1998 V70 Insurance esimate

Post by **cardiegoV70** » 17 May 2014, 13:41

Hi everyone,

I was getting my wagon smogged and an underinsured lady raked my front passenger corner with a large van. The owner stopped her and made copies of her insurance and license. She requested that I call her to "work it out." I immediately called it in to my and her insurance companies.

Shocker, she was in arrears on payment. I took it into Progressive today and got a reasonable ($550) estimate for replacement of marker light, headlight assembly, and bumper repaint. The estimator honestly told me up front "these are non-OEM parts" which I elected not to comment on.

After the incident, I looked up FCP part options for the lights and noticed they would appear markedly different installed on the car.

The payment will be UM (uninsured motorist) on my policy, which I set to $3500, about the value of the car. Her insurance will deny, which is why I made the claim. Too bad for her if she gets dinged on her record or dropped by her carrier. I wasn't about to haggle repair costs privately with a non-English speaking Eritrean family off record.

My question: can I demand the OEM parts be used? I fully intend to get a second estimate from the Volvo recommended body people. The difference should only be $100-150 for these small items. I also wonder how they will paint match a 98 (dark blue) bumper cover as a spot repair. The guy talked up a guarantee after the repairs are performed, but when my red Honda Civic was repaired at the "preferred facility" years ago they rushed it and it looked amateur. I know these places give favorable rates to the big insurance outfits. And I know they get paid less to do it.

The car was bought from the original owner and garaged its whole life. It's pretty cherry. The likelihood of an experienced tech making seamless repairs is slim to none. What to do?

And the smog passed with flying colors. The PO was trying to off it without doing the PCV repair but was asking too much and 90 days (CA) elapsed, then it failed! He had to correct it and it smogs better than many newer cars. It also has a new trans. and should last many years. I want the repairs done right, dang it.

AVIP · Post by **AVIP** » 17 May 2014, 13:47

I am 99 percent sure the insurance company goes by shop rates and estimates rather then actual parts. You can for sure ask but they can more then fairly deny. When my s70 was sideswipped and knocked a mirror they just paid to have a working replacement non oem.

Post by **cardiegoV70** » 17 May 2014, 14:14

Alpine CA? The Volvo dealer just told me they sometimes write in clauses saying "we can use the equivalent part" blah blah. It will get interesting if they don't do a good job and I contest. This guy suggested I get 2-3 competing estimates to show they are way off with $500-something for what is obviously an $800+ repair.

AVIP · Post by **AVIP** » 17 May 2014, 14:16

Texas

home of the honk the horn and turn on headlights inspection.
When that happened I did specify the dealer in town as an estimate but as they said it was too high for damages caused. Trying to get more money from an insurance company is like trying to sell a amc gremlin. Difficult but possible.

Post by **cardiegoV70** » 17 May 2014, 14:33

Yea, we have more consumer protection here in Cali. Not that that makes it better! Corpus Christi is my family home. Love Texas.

Post by **cardiegoV70** » 17 May 2014, 17:24

Remove front bumper: .5
Repair (paint) same: 2.5
R/R L frnt grille: .3
R/R R frnt. grille: .3
R/R frt lower bumper guide (?): .3
Headlight assembly: 211.11
Signal lamp assembly: 55.00

Labor 5.0 for 240.00 total @$48.00

Parts 287.28

Total 531.26

Forty eight bucks an hour?! You'd have to be employing high school interns to make money on that..

skloon · Post by **skloon** » 17 May 2014, 19:07

wonder what the dealer price is for a headlight unit by itself ? my 850 got hit in the tailgate, estimate was 2800$ to replace, ,my total cost for repair was 84.20 but i had paint and clear coat already due to an earlier hit. A bumper cover r&r with paint is usually 750.00

Post by **cardiegoV70** » 17 May 2014, 19:39

skloon wrote:. A bumper cover r&r with paint is usually 750.00

No kidding. Auto shop 101 says their estimate is off by 40%.

Post by **stephansvolvo** » 17 May 2014, 23:32

My 98 V70is in the shop right now. Rear ended. Lift gate number cover quarter panel and number absorber. I think it was around 2800. They obviously can't match paint fade but one s probably the same blue as yours. Take it to a volvo specialist. They'll match the parts as sometimes the have vehicles that are totaled that they might have purchased for parts.

Post by **matthew1** » 19 May 2014, 00:04

We moderators decided to remove some posts and lock this thread -- BKM was providing posts of questionable value while labeling moderator JDS60R's information as misinformation. Given that JD is an insurance salesman, and has been for literally decades, the whole thing was off the rails.

Cardie -- I'll unlock this tomorrow, after things have settled, so you can continue to get answers.

Thanks,
Matt