Expert: William Forster - 9/17/2007

Question
I was recently in a minor car accident where i bumped into the rear of someone.  The only damage that i saw was a minor scrape in the middle(about 2" by 3")and two small cracks about 2-3" in length.  They just called and said the estimate was for like 900dollars which sounds like they are replacing the entire bumper.  Is there an alternative to this pricy fix or is a new bumper the only option?

Answer
Paul. I gptta tell ya, I get this scenario a lot. Someone causes an accident, then when they get the bill, they scream they're getting it stuck to them. I can't see the damage, or it's location. Just because something CAN be repaired, that doesn't mean it SHOULD be repaired. It also sounds like there was hidden damage or something. It's very common for damage like this to escalate this high. It's up to the body shop estimator, and the insurance company, wether it gets fixed or replaced. The individual really has little control. Now, you caused an accident, by your own admission- it takes a big man to admit he was at fault. keep being a big man, accept the responsibility, and don't make this person's life tough over something that was your fault. 900 bucks is a drop in the bucket these days, if you can't afford that out of pocket, turn it in to your insurance. Bill