Situation: Past freeway crash, major damage, other party's insurance company only called me TODAY, 8 weeks later, after I bitched them out about it. They want me to share liability 50-50, although my company (Geico) decided I was 0% liable.

Repair estimate from EDR in Portland: $2300 for parts alone, and they forgot or left out a *bunch* of stuff, incl front end damage and other parts.

Have already made most major repairs except forks and muffler.

3 options:

A) take current estimate payment, $2300, or a percentage thereof, probably no less than $1150 (which wouldnt even cover my parts)
B) Force shop to redo estimate, effectively totaling the bike since this figure would probably exceed $3000. Take cash for new vehicle.
C) "Total" bike, buy it back, and ride it. Any ideas on how to negotiate the best possible buyback price?

Oh, and I suffered injuries, including torn ballsack (no bs). Didn't go to the doctor, but photoed everything. Do insurance companies tend to reimburse people for this type of thing?

Kyle

I'd go #2.  Take their insurance company for all you can get.  Otherwise you are just giving away the money.

You also should have gone to the doc, you don't really have any way to ask for money regarding your health/injuries.  Having a doctor see you would give you some backing for more $$$$.


I'm not too experienced here, so other people please chime in with your experiences!

eh.....if my insurance company says I'm 0% libable I would get THEM to fight with the other company.

Get the shop to total the bike for $3300, and go buy a new bike.

Get your torn ballsack checked out 

yea, just total it out.

i wouldn't buy it back unless you plan to do track days or run it with out fairings. (which is what i would do in my case)

but take the money and buy a new bike (or used) and move up to a larger size bike that you may like. or go and buy another non wrecked 500.  becuse that bike will never have the same value if it gets in another wreck.

The other guy's insurance company is generally going to be out to screw you (they're a business; they don't want to pay). Their first offers are generally ridiculous. 

I'd get an ACCURATE repair estimate. I don't recall the details of your accident, but if you weren't responsible,fight 'em! 

+1 on getting medical attention for your injury if you haven't done so yet. I would think they'd thank their lucky stars if you let them get away with just paying you what your bike's worth, and if you don't go after them for your injury. Whether or not they'd pay is beside the point in the beginning; the fact that you have an injury that might require further attention is leverage (and DO see the doctor if you're still in ANY pain at all, k?). This advice isn't offered just as a way to ream anyone; DO take care of anything physical, even if it's just to have yourself checked out.

I'm more of a total it and buy it back kinda guy... 

But yeah, your insurance company should go after them; that's part of what you pay them for.  If you need to have another estimate done, I hope you kept your old parts, as repairs you already performed could cloud the issue. 

As for your torn scrotum?  Standard procedure would be to make sure nothing fell out, clean it really well, and have it sewn-up!   

If YOU have collision on your bike, then YOUR insurance company is the one who goes after the other company...  not you.

Take my situation...  I got rear-ended.  I didn't have collision coverage on the bike.  I have to take care of it myself.

Basically, if I DID have collision, my insurance company would have paid for the repairs, then they would go after the asshat for reimbursements.

^ An, rear ending is the other guys fault. Didnt he have coverage?

I didn't have collision. With the price of the GS it hardly seems worth it.

I talked to an attorney just now and she said my insurance company should fight the other one over the liability issue on its own. Like Pandy said. (Although since I didn't have collision coverage this would be for my sake only). And she said I could probably only make "a nominal claim" for injury since I never actually went to the doctor. I don't know what nominal means... $4.50?

And since I am trying to move to LA, I might total + buyback to avoid spending my moving cash on an SV, although I'd love one. Plus I've put over 1k in parts back on the biznatch.

If anyone wants to trade me for a brand new 650 or an early 90's Toyota MR2, let me know!

other guy had no coverage in An's case and he tried to run because of it...

dude, indywar360, take option #2. the other insurance company (as policy probably) will lowball you. take nothing less than 100% what you can get. do NOT take their first offer.

get a FULL repair bill, including medical. you cant claim medical expenses if you dont see a doctor for it...

I guess option 2 would be the smartest really, if it comes to 0% liability in my case. I will keep this in mind.

I guess I should stop working on the bike now... maybe should have stopped a lot sooner...  dammit

well now you know. take all the stuff you put on off and what not

I'd go with the total and buy back.  You're already on that path anyway.  Don't let them 50/50 you.  Make them give you the full value of the bike.  Buy it back for $650, put another $300 into forks and a slip on can, and ride the hell out of it.  You'll damn near break even.  If you sell it later down the road, you'll come out on top.

Wait, Jarrett, I don't need to buy forks dude. Remember that grubby old (but straight) pair you sent off in the mail three weeks ago? Those came to me. Hee hee.

And if it's 0% liability the world is my oyster biatches, gimme my money, gimme my bike back, vroom vroom.

I am still waiting on the money.  Did you think they were free?  Funny thing, I don't remember sending them, but if you said I did then I'll take your word for it.

are you out of your mind? I paid to your paypal. Remember you left the receipt in the box from november 05 from some hill market for tostitos, tostito chky di, and 3 ginger ales.

I am indeed out of my mind.  Too much tostitos is not good for the brain.  I'd double check those forks if I were you.  Only forks i remember having in the garage were for my BMX GT.  I don't think the 110 front will bolt on directly.  Might need to go with a 100 instead.

the thing most people are missing is.....


YOUR insurance found your 0% liable.... and I'm sure their insurance found them 0 or 50% liable...

What did the police say, as that will be the determining factor unfortunately.

Jared shut up.

Tragicimage: the police in Portland don't do accident reports here unless there's over $2,000 in damage or somebody goes to the emergency room. In this case there *was* 2k in damage but I guess the cop saw it as a minor accident (was lazy). No citations were issued. So, am unsure of outcome.

I just hope the discount behemoth Geico crushes the scammy fly-by-night Dairyland/Sentry company like a box of poo, and makes them cower in fear and pain.

citations don't have to be filed for fault to be issued... ask me how I know.... 



uhm.... trust me, I got in an accident in July, and the guy is still waiting.... you're going to be dealing with this for a long time.

Police here said: "Insurance companies determine liability."

So I don't think I myself will be waiting on the police, however Sentry Insurance was using the lack of police report as an excuse for the 8 week lull. I think I made it clear to her today that further waiting was not going to work for me and I think she got the message. We'll see what happens.