Hi all,
Has anyone had their bike damaged with on a rack and being involved in an auto accident? I was rear ended on my way to Clermont and 3 bikes were damaged. Everyone is okay, but the bikes and car were damaged. I know the insurance company is going to try to screw me on this so I want to make sure we get as fully compensated as possible.
If anyone has any advice as to how to go about this it would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
why do you think the insurance company will screw you?
If the accident was not your fault, the other driver has liability insurance, and there was property damage, they should cover the loss.
I’ve had my bike damaged in a wreck when I was hit by a car and the insurance company took care of it without issue. Their estimate for the repairs came in within a dollar of what my LBS told them.
How does one repair a carbon frame? Like I was saying there can be subsurface damage to carbon which can cause catastrophic failure. A LBS isn’t qualified to examine that.
Insurance companies are trying to make money not help people out. They want to compensate as little as they can get away with compensating.
I suggest you get estimates to repair the bikes from your LBS and/or something from them stating the bikes are not repairable, ie cracked frame and need replacement. Ask if they will include the cost of the original and cost to replace new with the current model of the specific bike if it has replaced the model you currently have. A friend just went through this and dependent upon the insurance company you are dealing with, it can go smoothly or as you stated can be a struggle. He was dealing with State Farm and they bough him the newest Look to replace the one their driver ran over (3 years old). You are most likely not going to be dealing with someone local (800 number companies) so getting estimates and documents to help them come up with an amount will speed up the process and allow you to get what you are asking. A lot of times the person you are dealing with just needs to document what they are paying you so keep in mind, the car damage, they got that down. Bikes are a whole different animal to them. Another option is to go through your homeowners insurance, dependent upon your deductible, because you may have replacement cost coverage vs. actual cash value. They will then try to recover both their payment to you as well as your deductible. Good luck.
As long as the at fault party has enough insurance coverage you should be fine. The adjustor may need help establishing value of the bikes, if you have original receipts that will help a bunch. You’ll probably be asked the year make and model of the bikes. Tell them the value of any accesories that were damaged too.
Well I am dealing with state farm so perhaps it won’t be so bad. Should I just take it to any local bike shop or one that deals with my bike brand? Bike bike is also a 2009 and they don’t make the model anymore.
Cheers,
I wouldn’t put a whole lot of effort into it until you hear from the adjustor, it MAY go much more smoothly than you expect it too.
How does one repair a carbon frame? Like I was saying there can be subsurface damage to carbon which can cause catastrophic failure. A LBS isn’t qualified to examine that.
http://www.kirkleebicycles.com/carbon-frame-repair/
Yes, so do they also take an MRI to determine if there has been any sub surface damage to the internal structural layers? I understand that damage which is both structural and immediately apparent can be repaired, but the nature of carbon fiber is that while it may be a ding on the surface there can be subsurface damage which will then catastrophically fail later on. Possibly while I’m on a 50 mph descent.
I was involved in an auto/car accident back in november. I filed a claim against the drivers insurance.
The company had my bike shop create an estimate for damage/replacement, the adjuster discussed the nuances of repairing a carbon fiber bike. My LBS provided the company with a copy of my receipts.
A week later I had a check in hand and was pleased with my experience.
Beyond shaking their head at how much a person is willing to spend on a bicycle there were no problems I encountered in the entire process.
Because the sharing of positive experiences is a great form of marketing - for the record the company I dealt with was Geico.
Hi Michael,
In addition to what everyone else says, one topic that comes up frequently is regarding paying you depreciated value for a “totaled” bike frame. We have successfully argued many times that “fair market value,” which is probably the law in your jurisdiction is the same as “replacement value” since for high end carbon fiber racing bikes there is not a readily available secondary market (eg used cars).
I personally experienced this after a crash. I just got a statement that the cracked frame was unsafe and needed to be replaced. I got online documentation for the cost of the frame (and pedals, bottle holder, DA shifters, etc), made a list, and they paid it.
Remember that adjusters don’t specialize in high end bikes, so you take the lead and provide them with sufficient documentation to cover their backside and paper their file. Be very professional and thorough with your documentation. Be “aggressive” with damages and replacement costs, but also be fair and document it.
Although, not exactly on your specific point, I have an article here on Automobile Insurance Coverage for Bicycle Riders and a number of YouTube Videos on this playlist . My review indicates I probably need to do some updates :-). Feel free to PM me if I can give any insight.
Best wishes,
Hi Cheddar,
Glad to hear nobody was seriously injured. With respect to your carbon bikes, we can help determine whether or not the frames are repairable. It really depends on exactly where the frame was hit and how badly. Sometimes it’s just safer and less expensive to replace the entire frameset. We have worked with customers and insurance claims before, so feel free to contact me if you have more questions or would like to have us provide you with an estimate that you can forward to your insurance carrier.
Sincerely,
Kurt Gensheimer
would a bike be considered a “dependant” for the purposes of the MRI?
and would Obamacare pay for it?
If any of the three bikes were carbon, consider them a total loss - period. You can easily claim that there could be unseen damage to the carbon fiber, and you do not want to risk it. The value of the groupsets (usually) are offset by the cost of a transfer to a new bike. Get a settlement for new bikes, three of em. And then, if they want to take the old bikes just let them have them - then offer to buy them back for scrap (weight) value.
Seriously.
why do you think the insurance company will screw you?
It’s a safe assumption when dealing with insurance companies.
not in my experience - the time I was hit by a car while riding, the driver’s insurance took care.of everything without hassle
.