No insurance & damage question

[Eric H]

I would get a lawyer to write a letter ASAP. Have the lawyer use the high numbers from similar trailers. This will scare them into wanting to get it taken care of. I thought that small claims in VA was actually only $1000, but if it is more then I would think about taking them there, if they get a lawyer for small claims court they will personally have to show up (not just the lawyer). If they don't show up you will win by default. Don't play nice if they messed up and are not willing to help. Keep on them everyday, and pay a lawyer for a letter.

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by mccrosti

Veggiebullet, please see the note I sent you privately.

Got the pm.
since its been 2 weeks since the accident is there a limit of time that we need no comply regarding been able to start the claim?
Thanks

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

Got the pm.
since its been 2 weeks since the accident is there a limit of time that we need no comply regarding been able to start the claim?
Thanks

The faster you get the ball rolling, the more serious you are.

If you let it drag on, they will kick the issue to the curb, and then you will have a real problem.

Liability is liability.

The fix is "NOW", not when someone takes a notion.

Andy

[Jim & Mitzi]

Take your damaged AS to a proper AS repair shop, get an estimate and present it to the tow company owner and or his insurance carrier....DO NOT take the tow companys word....they would like U to go away....I would guestimate the damage to be in the 2k to 2.5k range on the high side....Good Luck and keep up posted

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

The faster you get the ball rolling, the more serious you are.

If you let it drag on, they will kick the issue to the curb, and then you will have a real problem.

Liability is liability.

The fix is "NOW", not when someone takes a notion.

Andy

2 weeks is a kind of long. They were quick to offer a lowball and we had a couple of days to think about it and we went back to them with the amount that you provided and they still not getting back.
So it seems like they just want to put this on the side?

Thanks Andy

[noreen&sal]

Having owned big rigs for a long time, I have no sympathy for towing Cos. I knowthey are needed, but $450 to get pulled out of a ditch in a blizzard back in the 80s 10 minutes work approx 15 ft. Go get em. Sal.

[VeggieBullet]

Hello guys.
Just to keep everybody posted on the situation.
We talked to the Towing Co today and we got an offer of settlement to keep it out of the insurance for 2K.
Should we proceed and accept? or should we still try to get a bigger amount? We are not the kind of people that are waiting for this kind of situation to take advange of it.
We just want to be treated right and with respect.
We want to give them the oportunity to make it right the way they want it, but we want this issue to be resolved the right way.
What should we do?

[Foiled Again]

I own Answer Center - a telephone answering service - and have tow companies as clients. My clients love to tell me all about their businesses.
Here's what I've learned today:

First: most tow companies LIVE off of accident calls - they state and local police forces call them to clear accident scenes to restore traffic flow. They have to react instantly to those calls. That makes up 40% to 60% of most towing company's income. No liability insurance - NO POLICE TOWS!

SO - what this means for you is that IF you go to court and get a judgement against them and they don't instantly pay it - they'll be dropped from all police towing. They're supposed to have valid high limit insurance to do police tows. The premiums for tow truck insurance are astronomical and every mistake makes the premiums go higher. (Why is towing so expensive? Tow trucks on average cost $100K or more, they get 5-7 mpg, the special equipment & hydraulics requires a lot of maintenance. Insurance and bonds, $2K per month ... they charge a lot of money for 15 minutes work, but their overhead is horrendous! )

I had two end panels replaced three years ago at the factory - it was $1200 per panel and that was on a current model Airstream. I don't think $2000 is going to replace your two today. Get at least $2500 to $3000 - send your pictures to Jackson Center for an estimate.

[Friday]

Originally Posted by noreen

Having owned big rigs for a long time, I have no sympathy for towing Cos. I knowthey are needed, but $450 to get pulled out of a ditch in a blizzard back in the 80s 10 minutes work approx 15 ft. Go get em. Sal.

I have sympathy for them... they work 24/7 on call, might not get a job for a week, might get complaints because they get 3 jobs at the same time, often don't get paid, have to pay a lot to insure their gear, have to invest in expensive gear to recover today's ever-bigger vehicles, get all kinds of false complaints about dings and scratches 'they' created...

If they screw up, for sure they should accept responsibility... just as we should when we put ourselves in need of calling them.

Just sort it out yourself if you can do better...

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

I own Answer Center - a telephone answering service - and have tow companies as clients. My clients love to tell me all about their businesses.
Here's what I've learned today:

First: most tow companies LIVE off of accident calls - they state and local police forces call them to clear accident scenes to restore traffic flow. They have to react instantly to those calls. That makes up 40% to 60% of most towing company's income. No liability insurance - NO POLICE TOWS!

SO - what this means for you is that IF you go to court and get a judgement against them and they don't instantly pay it - they'll be dropped from all police towing. They're supposed to have valid high limit insurance to do police tows. The premiums for tow truck insurance are astronomical and every mistake makes the premiums go higher. (Why is towing so expensive? Tow trucks on average cost $100K or more, they get 5-7 mpg, the special equipment & hydraulics requires a lot of maintenance. Insurance and bonds, $2K per month ... they charge a lot of money for 15 minutes work, but their overhead is horrendous! )

I had two end panels replaced three years ago at the factory - it was $1200 per panel and that was on a current model Airstream. I don't think $2000 is going to replace your two today. Get at least $2500 to $3000 - send your pictures to Jackson Center for an estimate.

