Fender Bender and Geico App

[BillyTheKid]

My son was in an accident yesterday at 2:45 pm. The car ahead of him did the 'right turn signal and hit the brakes at the same time' thing. My son was able to stop. The car behind him was either following too close, or going too fast, or not paying attention...probably all 3.

Anyway, my boy is fine...thankfully. And the car isn't totaled...thankfully. And it's not my sons fault...thankfully.

So, he got home about 4:15 and tried to file a report with Geico on their app. Apparently because the car is still 'driveable' the app gave him a choice of only 3 'approved' body shops. One is 35 miles away and the other 2 are over 60 miles away...with the soonest appointment on January 27th.

I nagged him to call the 800 number and forget the stupid app. He finally conceded and the service was fabulous. They made a 5pm appointment for us at out preferred body shop that's 10 minutes away, and the rental car was waiting for us when we got there. We were home by 5:30.

So there you go...good insurance company, just skip the useless app.

 

[YY1]

I've got ONE app on my phone that didn't come with the phone.

A free GPS speedometer.

...and I installed it via a PC without "signing in" to anything.

 

[sanford12]

Glad everyone is OK.

I use the Hartford with it's AARP discount. When the GTI got hit(not my fault) I used their recommended repair shop. Insurance Co. did fine the repair shop not so much since they had to do it twice.

My insurance is up at the end of the month so I was checking around yesterday for home and auto. Car insurance in Kentucky isn't cheap. Geico was one of the companies I got a quote from. After going through all the steps it was right at 1400. Thought cool that's 600 less than I pay now. Then I saw it was for 6 months. Never had an insurance company give a quote for just 6 months before. So that makes it 800 more than I'm paying now. The other companies were about the same as Geico. Turns out I'll be staying put.

 

[BillyTheKid]

Never had an insurance company give a quote for just 6 months before.

They probably learned that technique from car dealerships that only want to talk monthly payments.

 

[Binkman]

Ya geographic rates vary a lot. never figured out why.. even with an excellent driving history. Paying monthly is higher as well. wrf I'm paying for a computer to take milliseconds to process my monthly automatic debit on my account?
If you drive a lot annually your rates can be very high so make it clear to your ins. co. how many annual miles you drive.

Then I saw it was for 6 months.

Ya some ins. companies only have 6mos. plans. I bet if you went back to geico you might get another rate.. it happens.

all in all if you are paying high rates it's best to shop around and even tell the inquiry agency if they can beat your current rate.

 

[YY1]

I've never had a FL insurance company quote anything other than a 6 mo policy.

 

[sanford12]

Ya geographic rates vary a lot. never figured out why.. even with an excellent driving history. Paying monthly is higher as well. wrf I'm paying for a computer to take milliseconds to process my monthly automatic debit on my account?
If you drive a lot annually your rates can be very high so make it clear to your ins. co. how many annual miles you drive.

Ya some ins. companies only have 6mos. plans. I bet if you went back to geico you might get another rate.. it happens.

all in all if you are paying high rates it's best to shop around and even tell the inquiry agency if they can beat your current rate.

I switch companies after they start raising the rates. Progressive in my experience with them twice is the worst. Start out cheap and quickly start jacking the rates. I usually check rates every other year. Also pay in one lump sum. One reported accident in 1974 till I got hit in the GTI. No moving violations in decades. Talked to an Erie rep and they couldn't beat it without some coverage manipulation. Gonna go pay my insurance now

 

[Christian B]

Glad your son is alright. The main problem I've seen with Geico is that they want their approved shops to use cheap knockoff parts, never OEM, even on a brand new car. A local body shop that a friend worked at stopped doing business with them over this issue. The shop owner felt the customer deserves better, especially for newer cars where original equipment parts maintain the car's value. Hopefully your son's car is repaired well, and the repair holds up.

FWIW I would never buy insurance from a company that spends over a billion dollars on advertising annually. You know who pays for that.

 

[reddodge053]

I use Erie,home and auto,i like it.

 

[GordonW]

I switch companies after they start raising the rates. Progressive in my experience with them twice is the worst. Start out cheap and quickly start jacking the rates. I usually check rates every other year. Also pay in one lump sum. One reported accident in 1974 till I got hit in the GTI. No moving violations in decades. Talked to an Erie rep and they couldn't beat it without some coverage manipulation. Gonna go pay my insurance now

I had that rate-hike BS with several insurance companies, including Liberty Mutual, esurance/Allstate, and the like... until I found Amica.

Have had Amica insurance for quite a few years now- and, actually, my insurance rates have almost always gone DOWN a few dollars at each renewal period. What a concept!

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[sanford12]

I had that rate-hike BS with several insurance companies, including Liberty Mutual, esurance/Allstate, and the like... until I found Amica.

Have had Amica insurance for quite a few years now- and, actually, my insurance rates have almost always gone DOWN a few dollars at each renewal period. What a concept!

Regards,
Gordon.

6

Haven't given them a look. I will now.

 

[BillyTheKid]

Glad your son is alright.

Thank you. We are all grateful here as well. Life is fragile sometimes.

The main problem I've seen with Geico is that they want their approved shops to use cheap knockoff parts, never OEM, even on a brand new car.

That could well be why Geico wanted him to go 60 miles away. I'm not overly concerned about OEM at this point..we're talking a plastic bumper and trunk hood and lights. It's a 2016 Camry so resale isn't much of a consideration for him...he's gonna drive it until it has to be towed away, just like he did with his 05 Camry.
Sadly he just bought it in July and it was spotless. In a decade or so the body work will start to show.

What are you gonna do ? It is what it is, and he's fine.

 

[BillyTheKid]

Ya geographic rates vary a lot. never figured out why.

When I lived in Rhode Island in my 20's I was paying more to insure 1 car than I do now to fully insure 2 cars for me and my wife. I saw a huge reduction in insurance rates when we moved to the middle of nowhere Connecticut and I became an old man.
Also, my daughter pays less than my son. Bastards....

 

[BillyTheKid]

Resurrecting this old thread just to finish up the story.

My son finally got his car back last Thursday...a few days shy of 2 months to repair. Parts shortage were to blame...so we were told. The work appears to be done well and all looks good.
It cost him nothing "financially"...We bought the car in July for $15,500. The cost to repair the rear end collision was over $11,500. Somebody got paid.