I just get my exhaust all fixed, oil changed, lubed the jeep, and top up all the fluids, and think to myself; self, my jeep is going to be good for a while again. And then a lady in a tbird swerves in front of me on the way to work today and stops, and I bump her in the back end. Her car looks fine, but she went to the hospital just in case; I didn't think she looked bad, but it's better to be safe than sorry, and my jeep definitely took the worst of it. No fluids were lost and the airbags weren't set off on either vehicle, and after I pulled out the bumper corner nothing was rubbing on mechanical that was moving, so I drove it to work. It did bow the drivers fender just a little, and popped both front fender flares off a little near the bumper corners, but it munched my front bumper pretty good. I am still not sure what to do, I still have full coverage on the vehicle, but I almost can't see making a claim, since I should be able to pick up a bumper and brackets at a salvage yard for not too much and reuse most of the plastic parts. I was just starting to think things were going better, but I guess this is karma telling me I did something wrong.....

I think I need a vacation from life for a while, good thing a holiday is coming up, I'll just be spending time in the driveway and the garden now though....

Sean

I gave one of my daughters a single cab dodge pickup while she was in high school. She lightly bumped a car in front of the school...same type of setting.. I couldn't find anything to repair on her pickup.. As long as she owned it there was never anything to see or fix on it.. However the repair bill for the car she hit was over seven grand!
Big JIm <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Sean,

This is why you pay insurance premiums. Find out what the cost of the parts would be to put your vehicle back the way it was. Include any paint work or labor done by others. If that cost is significantly more than the collision deductable on your insurance policy (assuming you're in a no-fault state), then have the insurance company make the repair. The work will be done right and it will be guaranteed.

Even if you're in a no-fault state, if the other driver was at fault (that driver was cited by the police), then your insusrance company can get her insurance company to pay your deductable. Plus, if it is shown to be the other driver's fault, your insurance company can't jack up your rates because of the accident.