This is more of a question for Grant, although posting it here gives people searching for information a bit better of an answer.

Recently, a friend of my wife's (rich) backed into her car. Small amount of damage, but estimates put it at >$3000. Because it was so cut and dried, we were trying to do everything through their insurance. One thing they're trying to get me with is a $130 'betterment charge'.

Over a year ago, some guy did a hit and run on my wife's car by backing into it with a Reese hitch on his truck. Punched a square hole through the middle of the front bumper. I bent the plastic back into shape so it only looked like it has an L-shaped crack. Because she's scuffed up the fender cover and other things (so it's not a 'perfect-shape' car, despite the low mileage) I wanted to let it go and maybe fix it later. Because of this new damage, the cheaper route is for the insurance to replace the whole bumper. Because of the pre-existing damage, they want to charge me to have my car 'bettered'.

Now, it's hard for me to fight this because it *is* only $130. However, I think about what $130 can buy. Or how I'd feel if I didn't make the money I do (which still isn't much). And ESPECIALLY how I pay thousands of dollars a year in insurance, and now they want me to pay more. Even my insurance company (RBC) had a little girl in a call center tell me I should just pay it and be happy. But I don't WANT to pay at the moment. THEY hit US, and WE have to pay out-of-pocket?

I'd like to tell them to fix it EXACTLY the way it was before, crack and all, especially if it costs them more to do it. Am I being a crotchety, off-base, whacko old man for thinking like this? What happened to people that would get their old rust-buckets fixed like-new by insurance companies because someone had the misfortune of hitting them?

PS. My wife's friend's husband is all up for screwing them all we can. Because of this one little accident, they're doubling his rates. So he's immediately going to find another company.

Sorry if this was intended ONLY as a question for grant, but I have a hard time resisting throwing in my opinion, whether asked for or not. I always say everyone is entitled to my opinion, LOL.

I believe you are ENTITLED to have it returned to it's pre-accident condition. I would tell them you have no desire to pay the betterment, and INSIST that they duplicate the existing damage. Bring them photos, and then return it 4 or 5 times saying they have NOT duplicated the damage exactly. Then if they offer to replace the bumpber with an UNDAMAGED one WITHOUT a betterment charge, tell them you will only accept that if THEY pay YOU a "betterment charge" of $130. in addition to the new bumper.

If they tell you that you are being unreasonable, welcome them to the world of insurance..

ya, this is a tough one. i don't specifically deal with claims but I do know enough information about the process.

the insurane company is just doing it's job - which is to put you back to the same position you were in BEFORE the loss occurred.

with that being said, i would KINDLY decline their offer of this betterment charge and ask them if they could waive this charge based on your history and credit with them.

based on their response to that, you can go from there. a lot of ppl don't realize that their insurance company can be very flexible as not all situations fit into a black & white mold.

best of luck, I know our company would certainly waive that fee if you had 2 vehicles, house, etc. with us.

That last line was funny, I've wanted to do that on so many occasions...

Of course, we can all giggle and laugh at how funny it would be to actually SAY that, but in the end, the company always gets the last laugh.


Random Insurance Company TeleAss:"Fine sir, don't pay the $130, what you're forgetting is that WE can be as unreasonable as we want, so feel free to sit at home and pout and give us a call when you're done"

Now, I am sure if you raise enough fuss, and perhaps get someone who actually gives a crap, they MIGHT waive the fee in the hopes of making you a happy customer.
However, a) Ideally, it shouldn't have to come to that, because you're already under enough angst due to the damage, and you really shouldn't have to fight with your insurance company and:
b) the fact that the fee could actually BE waived just goes to prove that it's another bullsh*t cashgrab that the company throws in, in the hopes that you as the consumer will just roll over and take it.

And Dan's remark about the RICT (Random Insurance Company TeleAss) (maybe we can change that to RECTUM?) was EXACTLY spot on. That is exactly what happened.

"Well sir, you can complain to them all you want. But if you open up a claim with us, we'll make you pay the exact same thing. Other people have complained about it, too. And they ended up paying it just the same."

What happens if I don't pay it to them? They'll probably send me to collections, report me as a bad debt, etc... Ziggy knows EXACTLY how that goes. You just can't fight them at all.

If I go through my company, they tell me my $500 may be waived by the other company...but they can't guarantee that will happen. So then I'll be out $500 which I might get back. In time.

Nope, I didn't intend it just for Grant, Zig. And your advice is the same that came from my father. Apparently things just don't work according to common sense anymore. My example to the RICT was, "So if I break your already broken arm, that means I don't get in trouble for it."

Her response was, "Oh well, sir. It's just company policy."

and that right there is the difference between dealing with a big-box insurance company and dealing with a company like SF.

we don't have call centres, we have me and my receptionist. i take all acounts personally so you're never left talking to an RICT.

90% of my business is done face to face, in my physical office.

I'm not arguing with a lot here as i do agree with the train of thought...

I'm a big, big believer in common sense and unfortunately, the insurance industry doesn't always operate on that belief.

I love that term TeleAss though

When I first started at RBC Insurance I was offered a higher paying position as a team leader in the call centre vs. my position as an Insurance Advisor in the branch setting. I turned it down without even thinking twice.

Call centres are the worst to deal with for any type of business, not just insurance!

Ya, those call centres are something. I was feeling depressed one day, called a call centre, got some operator in Pakistan. When I told them I was having suicidal thoughts, they got all excited and asked me if I could drive a truck....

I know that I should not but; Pouaf!!! ROFLMAO

Ghislain.

Heh heh. That was MEAN, Ziggy.

Well, even though paying it looks like it will be the route I take, RBC was saying that with the fender damage, they would paint-blend the door, but not the hood, if I claimed through them. I said, "Isn't the hood an adjacent panel?" They said, "We don't consider it to be."

I said, "That's interesting, considering they're RIGHT BESIDE EACH OTHER..."

It's like they know there's no recourse for those that even have the time to fight them...

One way to look at it is, $130.00 to fix a hole in a bumper cover is cheap. That would be a $300.00 kiss any other time.
As for blending the hood, I have yet to see a adjuster give time for that yet. In some cases we do it with out getting paid for it because it has do be done.
Good luck with your repair and remember to be nice to the body man as he is just doing what he is told =)

^^ You don't mess with people who handle your food or work on your cars.

For the record, I had to fork some cash out even after the CITY managed to spray my car in random places EVERYWHERE with the yellow line paint they use. Trust me folks, there's no way that sh!t flew onto my car as I was driving along and hit a wet patch of paint because it was literally in tiny places ALL OVER the car. Needless to say that I contacted my insurance company and they would not even cover the whole cost. Note that my paint was immaculate at the time prior to this "incident" anyway. Though I was slightly reluctant, I still paid a good portion of the cost out of pocket.