we are talking about 10 - 13 meters per second^2 deceleration. That works out to somewhere in the range of
30/10 = 3 seconds
30/13 = 2.3 seconds

I'm sure what I did isn't correct, but you are travelling ~130 feet per second at 60 MPH, and it takes ~133 feet for a 60 to 0 MPH stop. So yeah, it is going to be a little longer than 1 second.

 

[patrick40363]

On Thursday, Sept 17th I was involved in a car accident on the freeway. My car was a Model 3 Blue SR+ with white interiors.

I couldn't do much. Car started catching on fire 5 seconds after the crash (likely because I had an external battery and airpods in the frunk). We were three in the car but no one got hurt (almost, a few fractured ribs for the passengers, nothing at all for me).

I tried to file a claim 2h after the accident, got disconnected in the middle of the call. Tried to call the morning after (a Friday), got disconnected once again. Called once again and this time the claim went through. They told me someone would call me back within 24 to 48 business hours, I got a call back on the next Wednesday.

Someone was assigned to my case, I explained everything in details, sent pictures and videos. My car was still in the tow yard, and stayed there until Oct 2nd (15 days after the crash). I still had belongings inside during all this time, and since the car was shut down it was impossible for me to get them, I've been told to wait for insurance to pick it up.

On Sept 30th Tesla Inc sent me an email asking me to send them the contact of the person in charge of me. They sent me back an email on Oct 9th with the payoff amount they want. This payoff was calculated with how much downpayment I put, how many monthly payments I made and so on. They wanted $34,409 (I put $11,990 of down payment). Again this was a lease for 2 years.

An appraiser came on Oct 8th to see the car and to calculate a settlement offer. On Oct 21st I finally received a settlement offer from the insurance, of $46,279 (minus $1000 of deductible, so $45,279). I received DMV papers from IAA (Insurance Auto Action, the people who kept the car), filled them and sent them back, I received my check on Nov 6th (accident happened on Sept 17th, took almost two months).

This is my first accident ever, I cannot compare with any other insurance. I am happy with the final settlement, but communication with the person in charge was kind of hard (the person would *never* answer the phone, never). And every email would take 24 to 48h to get a response. Otherwise polite and helpful, but responsiveness is a big oof.

I was paying $300/month for 5K miles for this insurance (I'm 25, first car ever insured). I still don't know if and how much my premium will go.

Was the car leased as mentioned in the header?

 

[cerealzealot]

Was the car leased as mentioned in the header?

Yes, lease on 24 months.

 

[patrick40363]

Yes, lease on 24 months.

Why did they give you a check? It should have gone to the leasing company.

 

[cerealzealot]

Why did they give you a check? It should have gone to the leasing company.

Leasing company is Tesla. I put $12K down payment. They calculated that the pay off amount was $34K. Insurance total loss settlement was $45K. I got back the difference between the two numbers.

 

[patrick40363]

Leasing company is Tesla. I put $12K down payment. They calculated that the pay off amount was $34K. Insurance total loss settlement was $45K. I got back the difference between the two numbers.

Thanks for the update.

 

[SageBrush]

I'm sure what I did isn't correct, but you are travelling ~130 feet per second at 60 MPH, and it takes ~133 feet for a 60 to 0 MPH stop. So yeah, it is going to be a little longer than 1 second.

Ahh ..
First, 60 mph is 88 feet per second
Second, your average speed while slowing down from 60 to 0 mph is way less than 60 mph, and correspondingly way more than one second. If we grossly estimate average speed during the braking as 30 mph then it takes ~ 3 seconds*

* (133/88)*(60/30)*1

I think you owe OP an apology for disparaging his maths.

As an aside,
The thing is though, it takes time for the car in front to come to a stop also, form the time the brake lights come on. I don't know if the AP "3 second following distance" takes this into account.

 

[cerealzealot]

As an aside,
The thing is though, it takes time for the car in front to come to a stop also, form the time the brake lights come on. I don't know if the AP "3 second following distance" takes this into account.

I removed the video before you could see, but the car was already at a stop. The pickup in front of me didn't brake, changed lanes, and left me with the car at a full stop. I didn't see anyone breaking.

 

[dmurphy]

I was going at 65, in a car with 3 people full of luggages (we were going on a trip). 3 seconds is "plenty of time" to stop? Come on, just do some maths.

I actually have a degree in mathematics, but thank you.

If you’re not comfortable stopping the vehicle at your following distance, you’re too close. Did it happen fast? Yep. But that’s why following distances should be significant. If your vehicle is overloaded, you need to leave additional space such that you can stop the vehicle in an emergency. And to your earlier point - yes - looking 5 cars ahead is absolutely what I do when I drive. Eyes up and far distance is how I was taught to drive, by my dad, who’s a commercial driver. If you can see your hood, your eyes are too far down.

I apologize if I come off snarky, but we have to own our actions. Sometimes we make mistakes - all of us - and owning them is the first step to not repeating them. Again, I’m glad the injuries aren’t more severe.

Now, on the insurance front, sounds like a decent resolution, so that’s a good thing. I am curious to see how they re-rate your plan after the at-fault accident... I don’t think we have much (if any) data about Tesla insurance on that.