Wow
that is some good info.
Now we are debating if they said " lets call the insurance...
Are we going to get the fair amount or they will try to totaled for the $2500 to $3000 worth of the damage? don't really want to loose the trailer for that amount?

[BIGED52]

You are the "Injured Party" in this scenario! What they will offer you whether it is the towing company or their insurance carrier is only a starting point to see how much you will be bought off by! If the towing company wants to keep it off their insurance as a claim it is to benefit no one but them so keep that in mind! You should feel that the amount you are willing to settle for gives you the best chance to have your damages and loss of use completely compensated for! I for one think you should not consider less that $4000.00. The reason I say that is that the cost of the panels/work you need as replacements are in the $2500.00 range. Add your time to get the trailer to a facility that you are comfortable can do the quality of service that you deserve to bring your trailer back to a condition that makes you feel "whole" again. If they are not willing to accept this reasoning tell them you will see them in small claims court and include the fact that they must make their insurance carrier aware that you will hold both of them accountable for your loss. Do not let them "total" your trailer. They need only to repair the damage and accept your assessment of the cost to repair or an actual estimate from the Airstream Factory plus the expense to get the trailer to Jackson Center and back to you! Then there is always the court costs. Don't let them off the hook. It is up to you to feel it gets repaired right. Remember, They don't care.... you have to! Also there was a seller on the Classifieds that had an ad for new/old stock (from 70's and 80's) new panels (like 40 some sheets) of aluminum that would be the right match for your panels. If it is still available perhaps you could purchase panels from them and have them rolled/bent to the sizes you need to replace your damaged panels. In addition with the interior panels removed you might get lucky enough to "Pop" the dents out! Some folks have popped dents out and found that 90+ percent of the damaged area has returned to its original position and requires no further work. Think... character marks of what remains. If you can live with did scenario then the $4000.00 will at least cover the time and expense of removing the inner panels and re-installing them after dent repair. Ed

[richinny]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

We just want to be treated right and with respect.
We want to give them the opportunity to make it right the way they want it, but we want this issue to be resolved the right way.
What should we do?

the fair amount is what it will cost to repair the damage. get that estimate from jackson center and see what it adds up to and then you can see if it will 'total' the vehicle. you'll still be eating the expense of taking the vehicle to be serviced.

[VeggieBullet]

Originally Posted by richinny

the fair amount is what it will cost to repair the damage. get that estimate from jackson center and see what it adds up to and then you can see if it will 'total' the vehicle. you'll still be eating the expense of taking the vehicle to be serviced.

So the transportation costs associated with taking the AS to Jackson Center and to bring it back to us is comming out ouf our pocket?
We were under the impression that:
1) "they" have to fix the damage.
2) we are told that we have the right to chose the repair facility where we feel the trailer will be fix to the proper specs. (and since this is not a regular rv it seems like factory is the way to go)

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

So the transportation costs associated with taking the AS to Jackson Center and to bring it back to us is comming out ouf our pocket?
We were under the impression that:
1) "they" have to fix the damage.
2) we are told that we have the right to chose the repair facility where we feel the trailer will be fix to the proper specs. (and since this is not a regular rv it seems like factory is the way to go)

There are many very well quailfied Airstream dealers that can repair major body damage, although your damage is very minor, other than the factory.

I have been doing it for over 46 years, and taught others how, for many years as well.

While the factory is good, there are others that can easily share the same reputation.

Non dealers are usually another story, since Airstream parts from them will cost much more.

Your stalling the settlement, is not paying any dividends. You have been provided estimates from reliable sources, and I think you should accept them, especially since you asked for them.

The damage to your Airstream, at best, is considered very minor, as it will take just a little over one day to correct it.

Good Airstream repair shops, do that just about every day.

Andy

[richinny]

Originally Posted by VeggieBullet

So the transportation costs associated with taking the AS to Jackson Center and to bring it back to us is comming out our our pocket?
We were under the impression that:
1) "they" have to fix the damage.
2) we are told that we have the right to chose the repair facility where we feel the trailer will be fix to the proper specs. (and since this is not a regular rv it seems like factory is the way to go)

i believe that is correct. the only claims for transportation that i've seen paid is when the vehicle could not be transported in a normal fashion. your mileage may vary.

you have an obligation to "mitigate damages". you can't pick a shop a thousand miles away if a closer shop can do the job. if you feel the work somewhere else is the only place to go then you foot the bill for transportation. in my opinion, insurance is to cover the dollars and if you sweat the pennies you'll never be happy. the pain will ease in time when you hit the road

[VeggieBullet]

We would like to thank everybody for their input in this thread.
The case is officially closed. After reviewing all the pros and cons in this situation, plus the factor that we just got the trailer and it wasn't even registered under our name yet we just negotiated with the towing co.
We got a check for 2K from the towing co and kept it out of their insurance.
Lesson well learned, now we are looking for insurance for our AS, so suggestions?
thanks again