My EX is in the hospital :(

[MONMIX]

I've never heard or seen that happen on a regular enough basis to make it worthwhile. No insurance company is going to be around long if they are paying out all of the things you mention on top of total loss payouts for every total loss. You must be an anomaly as not too many shops in my area run their own towing/transport out of their facility and I've never been charged storage or admin fees or other fees for vehicles a shop is working on (unless the vehicle was just sitting for weeks or not picked up in a timely manner after repairs were completed). I do have a few repair shops in my area that run 24/7 towing, but I would never take my vehicle to them as they are not known for the highest quality work. They are kind of like ambulance chasing attorneys because they try to steer repairs to themselves...

We have been doing it like that for at least ten years now. Rarely get any drama. We sublet our towing and mark it up 25%. We have three different storage charges. Outdoor, indoor, and frame rack. Most of those charges are only in the event of a total or if an adjuster gets a case of drag ass on a supplement. ( storage that is )

 

[MONMIX]

I agree with him. I’d rather take it to a quality shop that doesn’t NEED the work. If it’s close to being totalled, I’d rather it be totalled, then hoping some hungry shop will cut corners just to keep the job because they can’t get enough work.

Spot on. You are my kind of customer.

I am not going to claim we have never saved a total. From time to time it is a judgment call that the customer is well informed of in all aspects. The absolute number one priority is the integrity of the repair. To NEVER compromise collision integrity and corrosion protection. Which includes never using used weld on components or uses suspension components. Sometimes we can make it happen, sometimes we simply can't. Hack shops can. That is not us.

 

[Medic531]

In other news I got a 2019 fully loaded Ford Fusion Hybrid for the rental...miss my EX :'(

 

[KayGee]

We have been doing it like that for at least ten years now. Rarely get any drama. We sublet our towing and mark it up 25%. We have three different storage charges. Outdoor, indoor, and frame rack. Most of those charges are only in the event of a total or if an adjuster gets a case of drag ass on a supplement. ( storage that is )

How do you sublet towing and mark it up?

Every accident I have ever been in where a vehicle was not driveable, either I arrange towing or the police do and I am asked where I would like the vehicle taken. That towing is paid out either directly by me or by my ins co. My insurance company does not allow towing to get added to the work order and marked up by 25%. It sounds like you've either found an angle to exploit or you are an anomaly, especially with all the storage charges. What is a frame rack storage charge anyway? What repair shop is going to tie up a frame rack by storing a totalled vehicle on it? That makes no sense.

 

[MONMIX]

How do you sublet towing and mark it up?

submit a bill plus 25% when we provide towing. Be it from the scene or the county lot or what have you.

Every accident I have ever been in where a vehicle was not driveable, either I arrange towing or the police do and I am asked where I would like the vehicle taken. That towing is paid out either directly by me or by my ins co. My insurance company does not allow towing to get added to the work order and marked up by 25%.

You add a markup, on parts, don't you?

It sounds like you've either found an angle to exploit or you are an anomaly, especially with all the storage charges. What is a frame rack storage charge anyway? What repair shop is going to tie up a frame rack by storing a totalled vehicle on it? That makes no sense.

We did the math, each indoor stall averages X dollars of profit per day on average, at the normal body rate. Frame labor obviously is more. Do the math based on that rate. If a car has to sit on the frame machine idle for more than 16 shop hours ( two full work days basically ) due to an adjuster dragging his or her feet on a supplement we charge them.

We just had that this week. An older Lexus near total. Huge buckle in the quarter, borderline replace. Adjuster wrote six and stood firm. He said, "Pull it and see if the buckle walks out." well we pulled it and there was minimal improvement. It would be pointless to pull it off the machine at that point since it still needed further pulling rail replacement. It would be pointless to do the other pulls if the vehicle is going to total, especially since he advised us to do a quick pull and see.
Fortunately for him, he was able to come out quickly and see that is was all racked up and attached so the charges were never incurred.
In the end, it finally totaled.

 

[KayGee]

submit a bill plus 25% when we provide towing. Be it from the scene or the county lot or what have you.


You add a markup, on parts, don't you?