I do apologize for glossing over the Tesla insurance piece of this; I’m full on the other side of the country where Tesla insurance isn’t available, and frankly, will pretty much never be attractive to me. I’ve got assets beyond my vehicles to insure, and prefer to have one point of contact for all of it. So unless Tesla wants to get into the fire & casualty insurance business, I tend to ignore them altogether.

Glad the injuries weren’t severe, nor the financial impact. And hopefully a good lesson on looking forward.

now - onward - got your next 3 picked out??

 

[Candleflame]

Ahh ..
First, 60 mph is 88 feet per second
Second, your average speed while slowing down from 60 to 0 mph is way less than 60 mph, and correspondingly way more than one second. If we grossly estimate average speed during the braking as 30 mph then it takes ~ 3 seconds*

* (133/88)*(60/30)*1

I think you owe OP an apology for disparaging his maths.

As an aside,
The thing is though, it takes time for the car in front to come to a stop also, form the time the brake lights come on. I don't know if the AP "3 second following distance" takes this into account.

AP will keep distance perfectly via radar/camera. OP was driving manually though so only had collision warning/braking for a softer impact.

 

[cerealzealot]

I actually have a degree in mathematics, but thank you.

If you’re not comfortable stopping the vehicle at your following distance, you’re too close. Did it happen fast? Yep. But that’s why following distances should be significant. If your vehicle is overloaded, you need to leave additional space such that you can stop the vehicle in an emergency. And to your earlier point - yes - looking 5 cars ahead is absolutely what I do when I drive. Eyes up and far distance is how I was taught to drive, by my dad, who’s a commercial driver. If you can see your hood, your eyes are too far down.

I apologize if I come off snarky, but we have to own our actions. Sometimes we make mistakes - all of us - and owning them is the first step to not repeating them. Again, I’m glad the injuries aren’t more severe.

Now, on the insurance front, sounds like a decent resolution, so that’s a good thing. I am curious to see how they re-rate your plan after the at-fault accident... I don’t think we have much (if any) data about Tesla insurance on that.

I do apologize for glossing over the Tesla insurance piece of this; I’m full on the other side of the country where Tesla insurance isn’t available, and frankly, will pretty much never be attractive to me. I’ve got assets beyond my vehicles to insure, and prefer to have one point of contact for all of it. So unless Tesla wants to get into the fire & casualty insurance business, I tend to ignore them altogether.

Glad the injuries weren’t severe, nor the financial impact. And hopefully a good lesson on looking forward.

now - onward - got your next 3 picked out??

No worries. Yes I was probably too close considering a pickup was blocking my view, and that I was heavy. I just wanted to say that I am sure that 99% of people in my situation would have not avoided the crash (considering the same distance, which was the same as everyone on the freeway). I learned the hard way, from now on I will give *much* more distance, and look as far as I can in front of me.

And yes I ordered a new one, the 2021 model. Estimated delivery is between 9th and 23rd December.

 

[SageBrush]

If you’re not comfortable stopping the vehicle at your following distance, you’re too close.

I don't think your criticism is valid. IF the vehicle in front of OP had slammed on his brakes, OP would not have hit him. Instead the vehicle in front swerved into another lane and OP was facing a car standing still.

I will speculate that the vehicle that avoided a crash changed lanes without looking first. It happened too fast.

 

[AxlxA]

@cerealzealot I'm glad you and everyone is ok. I did see the video and yes, you couldn't really avoid it. For those who didn't see, here's my memory of it.

Car traveling behind a pick up of what looks like pretty close. Like a autopilot setting of 3-5(I'm guessing) and the truck sudden cut over to first lane due to a car in front of it looked completely stopped. OP wouldn't have see this. The truck was blocking view and when these situation occurs, you don't have any time.

Did you guys see another accident video from yesterday on reddit how his autopilot suddenly cut over to slower lane to avoid a collision, where the Hyundai behind it (same position as OP in this thread, slams right into the rear of the car in front.)

I was such a young dumb driver for the longest time. But after getting the Tesla, I'm so worry about phantom braking that I try to drive in lanes without many cars in front or behind me.

 

[cerealzealot]

I don't think your criticism is valid. IF the vehicle in front of OP had slammed on his brakes, OP would not have hit him. Instead the vehicle in front swerved into another lane and OP was facing a car standing still.

I will speculate that the vehicle that avoided a crash changed lanes without looking first. It happened too fast.

The car behind me had less distance with me than I had with the pickup, it braked when it saw me braking, and didn't hit me.

So yes.

 

[Candleflame]

@cerealzealot I'm glad you and everyone is ok. I did see the video and yes, you couldn't really avoid it. For those who didn't see, here's my memory of it.

Car traveling behind a pick up of what looks like pretty close. Like a autopilot setting of 3-5(I'm guessing) and the truck sudden cut over to first lane due to a car in front of it looked completely stopped. OP wouldn't have see this. The truck was blocking view and when these situation occurs, you don't have any time.

Did you guys see another accident video from yesterday on reddit how his autopilot suddenly cut over to slower lane to avoid a collision, where the Hyundai behind it (same position as OP in this thread, slams right into the rear of the car in front.)

I was such a young dumb driver for the longest time. But after getting the Tesla, I'm so worry about phantom braking that I try to drive in lanes without many cars in front or behind me.

why do people in the states not just turn their hazards on so ppl know theres an obstruction happening?