Insurance claim

[kah.mun.rah]

That sucks. Sorry to hear it happened. Because of the consequences of filing a claim, my rule of thumb is that if it is my fault and it cost less than 20% of the value of my vehicle to repair, I eat the cost myself. As others have mentioned, great opportunity to get a soft top.

FYI, when my previous JL was totaled, my insurance company valued my hardtop at $500 so one thing to consider is that if you go the insurance route, they may or may not pay you full actual replacement value.

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[Ratbert]

Insurance covers it and so long as you don't have multiple claims in a rolling 12mo you should be good to go.

Fortunately our windshields are bulletproof and never, ever need to be replaced via insurance.

 

[Grayhound]

That does count against your claims! I typically go through one a year and have chips repaired a couple times a year!

 

[Wbino]

Yeah… that’s the big catch 22 with the auto insurance game. You are legally required to have auto insurance… you opt to cover your vehicle appropriately and not just get the minimum… something happens that is less than catastrophic…. Then you have to decide between actually using what you pay for, or footing the bill yourself. I can’t think of another industry that you are legally required to have but are so strongly discouraged to use. I think of insurance as the type of thing that is just a cost of daily living, and is just a PITA - until you really need it - then you are glad you have it.

I would like to own a donut shop where everybody in town is legally required to buy a donut from me every day. But if someone gets indigestion, they can opt to get a free donut replacement the next day, but it’ll cost more per donut for them going forward after that.

This is more of a accident fault of self so I would not call insurance on this regardless.
Now if a tree landed on my hood, I'm calling someone.
Insurance companies suck but they are needed unfortunately, better regulated would do wonders.

 

[Heimkehr]

FYI, when my previous JL was totaled, my insurance company valued my hardtop at $500 so one thing to consider is that if you go the insurance route, they may or may not pay you full actual replacement value.

Good advice, and let me add something tangential:

When we were configuring the Homeowner's policy for our current house, I confirmed that the lender required something that I also wanted: Coverage (aka a reimbursement schedule) that provides for the actual replacement cost to repair or rebuild our house. This necessarily links the annual premiums to inflation indexes, but thus far the increases have been reasonably modest and affordable. Granted, I do have discounts in force for a claims-free history, as well as policy bundling.

The same coverage is usually available for auto policies, but this is something that should be discussed in detail with your agent.

 

[rk911]

I have full coverage / comprehensive coverage on my jeep. I had my hardtop hanging from the ceiling. I backed into it and it fell down and broke all over the place. Will my insurance cover this under my comprehensive plan. What is your thoughts?

A conversation with your agent is the best way to know. No penalty for asking a question.

 

[AcesandEights]

Replacement, or stated, value policies are typically much more expensive for an auto. Autos depreciate rapidly, and your premiums are based on a vehicle depreciating, replacement parts becoming more widely available as it ages (salvage/lkq parts availability) and the fact people tend to trade in vehicles after relatively short periods of time. Some companies won't offer a replacement/stated value policy for an auto; although it is common for homeowners policies to offer replacement coverages.

I handled many claims that were supposed to just be a question between an insured and an agent. I'd get a claim, call the insured and they would be irate that I was calling, telling me they had a question about damage and were just asking their agent about coverage. The agents are not typically trained in claims handling, liability, negligence, etc. (which is all state-specific). Agents are trained in marketing, sales, coverages. If you "ask" your agent a question, make sure you tell them at least twice as many times as you think it necessary that you have a hypothetical question, not opening a claim. Agents and adjusters are not the same, and not educated or trained to handle each other's jobs; completely different. Like asking the billing clerk at your dentist's office to replace a crown.

 

[azjl#3]

That does count against your claims! I typically go through one a year and have chips repaired a couple times a year!

I did this as well, until progressive refused to insure a 20 year old truck because I had 1 claim a year for 7 years. I have 3 vehicles so i didn’t think it was that big of a deal, to use the glass coverage I am paying for. But it is, every claim fallls into the at fault claims. I say BS.

Based on your deductible, and what you can get one off Craigslist for, I would not call insurance, never let them know, and suck it up. Years from now get any scratches fixed as needed.

