In article <BKSZb.35579$ac.6748706@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net> ,
"Invalid Email Adress" <invalid@emailadress.com> wrote:

> I rear ended another car. Had to reported it to the insurance company and
> will picked up a police report in 5 business days. No summons/ tickets were
> issued.
>
> Is there anything I should be aware of, as far as liability is concern?

Well, pretty much be definition in any state I know of, you're liable
for all damages.

If you're subrogating this to your insurance company, they'll handle it.
You'll owe any deductible amount that's on your policy.

Now, you weren't obligated to report it to your insurance company; you
could have decided to pay this out of your own pocket. Just because you
have insurance doesn't mean you have to use it. I guess you still have
that option. That may be meaningful with respect to future premium
increases and whether your insurance company chooses to do business with
you at all.



> The insurance company will send a claims adjuster to look at my Civic (2000
> Civic EX. I love this car!! I got 42 miles to the gallon on the highways,
> driving around 70 mph .). I've put 100,000 on it and plan on putting more on
> it.

Man, you drive 25K miles/year? What do you do?



> I want it as close to the original as possible. On repairing my car, can I
> specify the repair shop to use OEM parts? Do I have to settle for second
> hand stuff?

Well, you're in an awkward position. Your own collision coverage will
pay for repairs; I don't think you're in any decent position to demand
anything of them. And the more your policy pays out, the worse it is
for you.

You can (a) pay for all the repairs out of your own pocket; your
insurance company would like that. Or (b) take what they offer and put
that toward the repair of your choice, paying any extra out of your own
pocket. Or (c) demand of your insurance company that they pay the extra
for Honda parts.

C is not really practical. Most people would do B (and then simply not
fix it, or fix it minimally, and pocket the difference). A is your best
bet if you can swing it; the less the insurance company has paid out
against your policy, the better.

My *personal* opinion is to get an estimate for OEM parts, repaired by a
shop you like, and tell your insurance company that's where you'll take
it--and to have them simply write the check to both you and the body
shop. The body shop loves having business in hand like that, and is
more likely to accept what the insurance company offers, or at least
drop their price, or otherwise negotiate directly with the insurance
company.

Your insurance company may try to bribe you into going to their
"recommended" or "partner" body shops. They may say that "such repairs
are guaranteed for life" or some such thing. Stay away--stay far away.
The money and the body work should be handled by separate companies.
Don't let the insurance company's captive shops do the work. (That's
almost like the home repair guys who show up at your door offering to do
work for you. Just say no; if you need the work done, *you* find the
people you want.)

Again, that its your policy paying for your car puts you in a worse spot
than if someone else had rear-ended you and he was paying for it. You
may have to accept what you can get, pay the rest out of pocket, and
learn a big life lesson here.

What were you doing that you weren't paying attention to the car ahead
of you?