Auto Insurance Adjuster?
Question:
P.S. i live in California.
Answer:
People who ask this question kill me. You said it yourself, you were given a quote. The quote you were given is a PRELIMINARY estimate. Once the shop tears your car down if there's additional damage Geico will pay it. Take your car, and the estimate you were given, to the shop of your choice and be done with it. What do you want? Money or your car fixed?
You can get your ownadjustor, but bring yourcheckbook. They charge, and does your policy cove it??
Did you get an estimate from a garage??
What ithey say?
Unless your a pro- what makes you think that its low? (serious question.. not sarcasm..)
What you need to do is take it to the shop of your choice.. if they think its low (after all.. they are the one doing the repairs..) They will get in touch with your adjuster to do a supplement.
Estimates arent always final. Supplements are expected.
You have the right to repair your car wherever you choose. The estimate your insurance company has written for you is only pre-liminary. If you choose a body shop - what you need to do is provide them a copy of your insurance company's estimate - they will review it - if they have differences/price adjustments, they know to contact your insurance company to negotiate the prices. Also, once the repairs begin, they may find additional damages, and at that time, the shop will contact your insurance company and have a re-inspection done, or just have a supplement approved.
Many times I see a lot of people not happy with an initial estimate - but remember - it is just that, an initial estimate. It is only a starting point based on what the appraiser can see - they will negotiate with your body shop of choice, and once the repairs begin, if there is additional damages, they will investigate and pay for the repairs as long as it is related to the accident.
You could get your appraisal - say from an independent appraiser - however that cost will be out of your own pocket, and in the end, you will have the same result. If you want to get your vehicle appraised/estimated at a body shop - your insurance company (regardless of what your shop's estimate is), will still tell you to give a copy of your estimate to that shop and the shop can negotiate it out with the appraiser.
Good luck.
What makes you think the estimate is low, Mr. expert? Sounds like you are simply going to cash-out vs repair your car. Unknown if public adjusters are legal in CA, but it will cost you a bundle and this doesn't mean GEICO has to pay it. If you are going to have the vehicle repaired then stop worring. The body shop will contact GEICO if any additional damage is found after disassembly.
In California, you get to choose the shop (in fact, they are supposed to notify you of this in writing), but you pay the difference if the cost is higher. You can try to get them to tell you how to get it fixed for that price -- seems reasonable. they also aren't supposed to make you use non-OEM parts unless those parts are known to be of the same quality of OEM parts. But do you think the estimate is too low to make the repair, or do you just want to pocket the money and walk away happy? Insurance is about bringing you back to where you started, not going "KA-CHING!"
My condolences on having GEICO as your insurer; it is nice to be able to talk to the same person each time, without helping pay for a half-billion dollar adevrtising campaign. But their claims is better than their initial quoting IMHO.
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