Is Your Insurance Policy Up To Date?

SuperDave
SuperDave Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Thank goodness ours is.:) .This happened to us on our way to an Orange Blossom Chapter Christmas party in Winter Garden, West of Orlando.:ohmy: We were in East Orlando and stopped at a traffic light on SR-50. It was raining an an inattentive(?texting?)B) driver failed to stop and rear ended us. I saw her comming and let the clutch out and tried to lessen the blow.. Glad it wasn't worse. No injury to the people just a bent up 49 Hudson and a scratched 94 Honda. Her bumper was higher than ours, hence the sheet metal crunching. :sick: $3,000.00 Is my guess??
The Christmas party was great..:)

Comments

  • drivergo2
    drivergo2 Expert Adviser
    Glad everyone is ok , Were going to have to go with robots to drive for us while we play with our hand helds.:ohmy:
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Glad it wasnt worse and your ok. Send pics of the rehab, can you use flat metal to repair or will you have to cut a piece from another car? Thanks, Bob P
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    edited December 2010
    bobdriveshudson wrote:
    Glad it wasnt worse and your ok. Send pics of the rehab, can you use flat metal to repair or will you have to cut a piece from another car? Thanks, Bob P

    Well, my plan for now is to let my buddy at the body shop that painted the car have a lick at it. They are very good at collision work. So far I have always done my own body work, but at 71 I am ready to lay down the body hammer.. I have Hagerty Insurance, other driver has Geico. I have often wondered how these antique auto claims are handled. I imagine others have wondered too..I will report back as this develops.Somehow I think I will come out of this a bit wiser?.. LOL:unsure:
    This a "before" shot
  • ski4life65
    ski4life65 Expert Adviser
    I was thinking about switching to Hagerty. Curious to see how easy they are to deal with. Glad to hear everyone is ok. I drive by Hagerty's office in Traverse City Mi. when I visit my parents. They always have some nice vehicles in their lobby.
  • dave s
    dave s Senior Contributor, Moderator
    let me know if you need me to bring any parts next month.
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    You shouldn't have to deal with your insurance company at all. Her liability insurance should cover it, because it was clearly her fault. Keep in mind that the requirement that you get three bids and take the lowest one is an old wives tale- you can go anywhere you want, especially in a situation where it will take an actual skilled metal-man to fix it, rather than a guy who just bolts on new parts.
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    Sorry about having to meet someone new. I think the hardest part of an accident is dealing with all you need to to get it finished. I had just finished the restoration of a modified vehicle and the day after I buffed out the new paint I drove it to a car show. Driving down the canyon about 30 miles from home a construction truck dropped a section of steel from the back of his truck. It struck my vehicle in the passenger door. I had to replace the door and do a bit of body work to get it back on the road. Missed almost 45 days of the car show season. My insurance was State Farm. They were great!!! They worked with me to be sure I was happy and in the end it did not cost me a cent--only time.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Man Dave, that is a real bummer. Is that car that the car you got from Mac? I know a little about the history of the car..
    Bob Hickson
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    BJ__TN wrote:
    Man Dave, that is a real bummer. Is that car that the car you got from Mac? I know a little about the history of the car..
    Bob Hickson
    Bob, Yes that is the one!it was a nice one to begin with. I should know.. I restored it for him back in 1974. After he gave it to me a few years ago,, I restored his 54 Hollywood. A fair trade considering all the work that had to be done on the Hollywood...Over the last few years I changed the color a slight amount and "re did" most everything except the upholstery .Rebuilt engine,different transmission ,rear gear, powerdisc brakes and rack&pinion steering.new front springs, turn signals, king pins,shocks,tires,electric wipers, windshields, added lots of do-dads, Commodore trim etc. on and on and on..A really fun journey. This is no big deal. Between all my friends I think i can round up all the parts I need to get her back in shape. The center panel below the deck lid presents the biggest challange, but If I can do it, I KNOW my body shop can.I plan to install my Commodore trunk handle assembly while we are at it.
    :cheer:
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    dave s wrote:
    let me know if you need me to bring any parts next month.
    Thanks Dave.
    So far it looks like I will only need a right rear bumper guard and the stainless panel, below the trunk, which "I THINK" came off a 54 Hornet Special or Super Wasp. I do have another, but it is dinged up and would need professional help. This one isn;'t worth reworking.I have a plateable tail light shell. I most likely will be able to find the parts I need here in the Chapter. I already have folks digging in thier parts stash. I will certainly let you know though!
  • JasonNC
    JasonNC Expert Adviser
    ski4life65 wrote:
    I was thinking about switching to Hagerty. Curious to see how easy they are to deal with. Glad to hear everyone is ok. I drive by Hagerty's office in Traverse City Mi. when I visit my parents. They always have some nice vehicles in their lobby.

    I've been gambling with my cars and only have liabiity on both. A friend of mine recommended Hagerty and I applied for a quote for the Hudson & Kaiser. Any input in their reliability will be appreciated.
    Jason
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    Jason,
    I would do some comparitive shopping to get the best deal. You will most likely go with a policy set to a "value of the car" that you choose. Almost all of the insurance companies now offer such a policy. I have found that "bundling" gives you the best deal. In my case, my insurance agent (State Farm), was able to give me a better price than the big antique car specialists. Do some homework and by all means speak to your current agent.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Hi Deave!

