So who's done it? I have been paying for full coverage insurance for 3 years on a paid for truck since it's my pride and joy. This summer I took out both doors on one side on a tree and recently I put a couple nice grooves in my paint that aren 't buffing out. I have a $500 deductable but the damage to the doors was estimated at $1800. I would like to claim this and get the dents fixed and get a new paint job. So here are my questions. What will they say when you tell them you were wheeling? Will they ask me why I didn't report it as an accident or anything like that? I'm assuming that I will be at fault right? What will this do to my premium? Also if I claim it will they pay to have my whole rig painted or only the damaged portions? I turn 25 in 4 months should I wait till then? Anybody with any experience on this please chime in. Oh ya and I'm a pretty ethical person so I'm not going to tell my insurance company it was a hit and run or a deer ran out and hit me so don't go there.
Thanks
UK

 

not really sure what to say, other than buck up and do it right. insurance may not cover it and the possibility is there that they could recind coverage.

lee

 

Sorry I have nothing to add that you're looking for. I just wanted to say good for you! I'm sick and tired of reading posts where people are trying to cheat the system or get away scott-free of responsibility.

You're a good man UK

 

They should only have to repaint the damage sections. The auto body shop can match the colors exactly.

If you do decide to make the claim, be aware that they will raise your rates for the next 3 (?) years...

 

Different Ins. companies handle claims differently. I have AAA and had a windshield replaced(legit hit by rock). Six months later my truck was stolen from my driveway in the middle of the night( truck was locked and on my property) and taken for a joy ride. When I filed my claim for the theft damage which was $7000 AAA paid it with no problem. About 3 weeks after getting my truck back from the shop AAA sent me a letter stating when my policy renews I will have to raise my comp. deductible from $100 to $500 this was due to having more than 1 claim within 12 months. So my advice is fix it yourself because if some lowlife does something to your vehicle in the future your Ins. company might try and screw you.

Bill

 

Well, if this helps out, I'm not sure. Back when I had the S2000, I did a LOT of track time at various road courses (Laguna Seca, Road America, Gingerman, et al) and the insurance was always something that people were concerned about. How it's handled for track days does, indeed, depend on the insurance carrier. Some would cover things, others would not.

The main deciding factor was whether the event was actually and officially 'timed.' Meaning, if those who were putting on the event were doing the timing, it almost across the board would NOT cover a whoopsie at a track day. Knowing that wheeling isn't a 'timed' event, it seems to me there would be a good chance that you can get your stuff covered. But then again, they may have different criteria for making that call. There may be a correlation to track time, there may not be.

Part of it may also rest on whether or not the wheeling event was put on by a professional organization. Meaning, it was organized by a group who does this kind of thing on a professional and on-going basis. I would 'think' that if it was just you out screwing around in the woods, you would have less of a chance of coverage.

Could be off base, but that's what my experience in lots of track days would tell me. And good thing you're not out to try and rip off your insurance company...that's cool. Good luck with it...keep us posted!

 

Sounds like I will more than likely be stuck with the bill. Sucks to have paid outragous insuranance for this long and then not be able to make a legit claim when I did get damage.. Oh well that's how it goes I guess. My best friend dropped his truck to liability after he paid it off and 3 weeks later he hit the ditch and rolled it. Cost him $6,000 to get it back on the road out of his own pocket. Isn't the whole point of having full coverage though in case I screw it up and not somebody else? I guess if it gets stolen that would count too though.

 

If you have full coverage, I don't think it's cheating the insurance by telling them you did the damage yourself and you want to get it fixed.
No different than if someone slid into a phone pole in the snow or something- self-inflicted but you still want it repaired. That's what insurance is for...

Just talk to your insurance person and ask them what the specifics are of your policy and your concerns about rate hikes.

 

Well, I hope I didn't discourage you from trying to get it covered. I just thought there might be a connection to wheeling and track days. I certainly know of cases where insurance DID cover things at track events. In fact, my club's first event at Laguna Seca, TWO S2000's hit walls/tires, both incurring about 18,000 dollars in damage. I know in one case, insurance covered it. The other one I didn't care about (he was a complete idiot).

So I would certainly try to have them cover it. The worst thing they can do is say no. It may also depend on the relationship you have with your carrier and if you have lots of other claims. Those things have an influence, too.

Go for it...file a claim...and I wouldn't wait. If you did wait until you turned 25 in a few months, a good adjuster will be able to see that the damage was not recent. I'd tell them what happened and make the case as to why you think they should. Their job is to try to get out of it, but don't go down without a fight. You're paying them and you are their customer, despite what they try and make you think!

File that claim and good luck, man!

 

One thing they will ask you is what happened and when. Your deductible is applied per incident. Let's say there are two incidents and you have a $500 deductible. The insurance company will only pay for the damage above $500 in each incident individually.

 

The worst that can happen is they will tell you that they won't pay for it.

I would think they will cover it, but depending on the total damage bill and claim history, they might raise your rates.

 

Yeah, they are like those infomercials on TV, many easy payments of $19.95.
The $1800 repair bill will be paid out of your pocket, just in a monthly installment. No such thing as free money.

 

Uk Why not just call your agent and talk to him/her. I have called my agent a ton of times to ask him questions regarding covereage for myself, and others that drive my vehicles. Explain your situation, explain when and where the damage occured, and ask what their company can/will do to get your truck back in super condition.

FYI My 97 Taco has it's share of rock carnige, and been on it's side twice, and I carry full coverage on it (I have since the day it was new). I will not claim anything on it unless it's fully rolled or stolen. I know that my wheeling has caused the majority of the damage and it's more than likely going to happen again. So unless it's not driveable, i'll just keep on denting the hell out of it...

Steve

 

the rate hikes will pay for the damages they cover over the next few years. some places are very cool and dont do much with the 1st time claim so its a one time deal where you wont see rate hikes. if its set up like that jump on it quick!

 

you may want to get it fixed in case someone hits you or you roll your car or something, they wont pay to fix pre-existing damage, and say you total your car, its worth 9000 and they know you have 2000 worth of existing damage, then they may only pay 7000 for the vehicle.

just something to ponder.
wade

 

I may not have read all the replies thoroughly enough, but I think a point missed here is whether or not the "accident(s)" occured on a recognized road. I believe most policies will have a clearly spelled out exemption for any damage cause while offroad. So, if perhaps it occured on a recognized forest road then maybe.
Otherwise, I would say since you seem to want to take it and play with it, take the $500 deductible or whatever the total cost to you would be, head to the junkyard and pick up a couple used doors, go to MAACO for the Presidential treatment to get them looking somewhat close, use whatever is left to buy sliders or some other toy or start saving up for some other offroad toy parts.
If you're gonna wheel it, why worry about body damage unless the doors won't even close?

 

Reguardless of the cause your rates will probably go up. The truth can be told without using the word Wheeling, driving means the samething and sounds alot better. My insurance has paid for damages that occured when I got stuck in the mud and tried to get it out but I didn't say I was out mud bogging. I didn't lie to them and it's not unusual for a 4WD vehicle to be off-road. You don't need it on the pavement!! You can be honest without claiming all the fault!! Good luck!!

 

just don"t go to MAACO you will pay for that one for a while. There is nothing worse than a shoddy paint job.

 

My tongue in cheek point about getting a Presidential from MAACO is why put good money into a paint job on something you are taking offroad. Just tossing money down a hole IMO.

 

There's always latex.