A sweet little 84-year old tore the heck out of her car this evening, dragging it along the corner of my parked truck.

We had a nice talk, called the local PD (whose building is not even 200 yards from the scene), and did the customary form-filling and information exchange.

I noticed on the form that the damage estimate on her car was $1300, and $900 for mine. I don't think there's any way her car can be fixed for that, and I'm pretty sure mine won't be either. Heck, a PDR (paintless dent repair) job cost me $400 recently, just to remove a small dent. No stinkin' way will $900 replace a fender and a headlight.

So now I'm wondering... how do officers derive these numbers? And do these numbers really even matter?

Just spitballing here. Damage over X amount is supposed to be reported to the DMV as an accident. Maybe this is considered the threshold. Actual damages are calculated by your respective insurance companies.

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Actual damages are calculated by your respective insurance companies.

And it's usually more than that after the body shop finishes their work.

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how do officers derive these numbers? And do these numbers really even matter?

Doesn’t matter what the cops estimate. For the purpose of who pays what, the insurance companies make the determination.

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how do officers derive these numbers? And do these numbers really even matter?

I pull them out of my ass (although our form has ranges, not a specific amount, so we just have to hit in the ballpark), and no, they don't matter. I'm not an insurance adjuster, and you're going to have to get estimates and run them through your insurance anyway.

Crash reports (particularly for minor fender benders, and especially the ones on private property)are basically a big grift by the insurance companies... they're using public resources to do their job for them. IMO unless there's a criminal or public safety element to the crash, LE shouldn't be involved at all.

I have not any idea in your State, but in mine, police reports are so terrible they are not even admisable as evidence should the whole thing get to court...

Yeah, that’s not something we do here.

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Originally posted by 92fstech:
they're using public resources to do their job for them. IMO unless there's a criminal or public safety element to the crash, LE shouldn't be involved at all.

If I had my way, cops would not work collisions except in rare occasions.

Nobody is ever satisfied with the report.

Generally cops are useless when in comes to anything to do with fender benders. They won't say who is at fault when it is obvious. Just plain useless. They do not want to be involved at all. They are too busy fighting crime, cough, cough. I mean writing tickets for minor violations in their speed trap zones.

I’m surprised you even got police to come out to a minor fender bender in a parking lot. I got hit by a guy in a work van in a Home Depot parking lot a few years ago; called my insurance agent from the scene and he said if I wanted to call local PD I could but they probably wouldn’t even waste the energy, and since it was non injury and not on a public road they really don’t have much authority anyway. Insurance took care of everything, and PSA make sure you have/get a dash cam. Mine got me zero at fault after my ins subrogated with Allstate who was trying to screw me even after their driver admitted fault on the record.

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Originally posted by jljones:
If I had my way, cops would not work collisions except in rare occasions.

I'm not at all trying to be argumentative here:

Under your way, how would people solve the he-said/she-said issue in a parking lot crash situation like this, with respect to establishing fault?
(In my case, it's easy -- the lady admitted she had done it.)

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Originally posted by egregore:
Just spitballing here. Damage over X amount is supposed to be reported to the DMV as an accident. Maybe this is considered the threshold.

That makes sense. There's some text at the top of the form about "Non-reportable" something or other.

Half-funny thing: I just had this vehicle in the body shop this week to have a deer dent removed. I texted my neighbor (the shop manager). He said, "you're not the only one to pick up one day and bring back a day or two later."

Allstate

Trying to screw you?

Say it ain’t so

Hers is with Progressive. I don't know if {how much?} they'll try to screw me yet -- this just happened about four hours ago.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
If I had my way, cops would not work collisions except in rare occasions.

I'm not at all trying to be argumentative here:

Under your way, how would people solve the he-said/she-said issue in a parking lot crash situation like this, with respect to establishing fault?
"

“My way”

You get the fact that many states, to include KENTUCKY, the police do not assign fault in the he said/she said “situations”? Or any other situation. They show up, write down the statements of both parties and leave. The situation you describe is not even reportable. There’s a form on the state police’s website if you just have to have a report.

It’s not exactly Hogwarts.

“My Way” is reallocating cops to do police work, and not insurance agent’s bidding.

No, sir, I did not know that. Because this is the first time I've had to deal with such a thing.

Have you also noticed that there will be multiple different first responders that show up to injury collisions? There’s one place in our west sector that three different fire stations will send trucks screaming to the scene. Why? They get $750 per run that they bill to the insurance companies. Generally one cop, an ambulance, and six fire trucks. With 15 fire fighters standing around for a complaint of hand pain.

Because they profit off of it. Yet, the police do the work and receive no reembuersement for the resources tied up to do the insurance companies work.

when my Mini Cooper S was totaled, I did not get a report, just an order from the State Trooper to go get checked out,


called my insurance, let them know, got called by the drivers (guy that rear ended me, thinking he got a ticket but not sure) Insurance, and got dicked around,
so lawyered up and while they would not give me what I wanted for my car, the ''pain and suffering'' paid for the rest, my medical, and then some,

which is exactly where the insurance guy told me to go, he said '' get help (cash) from the other side''

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Originally posted by jljones:
With 15 fire fighters standing around for a complaint of hand pain.

Wait, then who's guarding the pot of chili back at the fire house???

I have no idea how an officer would estimate damages on a vehicle. I know a few guys who work in body shops and the numbers from estimators on simple repairs are usually enough to total a new vehicle.

Example, a neighbor got rear ended by a DUI driver in June, car was purchased in May. I sent my friend pictures and he said it was easily fixable. Insurance totaled the vehicle.

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Originally posted by MikeGLI:

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
With 15 fire fighters standing around for a complaint of hand pain.

Wait, then who's guarding the pot of chili back at the fire house???

Spaghetti. It was spaghetti.