Should I claim through insurance

[Davadar]

This would be our first claim but I'm worried that our premium will go up. We're in Ontario Canada

[FCStreamer]

I would. Depending on your deductible, that looks expensive to fix.

[kb0zke]

I think I would claim it. Since it is your first claim, you may not suffer any penalty. Some companies are not raising the rates after the first claim if you have been with the company a long time. Others will raise the rates for a time, then reduce them if there are no additional claims. There are insurance experts here who know all of the ins and outs.

I have also heard that asking your agent about a possible claim is treated the same as making the claim. Again, that may vary with the company. Also, Canadian rules are not necessarily the same as ours.

Another thing to think about is resale time. If we were looking at your coach to buy, I'd take a couple thousand off of your asking price because of the damage.

[Davadar]

Thanks for the quick replies. I think I'll put it through my insurance. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[FCStreamer]

How did it happen?

[Bigventure]

First what year is the trailer? Second what's your deductible? It looks like a body shop could pound it out for a $100/200. Those stone guards open right up to give access to the back side. Get an estimate then decide.

[SteveSueMac]

Hi - sorry about the ding. Was that a turn with your tail gate down?

Here are a handful of options I'd offer for your consideration.

One suggestion (before filing a claim) is to get an estimate of the repair and see if you think you're ok footing the bill directly. If you have a high deductible (which keeps premium payments lower) you may just want to proceed without insurance since you'd have to pay out a large portion toward the repair anyway (say if the damage is $2000 to repair and your deductible is $1000 or more).

Another is to assess what you could do yourself. Perhaps buy a used stone guard for a couple hundred and leave the crease behind it alone - or - consider some of those really cool custom patches for that area (there is a thread here somewhere with amazingly artistic patches in aluminum).

You might also think about how long you plan to keep the trailer and whether you plan to sell it. If you plan to keep it and the dent bothers you a lot, you'll obviously repair it as mentioned above. Or - You might be the kind of person who enjoys battle scars and war stories so you may want to leave it and let the story grow over the years at campfires. 😀

If you plan to sell it, you can choose to sell at a reduced price and have no issue with future insurance premiums. - or, file the claim and incur higher premiums even after you sell it.

I work in the industry and personally try to reserve claims for very significant issues I couldn't fund myself (like when my neighbor's tree fell on and damaged my house and stone wall for 5 figures worth of damage).

Since everyone's thresholds are unique, the above is the best advice I could offer.

Good luck!

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Bigventure

First what year is the trailer? Second what's your deductible? It looks like a body shop could pound it out for a $100/200. Those stone guards open right up to give access to the back side. Get an estimate then decide.

BIG - the rock guard might be pounded out - but the damage above it NO. Nothing "pounds out" on those aluminum panels. Pounding can replace dents with bulges, and doesn't improve the appearance generally. Another member here makes and sells tapered rollers which can do wonders with this kind of ding, but it requires some restraint rather than main force. I even know a few people who say they've gotten dish-in dents out by rolling a partly deflated basketball on them from the rear side of the panel.

This one could be minimized greatly because there are no hard creases, but don't ever let an autobody mechanic with a hammer near your Airstream - unless he/she is experienced with Ford's new aluminum F150. And even then, remember paint isn't going to cover any aluminum repair. I had similar damage on a rear panel of my EB - hit and run at a McDonalds - and took it to the factory for replacement of the panel. They offered to try to roll it out but even to do that they had to take out the interior panel after removing the dinette bench... and then I did have a solid crease which was going to be permanent. This ding is highly unlikely to be pulled out by suction cups - though it doesn't hurt to try... but the rock guard is stainless steel so that part won't be fixed with suction.

[Davadar]

Originally Posted by Bigventure

First what year is the trailer? Second what's your deductible? It looks like a body shop could pound it out for a $100/200. Those stone guards open right up to give access to the back side. Get an estimate then decide.

