[hillcogolfer]

Hey yall....my first post on this particular thread. Just got my '39 Chevy sedan backed into in a parking lot a couple of weeks back....This is the first time I've ever had to file a claim but I quickly got the process started with my ****** Insurance Company. They sent out an independent estimator and after he did his thing he emailed me his estimates for fixing it. It was a fairly minor fender bender in the rear of my car. He says the entire trunk lid, rear pan and driver's side rear fender will need to be repainted (after bodywork). He further said it will all need to be "blended" into the rest of the car's paint....and base-coated/clear-coated. All this he figured could be done for $950 labor and $350 materials.
I thought it was a pretty low estimate to do all that.....and being that my paint is a single stage paint (red with some blue pearl tint to it)....I have my doubts whether anyone can actually make this "blend" work at all....but if they can...certainly not for that estimate amount.
When I took it to a paint shop that I may want to use, the paint shop guys also found it pretty ridiculous. I have decided to let them fight it out with the estimator and insurance company...at least for the time being. When it comes time for me to assert my will towards the company, I definitely want to do that, but for the time being I thought it best to let the paint shop talk with them.
My question is: Has anyone on here had similar experiences? I read a lot of posts about people choosing this particular company or that, but I have yet to find anyone who has filed a claim and told about it. Anyone care to offer up any tips from your own experience? Any feedback at all will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and Happy Rodding!

[jsm1847]

The insurance estimate is just that, an estimate. They have no way of telling what damage has happened under what he sees. Take your car to a well known body shop in town, who does good work. If you don't know who to use, call mercedes Benz or BMW in your town and ask who they use. Insurance companies always want you to use their people because they give them better rates, which is not great for you.
When the well known body shop estimates the job (and laughs at insurance comp) they will call the INS company and get an ajustment. Body shops have insurance rates that they go by that are industry standards.
Law states (in tx at least) that you can use anyone you want. Choose wisely.
Hope that helps a bit. By the way, you don't have to accept what the insurance company bids. There are also things like diminished value that you may want to look into.

[jsm1847]

I just read you are in the Texas hill country as well. Are you by chance beorne area? There is a body shop that works on rods and customs right outside beorne, as well as Benz's n such. They have a good reputation.

[MARTINSR]

Yep, that is all there is to it, bring it to the shop of your choice and they WILL get what is needed to do it properly. I am in the autobody business and work with MANY different insurance companies every day. There are a few who will give you a hard time and fight a little but most will listen to what the shop says with a few "negotiations" on this or that which usually amounts to a very little but it shows their bosses that they are doing their job.

Just take it to who you trust and they will make it happen.

Brian

[deadbodyman]

wouldn't it be the insurance company of the person that hit you ? unless they were uninsured your company has nothing to do with it ..Right? So just let the shop handle everything ...Their ins company has to pay just dont go to ANY shop THEY recommend ...Proshops do some pretty pitiful work and thats on newer cars they absolutely,positively shouldn't be touching an old or classic car...I've yet to hear of any shop (even Maaco) that'll tell a prospective customer,No we cant match that paint,or do a proper job...They'll tell anything you want to hear,so be carefull choosing a shop..Thats what you should be worrying about not the ins co.
They HAVE to pay.

[hillcogolfer]

Originally Posted by jsm1847

I just read you are in the Texas hill country as well. Are you by chance beorne area? There is a body shop that works on rods and customs right outside beorne, as well as Benz's n such. They have a good reputation.

I'm only 40 minutes west of Boerne (near Kerrville and Fredericksburg)....

[jsm1847]

Loredo paint and body has done 30-40 of mr loredos personal classics. They have a good reputation in the dealership business. He is behind mercedes Benz of beorne. I have seen his cars and truck. Just a heads up. Unless you trust your body shop well....

[dinger]

JMO, all insurance adjusters are newbies at one time, you may be the lucky guy to start this guys career. I would take it it to 2 or 3 shops for estimates, not saying anything about the adjusters estimate. Take the car to a reputablke place, one that does good work. Most insurance companies will try to get paint to match but it mostly relies on the skills of the shop.

[deadbodyman]

And just remember its the adjusters job to save the ins company money...

[timothale]

My F 350 got hit when it was parked in front of my son's house, and the jacked up toyota ended upside down in the middle of the street.The adjuster's repair number was about 1/3 of the 3 body shop's estimate. A couple shops said they had dealt with him before and his numbers weren't very accurate. I had a job lined up with my backhoe and needed a truck, NO ONE Rents a truck with the hitch and light hookups I needed I called the kids dad that hit me and told him to call his agent that sold him the policy and tell them I was ready to sue the father, His ultimate responsibility for damage. It just takes lots of time, calls to supervisors, etc and 2 weeks with no outside the area digs.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by deadbodyman

And just remember its the adjusters job to save the ins company money...

But honestly, I deal with a LOT of these guys and gals, everyday I deal with them, some over and over some one time. Just like any other job there are some with a good head on their shoulders some without said head. I have guys and gals who work with you, they cut down some numbers to make their boss happy and jack up others to make the end number the same or more! They will often do this, honestly where are some good ones out there.
One of them I have been working with for 30 years! He has always been a crotchety pain in the butt, but ALWAYS fair.

One of the ways you get somewhere with them is to treat them with respect. Ask them about their job and how far they have to drive and stuff like that. They are just like you and I, they want some recognition for their hard work. They go into shop after shop where they are treated like crap. When I treat them with respect they show me some.

And don't try to BS them, they have seen it all, show them where you take stuff OFF the estimate that they had to save them money, I work WITH them and they usually work with me.


Brian

[alittle1]

Why wouldn't just take it back to the shop that did the paint work in the first place and see what they say.

I once said to the Insurance Company adjustor that I was having a disagreement with, " Would you like me to get an estimate on the work from the person that did the work in the first place?" They said, "Sure, that's agreeable."
I said, "Hold on a minute, I'll get my pen and paper and write down that your about $800 to light on the estimate." They paid me the claim price including the $800, I did my own repairs. Nice job, too!

[hillcogolfer]

Well, one big problem is: the car was painted about 5 years by the original builder, who lives in another state and whose son painted the car with a custom paint color (red with some blue pearl tint)...and of course, they did not save the paint formula....So far, the paint shops that have looked at it say they don't even see how they are going to make it "blend" in. So what is the answer, ask the insurance company to pay for repainting the whole car? Guess we'll find out!

[MARTINSR]

I have never seen a paint company pay for painting the whole car when it comes to a color issue, it is the bodyshops job to BE ABLE to match the color. And any good painter is going to do it, either by color match skills and or blending skills. The painter can't "match" the color perfect, he is not God, but he is a magician and can create illusion.

Not every shop has someone who can do this, the painters of today have evolved into a painter who picks a color from a variety of sprayed out color cards provided by the paint company. Years ago, there was ONE color provided by the paint company with no spray out. You had to MATCH the color using the toners in your toner bank. You did things like sanding the pearl off the base so you could match the base and then using that match the pearl (or candy). That is what you did, you MATCHED the color so when it was painted it looked the same or of course near to it, that is when you became a magician.

So you need to go hunting to find the right place. The insurance company is not going to pay for a complete paint job.

Brian

[deadbodyman]

To be fair...I think the reason they low ball everyone first is because most people just want that check and dont really care about getting the car fixed..or getting it fixed right....