Paint scratches from minor accident; claim worth it?

[dimachaerus]

Hello folks, I got rear ended/rear swiped at a measily 2-3mph this morning from a driver who wasn't paying attention. For a bit more context, I was at a stop sign at a two way intersection waiting to make a right, and as I was waiting for the oncoming car, the driver behind me decided to move up, swipe me with his rear right door of his jeep.

Fortunately, everyone is fine. I'm going through the process of determining if a claim is worth it or if a touch up job would be better? The first picture below shows the immediate after math, and the second is after i washed it down. What do you all think?

The driver already claimed fault, and I have the dashcam footage as well, but alas, this is the end result. Appreciate your feedback!

 

[Candleflame]

Hello folks, I got rear ended/rear swiped at a measily 2-3mph this morning from a driver who wasn't paying attention. For a bit more context, I was at a stop sign at a two way intersection waiting to make a right, and as I was waiting for the oncoming car, the driver behind me decided to move up, swipe me with his rear right door of his jeep.

Fortunately, everyone is fine. I'm going through the process of determining if a claim is worth it or if a touch up job would be better? The first picture below shows the immediate after math, and the second is after i washed it down. What do you all think?

View attachment 806803
View attachment 806804

The driver already claimed fault, and I have the dashcam footage as well, but alas, this is the end result. Appreciate your feedback!

he hit you, claim from his insurance or his personal bank account (in USA there is no compulsary insurance is there?)

looking at the damage i have doubts that this is the undercoat exposed... have you cleaned this properly with alcohol? it may just be an abbrasion which can be polished out in 5min.

 

[dimachaerus]

Yes, in California car insurance is supposed to be mandatory. I did clean the area and had a body shop take a look, and they did say that the bottom scratch completely exposes the core. Looking a bit more carefully, i can actually see slightly through the gap with the little clips are exposed. The other side is not like that.

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

Yes, in California car insurance is supposed to be mandatory. I did clean the area and had a body shop take a look, and they did say that the bottom scratch completely exposes the core. Looking a bit more carefully, i can actually see slightly through the gap with the little clips are exposed. The other side is not like that.

View attachment 806864

That's plastic under there, not no risk of rust.

Cheap to fix

 

[michael805]

Yes, file a claim. I see you are in California — a not at fault claim will not increase your rates. If you want to make it easy on yourself pay your collision deductible on your own policy and get it fixed. (Your insurance company will try to recover the deductible for you from the other party).

You can also file directly with the other parties insurance but this may take more time/effort.

 

[jjrandorin]

he hit you, claim from his insurance or his personal bank account (in USA there is no compulsary insurance is there?)

You are making a mistake in lumping "The USA" as one location for something like this. A lot of things in the US are legislated at the state level, meaning there would be a difference between states (many many things, actually). This is something that is legislated by each state, so what insurance rules are required are driven by state law, not federal.

CA insurance requires liability at pretty minimal levels, for instance.

@ OP

It would be a lot "easier" for this OP to claim this through their own insurance, pay their deductible, and let their insurance try to recover the deductible from the other parties insurance. It would be less money out of pocket to begin with for the OP to claim this against the at fault parties insurance, but as mentioned, might be more work (their customer is the at fault party, not the OP, after all).

I would get it fixed if it were me, even if it were my fault, so I absolutely would get it fixed for something that wasnt my fault. It would drive me batty to look at it all the time, and I wouldnt be able to prevent myself from looking at it. I would likely do it through my own insurance, simply because I would want "easier".

Good luck, OP.

 

[dmurphy]

You are making a mistake in lumping "The USA" as one location for something like this. A lot of things in the US are legislated at the state level, meaning there would be a difference between states (many many things, actually). This is something that is legislated by each state, so what insurance rules are required are driven by state law, not federal.

CA insurance requires liability at pretty minimal levels, for instance.

@ OP

It would be a lot "easier" for this OP to claim this through their own insurance, pay their deductible, and let their insurance try to recover the deductible from the other parties insurance. It would be less money out of pocket to begin with for the OP to claim this against the at fault parties insurance, but as mentioned, might be more work (their customer is the at fault party, not the OP, after all).

I would get it fixed if it were me, even if it were my fault, so I absolutely would get it fixed for something that wasnt my fault. It would drive me batty to look at it all the time, and I wouldnt be able to prevent myself from looking at it. I would likely do it through my own insurance, simply because I would want "easier".

Good luck, OP.

Honestly, it may not even be worth going through insurance.

That’s “just” the plastic bumper cover - about $800 installed, if I remember correctly, from Tesla.

Depending on the insurance deductible, it may be advantageous to just pay for the dang thing out of pocket.

 

[dimachaerus]

Just had one estimate done. The shop said a full insurance claim would likely be a $2500 job, cash job would be $1300, and touch up would be about $100-200.

The main reason for the loftier prices are because the scratches are on both the bumper panel and the left rear panel, so both would be removed and 3 stage painted for a full fix.

With no other damage, I'm thinking touch up would be fine. A part of me wonders if perhaps the claim is still worth it for peace of mind, but with the added mark on the car's history now.

 

[BigNick]

There is no way the rear door of a Jeep should hit you that low. I'm thinking it might have been the Jeep's tire or fender arch that rubbed your paint off.

It's hard to tell if your quarter panel is pushed in slightly or whether it is a reflection, but if it is a dent there, a good PDR shop should be able to fix that rather easily as there doesn't appear to be a crease. The paint touch-up you might be able to do yourself with a kit?

 

[804son]

I had someone back into our white MYP just a while back, didn't look a whole lot different than what the OP's looked like. It was a $3,200 fix.
Definitely something that should be submitted to insurance in my opinion.

 

[dimachaerus]

I had someone back into our white MYP just a while back, didn't look a whole lot different than what the OP's looked like. It was a $3,200 fix.
Definitely something that should be submitted to insurance in my opinion.

Yikes. Do you know what was fixed? Was it just paint? was the bumper/panels actually misaligned from damage?

 

[804son]

Yikes. Do you know what was fixed? Was it just paint? was the bumper/panels actually misaligned from damage?

The bumper cover was replaced, panel was fixed (had slight wave to it), apparently some damage behind the panel as well, also the panel had to be repainted and the plastic fender edge replaced. Really didn't look much worse than yours.

 

[dimachaerus]

The bumper cover was replaced, panel was fixed (had slight wave to it), apparently some damage behind the panel as well, also the panel had to be repainted and the plastic fender edge replaced. Really didn't look much worse than yours.

Thanks for sharing. You're right, with that kind of damage underneath i should probably just submit the claim.

 

[804son]

Wouldn't want you to get stuck with a big bill, in case there was damage you couldn't see.

 

[804son]

Here's a picture of mine...

 

[dimachaerus]

Here's a picture of mine...View attachment 807837

ahh you're right. doesnt look like much, but even mine i can slightly see those evenly sequnced white plastic clips slightly showing. It probably is very similar.

 

[santua]

For that type of damage, I would not go through insurance. It is not worth the CarFax.

 

[804son]

Never once have I had a reduction in sales price due to a carfax report. I've had people ask, but never had to lower the price due to it.