We did the math, each indoor stall averages X dollars of profit per day on average, at the normal body rate. Frame labor obviously is more. Do the math based on that rate. If a car has to sit on the frame machine idle for more than 16 shop hours ( two full work days basically ) due to an adjuster dragging his or her feet on a supplement we charge them.

We just had that this week. An older Lexus near total. Huge buckle in the quarter, borderline replace. Adjuster wrote six and stood firm. He said, "Pull it and see if the buckle walks out." well we pulled it and there was minimal improvement. It would be pointless to pull it off the machine at that point since it still needed further pulling rail replacement. It would be pointless to do the other pulls if the vehicle is going to total, especially since he advised us to do a quick pull and see.
Fortunately for him, he was able to come out quickly and see that is was all racked up and attached so the charges were never incurred.
In the end, it finally totaled.

A lot of the stuff you talk about is stuff that some/many ins cos have been trying to put a stop to for years and some are better at it than others. Markups on parts are one thing as long as they aren't deemed excessive - most ins cos have their own software/policies that allows for this so it's not like a shop can just charge whatever they want whenever they want for parts. Some ins cos are limiting markups to 20% or less and have other restrictions on items/services that cannot be marked up, or maximum $ limits on markups.

Excessive markups on sublet repairs/towing are an area of concern though. Some ins cos are more aggressive than others on this, and others may not care (yet). As more of them realize it is low hanging fruit that hits their bottom line, I assume more of them will make a more concerted effort to address markup restrictions. Of course, laws vary by state and it is easier to deal with in some states than others, which is why some shops have their own tow trucks and others don't offer any in house towing services (state laws vary on what towing businesses can charge for storage and other fees whereas a non-towing company wouldn't fall under those same regulations, as an example).

Leaving equipment idle for days while waiting on an adjuster is probably not the wisest move either. Most of the ins cos and adjusters I've dealt with over the years try to do more and more via e-mail/pics as they usually have agreements in place with the repair shops and everyone tries to operate as above board as possible to preserve those agreements/working relationships. I try not to pick "independent shops" that don't have agreements with ins cos as those are the ones that typically take longer as they require more hand holding and verification. Anyway, if you are truly a busy, high volume shop that is turning away business, like the kind we were talking about, why would you ever agree to leave equipment idle for days? Tell the adjuster that you cannot idle equipment while waiting for them and tell them you will have to pull the vehicle and put it back on when he/she can get there and tell them that they will be billed for that. That is, afterall, what you are in business for, right? Yeah, it's a little more work, but that's how ultra busy, high volume businesses operate - they have to achieve the highest equipment utilization they can on the equipment they have or they have to spend a ton of money on extra equipment so some of it can sit idle for days at a time.

Anyway, there are a lot of shops that operate differently and many aren't really specialized and/or truly "high volume" - right, wrong, or indifferent - best of luck with your business model if it works for you.

 

[Medic531]

The shop totaled my suv - details to follow.....

 

[MONMIX]

The shop totaled my suv - details to follow.....

Blah !!!

 

[Medic531]

So yeah I got a phone call from insurance about it being totaled. I called the body shop and they had no idea it was totaled and they were already working it. Because of this forum and peoples replies I asked specifically who idea it was to total it and it was the insurance. The shop did send additional damage in to get estimated but they estimated it to still not be totaled so they kept working on it. So now I will be searching for a new explorer, likely an XLT model with 4WD. Not black!! Too dirty lol

My concern is who is going to pay for the work the shop already did without insurance approval? They better not charge me or take it out of the money owed to me by insurance.

Also for anyone who has delt with this before I have a lot of electronics and emergency lights/equipment in that vehicle that will be stripped Tuesday. Should I take my sweet time and remove panels and such properly and neatly or can I just pull stuff off like headliner and panels and such without worrying about creating more damage?

 

[Mbrooks420]

You are owed the complete value of the vehicle, minus any deductible and condition or mileage hits. The body shops charges are not your burden.