2010 30' flying cloud. The deductible is fairly low, I think $500

[SteveSueMac]

Here's that thread on patches:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f381...tml#post882182

[terryg]

I had similar damage to my Airstream after the owner of the indoor storage facility I was keeping it at ran into it with a forklift. The total cost of repairs came to a little over $2300.00. I filed a claim and let my insurance company go after the deadbeat storage facility owner.

[bwoodtx]

Why have insurance if you are afraid to use it??

[Davadar]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Another is to assess what you could do yourself. Perhaps buy a used stone guard for a couple hundred and leave the crease behind it alone - or - consider some of those really cool custom patches for that area (there is a thread here somewhere with amazingly artistic patches in aluminum).

You might also think about how long you plan to keep the trailer and whether you plan to sell it. If you plan to keep it and the dent bothers you a lot, you'll obviously repair it as mentioned above. Or - You might be the kind of person who enjoys battle scars and war stories so you may want to leave it and let the story grow over the years at campfires. 😀

!

Now you've got me thinking about stitching it up like Gary Cheevers mask😀

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Davadar

Now you've got me thinking about stitching it up like Gary Cheevers mask😀

That would be absolutely AWESOME!!!! 😀

My dad was a fan of the Big Bad Bruins and Bobby Orr when I was a kid. Gerry was a nut and a great goalie. That mask was so famous!

The point is - you've got lots of options. Noodle it over and do what makes the most sense to you. Good luck!

[tjdonahoe]

Tell your insurance about it, and get it fixed, no big deal, that is what insurance is for, I have used mine and rates didn't go up.....

[Cardinal283]

This is a pretty easy problem to solve. Take it to a dealer. Have them look at it so they can give you a quote to repair it. You will then have the following advantages over your current situation:

1. You know how hard your insurance will get dinged.

2. You'll know what the repair will cost in relation to your deductible. So you'll know if it's worth it or not for you personally.

3. You'll know if your adjuster is giving you a fair assessment from day one.

4. You'll prevent the dealer from taking your Insuance company for a ride and further dinging you because they will think the repair is out of your pocket not the insurance companies. 99% of shops charge a different price for insurance companies vs. every day joes. I know because I've been on both sides of the ball on this one.

[J. Morgan]

I think the dent in the trailer itself will come near out near unnoticeable if done correctly, the stone guard will show some marks, but could look "not bad" if worked at patiently...

I think I would talk to one of those paintless dent repair persons and maybe save the insurance claim and the deductible.

The advantage in this approach would not only make economic sense, but it would save the need of replacing a panel.

Superat stultitia.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by bwoodtx

Why have insurance if you are afraid to use it??

That's an important question.

The OP expressed concern over whether filing the claim would increase premium (it well might). So there's a bit of a cost/benefit analysis to be done.

On extreme ends of the spectrum, some use their insurance like a "maintenance" plan (ding here, nick there - file a claim every time). Do enough of that over time and premiums will rise to catch up with (or exceed) costs over a lifetime. Others use it for more "catastrophic" protection while self-funding more minor repairs, keeping premiums down over the long haul.

There's not a right or wrong way to go about it - just different costs and benefits which will appeal differently to each individual.

[lsbrodsky]

Over the last decade or so, it has been clear to me that insurance is for near catastrophic events, not claims. While I have not made a claim on my Airstream insurance company, both my homeowners and auto companies have quiet policies regarding claims. Too many and your rates increase enough to force you away or they just cancel you, period. My previous homeowner's company had an unwritten policy of 3 claims and you are out.
Like many others, I self-insure to some extent by saving annually with high deductibles. I probably would not even consider a claim unless it was at least twice my deductible.
Larry

[AtomicNo13]

The dent to the shell looks like the perfect candidate for a hot glue dent pill.
the stainless wrap maybe as well.
I.would research this method before an invasive repair and shelling out of your deductable.
You most assuredly will collect more dents in the future and it might be a handy skill to have.