Parking lot damage

jhasafety1 · Feb 15, 2015

They put the signs up to discourage you from reporting. If the store manager doesn't take it seriously let your insurance file the claim.

riptides · Mar 13, 2015

Here is an update:

I sent a letter to the big box store explaining what happened to the car in their parking lot. I recommended they put strips up in the cart collection area so this does not happen again. I did not ask for restitution, nor did I call out the store manager. No response.

We visited our insurance claims adjuster. They basically told me the car has hardly any value and to seek out body shops for repairs. They also said that if the repairs are over a certain "hardly any value" they will mark the car as "totaled" and send a check. I ask what they would do with it, and they said if they reclaim it, they would sell it at auction. I found that odd and will ask my agent about this process of "totaling" a car.

I am screwed I think. I had side damage on a small truck not that long ago that spanned the door and bed and it was over 3k. This damage to the car, spans the length of the car. The car was like new condition. I had one rock ding on the hood. I guess normal wear and tear finally caught up to it in one night.

MoKelly · Mar 13, 2015

Sorry. To get anything from the store, you will need to prove they acted negligently. Hard to do without video proof or an eye witness.

Signs that say "we are not responsible" don't mean a thing if you act negligently. You cannot eliminate your legal obligations by posting a sign.

MoKelly

MikePA · Mar 13, 2015

riptides said:
They basically told me the car has hardly any value and to seek out body shops for repairs. They also said that if the repairs are over a certain "hardly any value" they will mark the car as "totaled" and send a check. I ask what they would do with it, and they said if they reclaim it, they would sell it at auction. I found that odd and will ask my agent about this process of "totaling" a car.

Sadly, it's not odd at all. The insurance company multiplies the current book value of the car by a certain percentage (75%?) and if the repair costs are more, the car is totaled.

Scooby074 · Mar 13, 2015

dave1949 said:
This is why the coin release shopping cart system is good. You have to put money in to release an empty cart from the string, and you get it back when you return it. It's an unattended system that works well. In Germany they used a one Deutsche Mark coin, that was before the Euro conversion.

The airport here installed a baggage cart system from a company called Expresso. They are very nice rollers, made out of aluminum! And they have brakes! Of course they are German. No doubt they were pricey but they do exude quality. A braking system such as this would eliminate many of the parking lot cart collisions, the question is would the box stores pay for it? I think we know the answer.

No coin system either (which is a surprise, because the company makes them in a coin op version), but they do have a guy on a powered cart cruising all over picking up the abandoned ones.

Main features - VariCart | EXPRESSO

kenmac · Mar 17, 2015

MikePA said:
Sadly, it's not odd at all. The insurance company multiplies the current book value of the car by a certain percentage (75%?) and if the repair costs are more, the car is totaled.

This is why after my vehicles become of a certain age.. I only obtain liability coverage on that vehicle

Danno1 · Mar 21, 2015

MikePA said:
Sadly, it's not odd at all. The insurance company multiplies the current book value of the car by a certain percentage (75%?) and if the repair costs are more, the car is totaled.

I'm pretty sure I've heard it's closer to 50-60%. But that might vary with the age of the vehicle. Mine are usually older than most!

.

riptides · Mar 21, 2015

Danno1 said:
I'm pretty sure I've heard it's closer to 50-60%. But that might vary with the age of the vehicle. Mine are usually older than most!

This one was a 12 year old car, insurance said 75 percent. Too bad, it was pristine.

KubotainNH · Mar 21, 2015

Not uncommon and sometimes you can keep the car for short money. Here in NH there's no title needed after a certain age. My SIL's Camry was hit, they cut her a check and said she could have the car if they deducted what a junk yard would pay them. The car had just been fixed up, new tires etc so I fixed the body and it's still being driven. No title needed so not even totaled per the books.