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State Farm - Hit By A "Distracted" Driver
Car Repair After Accident - Complaint
Review by mritts1 on 2012-11-06
Rating: 
MECHANICSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA -- My car (and me) were rear ended at a high rate of speed, while I was waiting to make a left hand turn. The person who hit me admitted it was their fault (100%) and the police report reflected this.
State Farm admitted responsibility and promised to make good on the claim. My car was old (2000 Subaru Outback) but an excellent car. They valued my car at $5300 and the repairs at $4000. The car is drivable but needed to be repaired to pass inspection. They refused to repair it to it's before accident condition and "totaled" the car so I could not even fix it myself without going through a lot of inconvenient title changes and legal loop holes.
Anyone with decent values would fix the car to it's pre-accident condition in this situation. If I was at all at fault I would not be writing this.
I do not care about "rules" "procedures" or profit margins, just write and wrong. This accident is going to cost me at least $3000 to get an equal car (after their "generous" settlement").
State Farm will gladly take money but all you get out of it is "peace of mine" not responsibility. Dealing with his company sucks.
State Farm admitted responsibility and promised to make good on the claim. My car was old (2000 Subaru Outback) but an excellent car. They valued my car at $5300 and the repairs at $4000. The car is drivable but needed to be repaired to pass inspection. They refused to repair it to it's before accident condition and "totaled" the car so I could not even fix it myself without going through a lot of inconvenient title changes and legal loop holes.
Anyone with decent values would fix the car to it's pre-accident condition in this situation. If I was at all at fault I would not be writing this.
I do not care about "rules" "procedures" or profit margins, just write and wrong. This accident is going to cost me at least $3000 to get an equal car (after their "generous" settlement").
State Farm will gladly take money but all you get out of it is "peace of mine" not responsibility. Dealing with his company sucks.
Comments:
Posted by Alain on 2012-11-06:
You can file a complaint at http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/complaints.aspx?id=451
Posted by CowboyFan on 2012-11-06:
The question I had was: did State Farm insure the other driver. The fact State Farm took "responsiblity" implies it insured the other driver, which means the fact that they paid at all, instead of fighting, it was good.
A car we own always feels like it is worth more than other similar cars on the road because we take better care of it. The problem, is that valuation is based on a generic vehicle, unless one can show special circumstances related to the vehicle-not simply repairs, e.g. new paint job, etc., which might give some leverage to ask more.
A car we own always feels like it is worth more than other similar cars on the road because we take better care of it. The problem, is that valuation is based on a generic vehicle, unless one can show special circumstances related to the vehicle-not simply repairs, e.g. new paint job, etc., which might give some leverage to ask more.
Posted by madconsumer on 2012-11-06:
very helpful review, and voted as such!
'snake farm' has been known to do this before. they did not earn their nickname for no reason!!
'snake farm' has been known to do this before. they did not earn their nickname for no reason!!
Posted by olie on 2012-11-07:
ok4now, in '08 I t-boned a distracted driver who blew through a stop sign. I had no sign, and stupidly figured that, like other idiots in our city, he'd slam on the brakes before the intersection.
The police and EMTs were AWESOME to me, and so was MY insurer, State Farm. The other guy's insurer was a pain in the butt.
But I was driving a paid-for '96 Mazda Protege. We loved that car. Yes, we received what might have been a "nice down payment on a new car". Unfortunately, we could not afford monthly payments for a good used car or a brand-new car.
See, that's the great part about a paid-off car. We use that money for other stuff. Just like parents whose child-support obligations are over, or people who have been able to pay off their mortgages. Once that payment is over, the people tend to find other uses for that money.
In our case, a new roof and college payments. It's not like we just started putting that $300 per month in a high-yield account. Or taking expensive vacations.
The police and EMTs were AWESOME to me, and so was MY insurer, State Farm. The other guy's insurer was a pain in the butt.
But I was driving a paid-for '96 Mazda Protege. We loved that car. Yes, we received what might have been a "nice down payment on a new car". Unfortunately, we could not afford monthly payments for a good used car or a brand-new car.
See, that's the great part about a paid-off car. We use that money for other stuff. Just like parents whose child-support obligations are over, or people who have been able to pay off their mortgages. Once that payment is over, the people tend to find other uses for that money.
In our case, a new roof and college payments. It's not like we just started putting that $300 per month in a high-yield account. Or taking expensive vacations.
Posted by ok4now on 2012-11-08:
olie, I fully understand your point. An older car in good mechanical condition with NO payments has tremendous value to the owner. My second car is a 99 Saturn with only 34K miles in great condition. I use it to go shopping and foul weather driving. My new Toyota sits in the garage not subjected to this. If the Saturn was totaled in an accident I would get next to nothing for it due to its age. It has value to me but not to the insurance company for a claim. This is the chance you take.
Posted by Gardener07 on 2012-12-01:
My son's car was totaled and State Farm wanted to give him about $9,000 for it - and he just kept refusing. Said his car - a little sports car was worth much more - They even sent him a check and he tore it up and finally found a comparable replacement for $14,500 and they actually paid him that. I was amazed. I never thought he would get that.
Posted by Rich on 2012-12-01:
I have had State Farm for 25 years. My wife's car was tboned as well, an older Ford Escort wagon. Again, in great shape and I had just had the timing belt/water pump repaired. The blue book value was about 2200 at that time, they offered 1,500. Why, because a dealer told them that was what they would try to sell my car for. I asked them where that car was because I wanted to buy it. No no no, there is no car, its what they would sell YOUR car for. So, rather than an objective blue book or any other value for my car, they called dealers til they got one to say a number they liked, then offered it to me. I thought the whole process was as dumb as it couuld be.
Posted by 1garyallen on 2012-12-03:
You stated, " I do not care about "rules" "procedures" or profit margins, just write and wrong."
In business the rules and procedures are all that matter. Insurance companies try to keep everything black and white, no gray ares. We all have to play by their rules or find a new insurance carrier. The profit margin is nothing more than a crap shoot on their part but normally they are right on the money after years and years of record keeping.
I have a car that's over 20 years of age and enjoy it very much. It's actually a collector car and although I have it insured by State Farm I also have an additional policy which would allow the car to be completely rebuilt from the ground up should be be involved in an accident.
In business the rules and procedures are all that matter. Insurance companies try to keep everything black and white, no gray ares. We all have to play by their rules or find a new insurance carrier. The profit margin is nothing more than a crap shoot on their part but normally they are right on the money after years and years of record keeping.
I have a car that's over 20 years of age and enjoy it very much. It's actually a collector car and although I have it insured by State Farm I also have an additional policy which would allow the car to be completely rebuilt from the ground up should be be involved in an accident.
Posted by Robert Wilson on 2012-12-04:
State Farm was my insurance for several years,home, and auto. SF sent me a letter demanding that I paint my garage or cancel my policy(s). I quickly dropped them .RW
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