Don't let the insurance company off easy. I talked my insurance company into a $3,570 payout in 2002 for a 1985 GP and I kept the car on the road without doing any repairs except for lights till I found my current GP
Need help with insurance claim
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So, was one of the estimates from where your dad works? Also, make sure your truck is super clean before the adjuster looks at it, the adjusters that come to our shop will always notice a fussy customer. Don't be afraid to go back to the first shop and have them rewrite the estimate, after all, you want it done right. You don't have to turn in a poorly written estimate.
I had the $3500 estimate faxed to the insurance company today. That includes all parts, paint, and labor. The next step is waiting on the insurance company to call me to see if they are going to send an adjuster out or not. When my dad hit the deer in his camaro all he had to do was email photos to the adjuster and they went from there. We will see.....
Wow, no love for body shops here. There are some that do know what they're doing and do a good job. You guys should try working in this end of it sometime.
Every state differs and ins. companies handle things in different ways from co to co.
Here, by law, the Ins co is obligated to protect the lienholder, so there are two scenarios on a vehicle that has a lienholder that usually come into play.
First is check is payable to customer and lienholder. This can be a HUGE PITA for some lienholders. Many want to see the car (after repairs) if they are local. Some require the check to be sent with a copy of the repair ticket to them, it is reviewed and IF payments are current, they will endorse and return. Some don't care and will endorse with no problem.
Second scenario is check payable to shop and customer. Few shops these days will endorse these checks without making the repairs, but you might find one that will. We once had a customer whose insurer made check payable to us and the vehicle owner. Customer forged our endorsement and cashed said check and disappeared. $12K repair on a year old Corolla. Through the lien process we wound up owning the car and were able to sell at auction to recoup our costs. Out of state lienholder elected not to come after the car as it was money already lost, apparently
My advice is to play it straight with the lienholder and ins co, let them know how you want to do it, and see what they say.
Long before I entered the collision business, my dad had an Impala that my brother had crashed in front. As it happened, I had bought a drivetrain donor from a coworker same model/year/color sometime after this. State Farm was fine with me repairing the car, but indicated they would only pay half the labor rate. They paid full estimate less 50% of the labor Win/win for everyone, IMO
Every state differs and ins. companies handle things in different ways from co to co.
Here, by law, the Ins co is obligated to protect the lienholder, so there are two scenarios on a vehicle that has a lienholder that usually come into play.
First is check is payable to customer and lienholder. This can be a HUGE PITA for some lienholders. Many want to see the car (after repairs) if they are local. Some require the check to be sent with a copy of the repair ticket to them, it is reviewed and IF payments are current, they will endorse and return. Some don't care and will endorse with no problem.
Second scenario is check payable to shop and customer. Few shops these days will endorse these checks without making the repairs, but you might find one that will. We once had a customer whose insurer made check payable to us and the vehicle owner. Customer forged our endorsement and cashed said check and disappeared. $12K repair on a year old Corolla. Through the lien process we wound up owning the car and were able to sell at auction to recoup our costs. Out of state lienholder elected not to come after the car as it was money already lost, apparently
My advice is to play it straight with the lienholder and ins co, let them know how you want to do it, and see what they say.
Long before I entered the collision business, my dad had an Impala that my brother had crashed in front. As it happened, I had bought a drivetrain donor from a coworker same model/year/color sometime after this. State Farm was fine with me repairing the car, but indicated they would only pay half the labor rate. They paid full estimate less 50% of the labor Win/win for everyone, IMO
I don't know the laws in your state but here in Texas a car hit my the corner of my truck messing up my bumper light and rolling back my fender. (I tried to upload pics but it wouldn't. don't know why?) The claim adjuster told me that with no lein holder they write me a check in my name only based on the estimate but the local body shop. ( I obviously went to the most expensive one around for the estimate) 
. With a lein holder the check would be made to the body shop. I went on craigslist and looked up my truck bought another bumper from a dodge ram and a fender and light. total cost was around $300+ a 6 pack. The insurance wrote me a check for $3000. So it is more prosperous to do the work yourself as long the frame where it connects to the bumper isn't bent. It didn't matter if I did the work myself of to a shop or not at all. the amount wouldn't change. I also was not at fault if that has any affect.
. With a lein holder the check would be made to the body shop. I went on craigslist and looked up my truck bought another bumper from a dodge ram and a fender and light. total cost was around $300+ a 6 pack. The insurance wrote me a check for $3000. So it is more prosperous to do the work yourself as long the frame where it connects to the bumper isn't bent. It didn't matter if I did the work myself of to a shop or not at all. the amount wouldn't change. I also was not at fault if that has any affect.
I have nothing personal against body shops but I have always preferred to do the work myself no matter what it is. My dad being a great auto body guy has made tons of money off of people who take their cars to shops only to find months later when huge chunks of filler start cracking that the shop just half assed it. Again that may just be this area or certain shops but I have seen enough of these horror stories to do everything I can to keep my truck from ever going to a shop.
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