TD Insurance: Betterment fee

[legendboy]

Hey Beyond,

Need ask a question. My wife's car was bumped in the parking lot at Chinook Mall. She went in and filed a report and it says hit and run.

So my wife brings her car to TD's "Bodyshop" for appraisal. So the damage is basically a piece of Bondo cracking around in a C shape right above her rear passenger wheel well.

The adjuster told my wife that TD has waived the deductible because she reported it right away and there is a police report. The are telling us we are going to have to pay a "Betterment Payment" because it was damaged on previously repaired damage. They can not tell us what the charge is until after they start the repair.

Someone please explain because 2 people I talk to at TD could not explain it or the adjuster who I started swearing and getting angry on the phone with lol

My wife has full coverage, top tier everything included. WTF?

[killramos]

Never heard of it. Car didn’t receive a cash payout historically for that damage or something?

[legendboy]

https://www.economical.com/en/blog/economical-blog/january-2018/car-insurance-claims-and-betterment-charges

wtf

so we have no idea what is under the bondo, if the shop deems it needs a completely new quarter panel welded or glued in I am responsible for the cost of the parts and extra labor!

Fuck that

[killramos]

A piece of advice is that you are not obligated to use TD’s shop so you can maybe find a shop who is willing to repair it to “as good as before but not better” and hence no betterment fee!

[ExtraSlow]

If the car was previously repaired with bondo, and the new repair is going to be a panel replacement and repaint, I can see some kind of betterment being reasonable. Can you get it re-bondo-ed?

[dj_rice]

If the car was previously repaired with bondo, and the new repair is going to be a panel replacement and repaint, I can see some kind of betterment being reasonable. Can you get it re-bondo-ed?

Word. Makes sense to me. But sucks for OP's situation. Was the car repaired somewhere shoddy? Or was it purchased like that

Didn't even know this was a thing but reading below makes sense to me

"Your tires are getting worn out and you’re planning to replace them within the next couple of months — but, before you do, you get into a collision and your old tires are damaged. Your insurance company will likely require you to replace the damaged tires with brand new ones, which will put your vehicle in better condition than it was in before the collision (and it’ll put you in a better financial situation since you won’t have to pay to replace your tires as you had planned). As a result, you’ll be expected to pay the difference in cost for the betterment to your vehicle."

[legendboy]

That the plan, take it around and explain exactly what i want done. Choose shop that gives me the best gut check after a chat and shop tour, best finishes dust etc. I worked Autobody for several years at one point in my life, I know everything there is to know about it.

Did the same thing for being a tech. I worked at acuras & c honda busting tires and changing oil trying to decide what I wanted to do. Autobody was out because of an allergy I developed to isocy.

[legendboy]

Car was purchased from a wholesaler friend of mine, didn't notice the light sanding scratches until clean and after the accident. I asked and he said not that he knew of. Great deal great little car!

[rage2]

They've started doing the same thing for roofs after hail damage as well. No more new free roof after a hail claim.

edit - they being insurers. This isn't a TD specific thing.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[rx7boi]

Makes sense. Not something I would have thought about.

[Masked Bandit]

The concept is not new to auto insurance but 9 times out of 10 we see this applied to tires & brakes (wearable components) in collisions. This is the first time I've seen it applied to body work but when I consider all the info it makes sense. It's shitty for OP for sure but I don't see a great way around it other than trying a different shop that can just re-bondo the damage.

[ercchry]

Had something similar when my parked car got hit. They showed me that the quarters had some halfassed previously “fixed” work done and I had to sign something... it was just a bumper replacement so I didn’t have to pay anything unless I wanted them to also fix the old work

[M.alex]

The concept is not new to auto insurance but 9 times out of 10 we see this applied to tires & brakes (wearable components) in collisions. This is the first time I've seen it applied to body work but when I consider all the info it makes sense. It's shitty for OP for sure but I don't see a great way around it other than trying a different shop that can just re-bondo the damage.

I got hit with a betterment charge when some asshat slashed my convertible roof - apparently since my old roof had some wear and tear (minor rub marks) that meant my replacement roof was better so I had to pay insurance more for it.

[killramos]

Thank god for gap insurance.

[rage2]

Thank god for gap insurance.
Gap insurance doesn't work like that.

[legendboy]

I had a second appraiser out to see the car. I showed her tire rub marks leading up to where the bondo cracked, she said that TD will only cover to polish out the light scratches????
Meaning they are not going to cover the actual damage

[88CRX]

I had a second appraiser out to see the car. I showed her tire rub marks leading up to where the bondo cracked, she said that TD will only cover to polish out the light scratches????
Meaning they are not going to cover the actual damage

Fucking insurance companies always trying to screw people over. That sucks dude.

[legendboy]

Its total crap, the fight is on

[ShermanEF9]

Its total crap, the fight is on

Now I don't normally side with insurance companies, I'm actually annoyed with mine, but it's a losing battle. You're asking for them to fix a previously existing issue on their dime. It's not up to them to put your vehicle back to factory condition. If you had a crappy repair done to begin with, why should they fix the damage from the accident PLUS the awful repair job that was previously done?

[legendboy]

I worked in bodyshops for years and I didn't notice the repair until i really looked closely. That is a decent job not an awful repair. All I want them to do is bondo it back up and spray it nicely

- - - Updated - - -

Fill it up with 40/40 and bondo over that i could care less as long as it looks like it did before the bump

[lee88]

The biggest problem is warranty after repair. If you put more bondo and paint On top of prior repair it’s increasing its chances for a come back. If your okay with it ask for the repair to be done but with no warranty if that’s even an option