Insurance Bumper and Grill Replacement

Hi PriusChat,

I got into an accident yesterday with a novice driver. She made a left turn and plowed directly into me. I was already going so slow over speed bumps yet I still got hit. I managed to stop, but there is no avoiding another car hitting you head on from the front due to a very sharp left turn. You can imagine how bad a driver she was if she can hit me on the passenger side front using a left turn.

Well, the next part is insurance. The easy route would be to have the dent plastered with Bondo, sanded down and then finished with paint. Instead, the body shop is has evaluated that they will replace both bumper and grill. Perhaps the replacement is merited as it is slightly cracked (see pics). It will mean that they will have to repaint the whole front and deal with blending issues (between old and new paint).

I always thought insurance would replace using genuine OEM Toyota parts as it is their job to return the car to the same condition it was before the accident. What I didn't know is that genuine parts are only for those who buy the extra insurance option. It may come in one of two forms:
1) Genuine parts insurance
2) New car insurance (coverage of usually 5 years).

My car is over 10 years old, so insurance is only obligated to replace the part with one of similar depreciated value.

Since I don't have the extra coverage the insurance company reserves the right to use aftermarket or used parts. They will only use genuine parts if they cannot find anything cheaper based on availability.

Does PriusChat know if there are any problems with aftermarket bumpers or grills? The insurance has offered me an option of paying for difference. I also own a Canadian Prius Touring trim, which comes with LED headlamps. They might have to go OEM because it is a rare model and aftermarket may not be available. Perhaps the aftermarket quality is okay?

 

UPDATE: Body shop just phoned me and they will being going OEM for the bumper, but aftermarket for the grills. I guess they couldn't find a Prius Touring bumper cover and had to go OEM Toyota.

Replacing the old bumper is advantage for me as the old one has plenty of highway debris chips.

 

I involved the insurance company because I paid for no-fault insurance. My insurance rates won't go up even if I am at fault, but I won't be able switch insurance companies for 5 years. To my benefit, I am completely not at fault, so it really doesn't matter. I also bought worry-free insurance, so I get a free rental car when the car is being fixed. I took plenty of photos to prove fault. I also don't have to deal with the disgruntled other party. No need to harass or call them regarding payment.

A long time ago, I also read about the liability of going off-the-books instead of insurance. By settling privately, you waive all insurance coverage/rights that you paid for. You are basically on the hook for anything that goes wrong that is related to the accident. For example, if one of the passengers suddenly says they whiplash (you then are personally liable). Another example, is if you get the car repaired and there is a dispute over the bill. Another possibility is that the other party suddenly pretends the accident didn't happen. Your only course is to take them to civil court yourself and prove they were in the accident.

You can't suddenly go private settlement and then claim insurance when things go wrong. There is a few day time limit to file with insurance. The laws are designed for insurance. You can't waive your insurance contract and then claim it again later.

I am not at fault. Even if I went private settlement, I won't get any profit in the end. The car will still get repaired, but the offender will simply pay the bill. I am not at fault, so my insurance won't go up. You can see why I went insurance. The downside I see is the accident record on car ownership.

 

Body shop estimate is $1600 CAD. OEM bumper cover, but aftermarket grill with foglamps.

Most of that is labour to repaint and blend. The grill will have to painted black and glossy coat as it doesn't come painted.

Again, I will benefit in the end as I no longer have a bumper with paint chips from highway debris. If they repaint the hood to blend, I will get rid of some paint chips on the hood. The replacement is to my benefit even though it probably can be fixed with some bondo, sanding and paint.

 

It is very likely my insurance will pursue repayment from the other driver's insurance. I believe insurance pays you out of pocket first while they try to get reimbursement.

 

Actually my father once drove a Honda Accord. A Chinese lady hit him in the rear. She offered him $500 and he took it. No questions asked.

2 years later, the whole rear bumper fell off. It was not fun when my brother (his son) drove the car and the bumper fell off suddenly on the highway. The bumper retaining portion was sheared off. I don't know what it was repaired for, but it was definitely above $1k.

My family learned our lesson by going private settlements.