Expert: Richard Hixenbaugh - 9/23/2010

Question
I hope that you could help me to answer my question. My stories is I have been in an hit and run accident when I was in the parking lot, the lady was backing out and pumbing hard into my rear end then ran away when I was come out trying to talk to her. After the accident, I have to go home called my insurance and file a claim which I was 100% not at faulse. Next day, my insurance was send me to their collision center and estimate, it come out $1000 dollar. (I don't think it right amount).They trying to contact her but no response so finally they issue me a check after deductable is $500 and run a subrogation on her. They said they will recover my $500 deductable.

Two month after accident, she filed claim on her insurance. They was contact me and go to my house to see the car, appraiser guy was so annoy, denying everything, after that they send me a check for $500 dollar.

My question is:
Because of their unreasonable estimate, I came down to 2 shop run estimate again and they all said that I have a very big major dent that both shop estimate above $1500. My insurance' collision center must have been missing some unseen damage. But they already subrogation her for $1000. Are there anyway that I could dispute the price that had been estimate? Please tell me what the smart way to handle this case.  

This situation have driving me nut since her company was so annoy and just want to pay for $500. I feel it had been very not fair for me since I got into hit and run, my car could not be getting fix and the price was unfair. You know after two month now the damage was so very clearly but I don't know what to do. I'm sorry that my english was not very well. Hope that you could understand. Thank you very much.  

Answer
Hi Jenny,

This happens all the time. You just need to select the body shop that you want to do the repairs. Take your car there and give them a copy of the insurance estimate. The shop will then call your insurance company to get more money. After your car is fixed, your insurance comapny will subrogate again to get back their money.

I hope this helps
Richard Hixenbaugh