Roommate waited 5 months to get an estimate done on car i scratched. What the best thing to do?

[Jared B]

Back in August I scratched the crap out of my roommates bumper when pulling into my narrow parking spot. Within a few days, I had given him my insurance and told him to get an estimate and potentially file a claim. However, months went by without him updating me on the situation. Out of the blue today, he sent me the estimate for repairing the damage. It was $1300, so I'm unsure if its worth filing for since I have a $500 deductible. I also noticed the estimated is dated from mid October, so I have no idea why it took so long to get back to me. This is my ever real claim so I am kinda unsure how to progress. In his email he did not even mention insurance and asked for payments directly to him, which both me and my parents found odd.

Thank you for your time!

 

[adjusterjack]

There's no deductible on a liability claim. Your insurance will pay the $1300 and then surcharge your policy for three years and get most of that money back from you in increased premiums. That alone would be good enough reason to pay for the damage out of pocket.

There's nothing odd about paying him. You write him a check and get him to sign a release, just like your insurance would do.

I suggest you go with him to a second body shop of his choice for another estimate to verify the repair cost.

Or, if you like, upload the estimate and a photo of the damage and I'll give you my opinion.

 

[Jared B]

There's no deductible on a liability claim. Your insurance will pay the $1300 and then surcharge your policy for three years and get most of that money back from you in increased premiums. That alone would be good enough reason to pay for the damage out of pocket.

There's nothing odd about paying him. You write him a check and get him to sign a release, just like your insurance would do.

I suggest you go with him to a second body shop of his choice for another estimate to verify the repair cost.

Or, if you like, upload the estimate and a photo of the damage and I'll give you my opinion.

Thank you so much! Heres the estimate. Since it was taken so long ago, should I go get another estimate anyway? I just really hate how long this took him to get to me, since it makes it more difficult.

Edit: forgot the damage

 

[adjusterjack]

If all you did was damage the bumper I would seriously question why the need for repairs to the quarter panel, roof, and rear lamps.

Got pics of them?

They seem unrelated to the bumper damage.

The bumper repair cost looks OK. $400 to $600 out of the $1300.

Yeah, get another estimate. Just for the bumper repair unless there is a damned good reason for holding you responsible for the other 3 areas.

It's possible that the impact to the bumper tweaked the quarter panel which, in turn, tweaked the other areas but I'm really stretching things there.

 

[fed up]

That looks to be less than a 3hour repair. 3 hours labor and 1 hour of paint=$3-400 MAX

 

[Jared B]

See thats why I was kinda confused on what to do since it took so god damn long. I was a dumbass and didnt take any more pictures, since that area was the only damage that I noticed at the time. Knowing my roomate, I really doubt he took any pictures the day off so I dont even know if he can prove that i caused any other damage or not. That's gonna make it really hard to prove what damage I did and didnt cause. And because it took so long I dont what extra damage may have accumulated.

 

[Jared B]

I will try and get pictures when I see his car again. However from what I remember I only scraped his bumper while pulling into my spot.

 

[goillini52]

See thats why I was kinda confused on what to do since it took so god damn long. I was a dumbass and didnt take any more pictures, since that area was the only damage that I noticed at the time. Knowing my roomate, I really doubt he took any pictures the day off so I dont even know if he can prove that i caused any other damage or not. That's gonna make it really hard to prove what damage I did and didnt cause. And because it took so long I dont what extra damage may have accumulated.

Sounds like he's trying to put the screws to you. Time to look for a new roommate.

 

[Jared B]

Sounds like he's trying to put the screws to you. Time to look for a new roommate.

Trust me i hate his ass lol. He is the laziest person I know.

 

[Jared B]

Another detail: he has been radio silent everytime I have bought up insurance claims. In the email he sent me, he specifically stated he wanted a to be paid directly. Then, when I texted him that I would like to at least try and pursue an insurance claim first he was did not respond. I am 90% sure that he never even contacted my insurance, he though I gave him my info right after the incident.
That combined with the weird time gap is shady as shit, at least to me.