Involve insurance or not?

[coolzzy]

Need some advice. Today while stopped at a red light, somebody blew through it headed my way and an 08 expedition T-boned the car that ran the light. The expedition popped both its air bags and slid sideways through the intersection 90 degrees gently to rest against my front bumper.

The police arrived, took statements and pictures and then allowed me to move my truck backwards so they could get the wrecked expedition on a wrecker. It literally just kissed the bumper, and I have a 1" scratch in the paint. I have full coverage but the guy who ran the light and caused the accident probably does not (according to public repository he has 2 priors for being cited in accidents with no insurance along with 4 pages of other naughty things).

The cops gave me a report of the accident after taking my registration, insurance and driver's license information. It does not list anyone at fault, which I thought was odd. Anyway they said to call my insurance and give them that info. I'd really like to avoid getting an accident noted on a future car fax as I believe it hurts resale value. If I don't file a claim will it keep the vehicle accident history clean, or will the police report info make it onto a car fax? I'm gonna call the insurance agency tomorrow and see what they think but not sure how to broach that subject with them.

 

[Plati]

Probably depends on your state. I heard once (NY) that even telling an insurance company about a potential claim is mark against you EVEN If you never file a claim. Just something I heard.

I hope to never file a claim for anything, ever. I'll eat small costs or live with a minor scratch if I need to. I also don't call the government to "ask questions" either. This is a great country and I love it but I don't trust bureaucracy or the people in government.

Of course if my house burns down I file a claim. Thats what insurance is for for me, Catastrophic coverage. $25K Expy gets totaled = claim.

 

[John Christopher]

Need some advice. Today while stopped at a red light, somebody blew through it headed my way and an 08 expedition T-boned the car that ran the light. The expedition popped both its air bags and slid sideways through the intersection 90 degrees gently to rest against my front bumper.

The police arrived, took statements and pictures and then allowed me to move my truck backwards so they could get the wrecked expedition on a wrecker. It literally just kissed the bumper, and I have a 1" scratch in the paint. I have full coverage but the guy who ran the light and caused the accident probably does not (according to public repository he has 2 priors for being cited in accidents with no insurance along with 4 pages of other naughty things).

The cops gave me a report of the accident after taking my registration, insurance and driver's license information. It does not list anyone at fault, which I thought was odd. Anyway they said to call my insurance and give them that info. I'd really like to avoid getting an accident noted on a future car fax as I believe it hurts resale value. If I don't file a claim will it keep the vehicle accident history clean, or will the police report info make it onto a car fax? I'm gonna call the insurance agency tomorrow and see what they think but not sure how to broach that subject with them.

If I were you I would not report the accident to your insurance company. Sometimes it is better to eat small damages. A quick story follows:

My wife hit an abutment at the grocery store parking lot. She damaged the door and rocker and small area of the front bumper. The damage was $2200 and I had a $500 deductible. We discussed paying for the repair ourselves but decided to turn it in. We were with Geico for 7 years and never had a claim on either vehicle. It only cost them about $1700 to fix the car.

When I got my renewal they raised my premium almost 50%. I couldn't believe it. The rate would last 3 years before dropping. I was furious and determined to find another carrier even if it cost me more money. I was actually able to reduce my rate by adding my house insurance with another carrier. So Geico never got a cent of the inflated new rate. They screwed with the wrong person. I get even when someone does me wrong. Touch up the scratch.

 

[coolzzy]

I'm thinking if the police report of an accident gets on a carfax anyway I'm already screwed in potential loss of value if I sell or trade the truck in in the future. I've got touch up paint in the correct Motorcraft color so I'm not worried about that. I crawled underneath it after getting it home and nothing was bent or damaged the steel bumper is directly behind that scuff area and we didn't even feel the impact when it happened.





And the damage to my vehicle was just this

 

[JExpedition07]

I’d keep them out of it in your situation. Probably a no fault state. Glad you guys are safe and damage was minimal. Did the 08’ survive to see another day or was it cooked? Looks like it just needs some new front end parts from what I can tell. Curious how a car held up from the impact from an expy...any other pics?

Regarding the damage, I’d hit that front scuff area with some rubbing compound on a towel put pressure on it. You’d be surprised sometimes it sits on top of the clear coat and will buff out if you work on it. Touch up paint may not even be needed.