 

[AcesandEights]

$150/month * 0.03 = $4.50 (an insurance company typically has ~3% profit margin)

That's about what an auto insurance company makes in profit on your 20 year old truck, maybe less if your premiums are less than $150/month. If you had one claim a year for seven years, the insurance company probably lost too much on you and you were too big a risk. You can't replace a windshield, even if you use LKQ/used glass, at $4.50/month.

 

[Pig-Pen]

former homeowners adjuster here. typically HO policies have specific exclusions of covering anything on your vehicle. stuff being stored is arguable though. BUT, i would never, in 1000 years, recommend filing an HO claim for something so minor. regardless of deductible size. with the way things are going in the insurance industry right now, dont give them an excuse to cancel your policy or jack up your rates. filing an HO claim almost always raises your rates. ive seen people file a claim for $500 because they have $0 deductible and have never ever filed a claim. just plain dumb. and guess what, if your policy gets cancelled, that follows you on your record like a DUI. you end up paying a premium for being previously cancelled. all the carriers share data with each other. as i advised people, save the claims for the BIG stuff. even if they dont get you on the first claim, murphys law, six months later you get a toilet line leak and flood your house and have $80k in damage.

if a new hard top is $$$, then id at least look into an auto claim. see what they say. you did back into it so i would assume its a "collision", thought its not ON your vehicle.
a damage claim like this is nothing for an insurance carrier. where it hurts them is physical injuries or total loss. many carriers are looking for excuses to cancel people though. we already are seeing them jack up rates like crazy in many areas and even pulling out of states and not issuing new policies.

i would think you could score a used one for a decent amount. that would be my first avenue. if you have a broker, ask them, before going directly to your insurance company.

hell, im paying $1600 out of pocket right now. my car came back from the body shop after about $20k claim. two days after it came home, i closed the garage door and put a scrape on my brand new front bumper. so im sucking it up and paying out of pocket and having some other stuff done while its there. we have good insurance (geico) with good rates, so i dont want to risk F'ing that up if i can avoid it.

 

[Pig-Pen]

$150/month * 0.03 = $4.50 (an insurance company typically has ~3% profit margin)

That's about what an auto insurance company makes in profit on your 20 year old truck, maybe less if your premiums are less than $150/month. If you had one claim a year for seven years, the insurance company probably lost too much on you and you were too big a risk. You can't replace a windshield, even if you use LKQ/used glass, at $4.50/month.

and then the guy with the old truck goes and rear ends a mini-van fully of family members and they get sued for $100k in medical. talk about a bad investment on their part lol

 

[TheBirdie72]

This is more of a accident fault of self so I would not call insurance on this regardless.
Now if a tree landed on my hood, I'm calling someone.
Insurance companies suck but they are needed unfortunately, better regulated would do wonders.

What if YOU were the one that cut down the tree, and it accidentally fell on your Jeep? Insurance would still apply same as if someone else cut the tree down.

 

[Gangplank]

If you file an auto claim the body shop will have order it from Mopar. A new top doesn’t cost that much. I priced a color matched one and it wasn’t that expensive a few years back, but I found one used for less on the forum. I had to drive 8 hours to get it but cost $2k.

I’d forgo the claim and search for one on the forum or a pick a part yard.

 

[Valpo Jeep]

Www.car-part.com

used black roof for a JLU is $1,000 - $4,000 as listed from what I just looked at.

Can you or should you file? Look at your deductible and talk with your agent. If it’s a comprehensive insurance claim you might get 1 or 2 no fault claims before running in to trouble with cancellation.

As for filing a claim through the body shop and them having to order through Mopar. Well that all depends on state insurance laws. I live in Indiana and they only have to source new body parts through a certain age of vehicle. I think it’s 5 years but not sure. I know that for repairs to our daughters 2011 Cruze they had to get used parts through LKQ.

Most JLs are at an age they can probably get new parts but again will depend on state insurance laws.

 

[Gangplank]

Not sure where your located but here’s a black one on Craigslist for $2150

https://nashville.craigslist.org/pts/d/marietta-jeep-wrangler-jl-hardtop-door/7771760516.html

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