    I'm sorry!!!
    You know I'm in love with your car.
    so I think that the insurance will pay for any damage ....
    has been greatly damaged subframe?

    I've read that everyone is well .. I feel so much better! ...
    I'm glad that everything is fine. and now to restore a little bit!

    Hug Deave!
    bye!
  • MikeWA
    MikeWA Senior Contributor
    I got agreed value coverage from an outfit called Chubb (google it). Big outfit, but don't advertise the classic car insurance.

    I tried bundling with my present insurance- their price was not particularly competitive, they wanted an appraisal for value, and insurance was only good for going to meets, shows, etc. I don't much care for meets or shows, I just like to drive around when the weather's nice- and that was OK with Chubb.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Update..
    Hagerty sent an independant appraiser. He gave the car a good look and took some pictures.He said that Hagerty is solid and that they will not close the file until the car is completely fixed. From what I gathered from my conversation with him, the way they worked with other claims was "pay as you go".. So they are not going to offer me a check for payment and cut me loose..
    Also I was contacted by phone from Geico. They day THEY want to take care of it and would probably "write me a check on the spot". I haven't seen the Geico appraiser yet. I will let them look at it, but I think I will insist oh Hagerty taking care of it and let Hagerty work with Geico to get reimbursed. (thats what the Hagerty Appraiser said is the usual mode of operation) I am thinking that Hagerty has a vested interest in keeping me happy. Geico is going to try to minimize thier loss..Will see how it shakes out.

    I do still need a plateable or a nice replated right rear bumper guard. Anyone on the forum have one?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    As has been said before, the old days of getting three bids and the insurance company paying the lowest bid are pretty much over. Geico is responsible to put the vehicle back in preaccident condition, period. In most states, I'm not sure about Florida, it's illegal to issue a "full and final" payment based on an initial estimate.

    If you go through Hagerty, they will utilize "subrogation" to go after Geico for their expenditures as well as your deductible should you have one. Being as it's the other driver's fault, there will be no affect on your rates with Hagerty.

    I am an auto adjuster for a major insurance company so I deal with these issues on a daily basis. I have handled many claims on collectible vehicles and have always had a very happy customer in the end. Even a guy with a '57 Chevrolet show car that was totalled.

    Not wishing to solicit horror stories, I believe that most major companies operate the same way. Restoration to preaccident condition is what is truly owed. The major problem is locating the parts to restore a collectible vehicle. If you have the parts or access to the parts, let the adjuster know and everything will go easier. The company is responsible to pay fair market price for the parts and then have them put into useable condition such as plating the tail lamp housing. However, do not inflate the price of the parts as that is insurance fraud and could have extreme consequences. If you have the tail lamp housing, charge them the $25-$30 it's worth plus replating at cost rather than say it's worth $100 plus plating at a marked up price. A smart adjuster will go on EBay or contact persons in the national club to determine actual cash value if they believe they are being taken for a ride.

    Just my 2 cents worth, hope everything works out for you! Glad nobody got hurt.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    I have met with Hagerty's adjuster at my place, now the car is in the shop and the Hagerty adjuster has met with the shop owner. So far all is going well. Hagerty hires independant insurance adjusters, so a person could concievably run into someone that is a hard nose, but in my case the adjuster seems to be on my side. He and the shop owner seem to be hitting it off well...I have all the parts or they are on the way. So progress is being made.
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    Just thought I would update this old post. The wreck we had 18 Dec 2010. The 49 is now repaired! I elected to strip all the many coats of paint and repaint. Lots of razor blades and sanding discs. Much of the old body work needed to be redone. It's now primed and ready for wet sanding and paint.Looks like Monday I will pick it up and reinstall all the trim. I don't trust the body shop with that task. For the most part, they have no experience with vintage cars. They do know how to fix dents and apply paint.
    Hagerty Insurance has been very easy to deal with. The problem I had, was that they paid the shop in advance ! My job kept slipping back behind the usual collision work that came in. That won't happen again.....
    With luck, She will be ready for our OBChapter picnic Saturday. I'll post some pics later.
  • Aaron D. IL
    Aaron D. IL Senior Contributor
    Sadly it seems it's always the most beautiful car on the road that gets hit by thoughtless drivers. We have laws in IL that you can't text and drive but there's always someone who thinks that doesn't apply to them. Sometimes I think if everyone had to drive stick and cars were made such that they were harder to drive and you couldn't do it with your hands free then drivers would have less distractions. ("Oh we can't have nice things!") State Farm gives agreed-to coverage on my Hudson's up to $30,000 before you need an appraisal. I've stuck with them because in my experience when something actually happens they do pay out but only what you agreed to so you have to move the value up if you restore it. I have one Hudson that I'm not driving because I'm still finishing it, they gave me a storage policy to cover it for 6 months at like $12.
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