 

[coolzzy]

I'm sure it will be totalled. Both front air bags deployed in the crash, both front fenders are shot, drivers side strut bent and who knows what else. The collision was on the driver's side. The chevy sonic that ran the light had front and side curtain airbags deploy and was pretty mangled as well but I didn't get a picture of it since it was out in the road facing the other way. The Expy might be rebuilt but it will have a salvage title being an 08 with air bags deployed.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

Reporting the accident to your insurance company at all will result in a claim on your record. Speaking from experience, I would avoid it whenever possible if the claim amount is $0.

If your vehicle is listed on the police report as being involved in the accident, it is almost certain that your vehicle will end up with an accident history on CarFax. Info reported to the insurance company alone (with no public record to accompany it, eg a deer hit at 3AM) sometimes makes it to a CarFax, but more often does not.

 

[Habbibie]

By me in IL any claim to the insurance company results in a "accident reported" on the carfax report even if the damage was at $0.00, that by itself reduces the value of the car significantly. The police report itself without the insurance involved does NOT make it to the carfax report regardless of the damage cost even if the car is a total loss.

 

[Trainmaster]

You dodged a bullet, my friend. Grab a cold one and celebrate.

I must agree with all the posts here that say don't make a report, unless your state requires such.

Here in New York reporting an accident as this will result in a $400/year insurance increase for 40 months. We're required to report any accident with $1000 in damage to our cars.

Smart people just settle up personally or fix the damage themselves.

 

[Plati]

You dodged a bullet, my friend. Grab a cold one and celebrate.

I must agree with all the posts here that say don't make a report, unless your state requires such.

Here in New York reporting an accident as this will result in a $400/year insurance increase for 40 months. We're required to report any accident with $1000 in damage to our cars.

Smart people just settle up personally or fix the damage themselves.

My understanding has always been ... NYS ... required to report to the police any accident with estimated $1000 damage. Not required to report anything to insurance company. Am I wrong? Is that what you meant? BTW ... how do I estimate that?

Its sort of like the NYS law regarding snowmobile accidents....
The operator of any snowmobile involved in an accident in New York State resulting in injuries to or death of any person, or in which property damage in the estimated amount of one thousand dollars or more is sustained, is required to report such accident to an appropriate law enforcement agency.

 

[Trainmaster]

Mister, you're right. There's no requirement to report to your insurer in New York, though your insurance policy may require it for liability reasons.

And the accident was already reported to the police. Since CarFax pays the State of New York for its accident information, anyone involved in a reported accident, even when their car is not hit or damaged usually winds up with the accident on their CarFax. It's part of the joy of living in a Socialist state with $20,000/year in property taxes.

How do you estimate $1000? It's up to you or the cop. The law doesn't explain, just like the snowmobile thing. There's just a place to write the "estimated damage" on the state accident report form.

That's my take on it.

 

[Flexpedition]

Police report is one of many CarFax data sources. The caveat is from digitized police reports. Lots of small towns PD's still use filing cabinets for unscanned paperwork.

If you are really concerned about the Carfax induced phenomena of "potential loss of value", simply go to 2-3 body shops and put their $100 buffing/touch-up estimates in your owners manual for safe keeping. Make sure they put month/date/year on them. Print the above pictures at Walgreens and keep the dated sales receipt, put them in the same place. Ditto with the police report if you are so inclined.

Now you have all your ducks in a row come time for trade-in or resale and have to deal with one of those "but carfax says it was in a huge fiery inferno multicar pile-up" asshats.

 

[Plati]

.... Since CarFax pays the State of New York for its accident information, anyone involved in a reported accident, even when their car is not hit or damaged usually winds up with the accident on their CarFax. It's part of the joy of living in a Socialist state with $20,000/year in property taxes.....

Well, by that measure --- the entire US & Canada is a Socialist state.
So its kinda hard to pick on NYS for that one?

quote:
CARFAX® receives data from more than 100,000 different sources including every U.S. and Canadian provincial motor vehicle agency plus many police and fire departments, collision repair facilities, auto auctions, and more.

https://www.carfax.com/company/vhr-data-sources

 

[Don Hall]

What is the damage vs the deductible? Your answer should decide your action.

 

[coolzzy]

I have a $500 deductible so using the touch up paint I already have (since my focus and expy are the same Ford silver color) cost me zero. I'm just gonna keep quiet and touch in the paint this evening.