 

[MONMIX]

So yeah I got a phone call from insurance about it being totaled. I called the body shop and they had no idea it was totaled and they were already working it. Because of this forum and peoples replies I asked specifically who idea it was to total it and it was the insurance. The shop did send additional damage in to get estimated but they estimated it to still not be totaled so they kept working on it. So now I will be searching for a new explorer, likely an XLT model with 4WD. Not black!! Too dirty lol

My concern is who is going to pay for the work the shop already did without insurance approval? They better not charge me or take it out of the money owed to me by insurance.

Also for anyone who has delt with this before I have a lot of electronics and emergency lights/equipment in that vehicle that will be stripped Tuesday. Should I take my sweet time and remove panels and such properly and neatly or can I just pull stuff off like headliner and panels and such without worrying about creating more damage?

You should possess the initial insurance check. The supplement check will be sent to the shop directly. You shouldn't have to pay anything other than your deductible if you have one. The only place you might have an issue is the shop might ( and could ) hold up the delivery of the vehicle until they are satisfied with the insurance company.

I am a bit troubled they continued on the repair without the approval of the supplement, even though their software did not have the vehicle as a total, but I also see how it can happen. Either way, the insurance company is on the hook for this not you.

BTW what insurance company?

 

[Medic531]

i have USAA

The shop already said they wont release the vehicle until they get paid for the work they did do.

 

[Mbrooks420]

That doesn’t matter, really. It’s totaled, and the insurance owes you for your loss. It’s not contingent on them getting the car.

 

[Medic531]

That doesn’t matter, really. It’s totaled, and the insurance owes you for your loss. It’s not contingent on them getting the car.

Yeah I had to sign some papers and overnight them to USAA they should have them tomorrow by 3pm. I wonder how long it takes after that before I get paid.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Usually a few days.

 

[Adrian Gitch]

I have usaa also and they are really good to deal with and quick at getting stuff done.

 

[Stephen Cannon]

I am USAA. Hopefully never have to experience the full collision repair/total process but sounds like they totaled and on to the next one. Did you have GAP insurance? That is the insurance to cover the difference between insurance payout and loan balance if you had one. Essentially with GAP the insurance pays market value condition, mileage, etc...pre accident. GAP pays the difference between Insurance payout and loan payoff amount. The loan balance is paid off and you start the loan process all over again.

 

[Medic531]

I have usaa also and they are really good to deal with and quick at getting stuff done.

I hope they are fast. Fedex said the paperwork was delivered and signed for this morning. They said as soon as its processes ill receive payout.

The dealer im working with to locate me a replacement explorer has a perfect one on their lot and its the only one like it. They called me this morning first thing asking if I can come see it today because they claim they have three others wanting to look at it and requested a refundable deposit. I have an apt tomorrow at 1pm already
Im hoping they are just running their mouth. I cant buy it until I get insurance money to pay off my late explorer. This explorer is the only one that has everything I want thats anywhere close to me.
If this one sells they better be ready to either order one identical or ship one from another state.

No gap insurance but not sure i dont remember. All I know is I am getting enough to pay old ex off and buy a new one.

 

[Michael Lopour]

I hope they are fast. Fedex said the paperwork was delivered and signed for this morning. They said as soon as its processes ill receive payout.

The dealer im working with to locate me a replacement explorer has a perfect one on their lot and its the only one like it. They called me this morning first thing asking if I can come see it today because they claim they have three others wanting to look at it and requested a refundable deposit. I have an apt tomorrow at 1pm already
Im hoping they are just running their mouth. I cant buy it until I get insurance money to pay off my late explorer. This explorer is the only one that has everything I want thats anywhere close to me.
If this one sells they better be ready to either order one identical or ship one from another state.

No gap insurance but not sure i dont remember. All I know is I am getting enough to pay old ex off and buy a new one.

I get if you don't want to share the specs on the one-of-a-kind Explorer you're looking at - but what's the most unique feature (I assume it's factory-supplied) that you're looking for? I'm just curious. Hope everything resolves quickly.

 

[Medic531]

I get if you don't want to share the specs on the one-of-a-kind Explorer you're looking at - but what's the most unique feature (I assume it's factory-supplied) that you're looking for? I'm just curious. Hope everything resolves quickly.

Nothing major just the xlt with the 202A package and 4x4 for good price in the color I want. Slim pickings here in the OKC area