- Yeah, insurance companies are sticklers for paperwork.
- I’ve had to file a police report for a hit-and-run before, and honestly, it felt like a hassle at the time, but it saved me later when the adjuster started asking for “proof.”
- Even if it seems like overkill, it’s way easier to have the report than try to explain things after the fact.
- One thing I learned: sometimes the cops don’t even come out for minor stuff, but you can usually file online or at the station.
- I get why it feels pointless, but if you skip it, insurance might just deny the claim or drag it out forever.
- Not fun, but I’d rather spend an hour now than get stuck with a bill for someone else’s mess.
- Also, take photos of everything—damage, surroundings, even any weird debris. Never hurts to have too much documentation.
- Totally agree on the photos—last time my bumper got crunched, I snapped pics of the random paint chips and even a weird shoe left behind. Insurance didn’t care about the shoe, but hey, you never know.
- Ever had an adjuster try to say the damage “doesn’t look that bad” from your pics? I swear, they must have x-ray vision or something...
Yeah, the whole “doesn’t look that bad” thing drives people nuts. Adjusters are trained to spot what’s real damage and what’s just cosmetic, but sometimes photos don’t tell the whole story. Lighting, angles, even your phone camera can make a dent look like a scratch or vice versa. I always tell folks—take pics from a few different angles, and get close-ups plus wide shots. And if there’s something weird, like that shoe, toss it in for good measure. You never know what’ll end up being relevant.
One thing I’ve seen is people forget to snap the surrounding area, which can help show how the car was parked or if there’s debris around. That can matter, especially if you’re trying to prove it wasn’t your fault. Not saying adjusters have x-ray vision, but they do have a knack for missing the obvious sometimes... or maybe they just want to keep things “efficient.” Either way, more info is always better than less.
Not saying adjusters have x-ray vision, but they do have a knack for missing the obvious sometimes... or maybe they just want to keep things “efficient.”
Efficiency, or selective blindness? Had my S-Class tapped in a parking lot once—looked like a smudge in photos, but up close, it was a $2k “smudge.” I swear, adjusters must think we all drive tanks. I always do the “crime scene” photo sweep: wide shots, close-ups, even a shoe for scale (size 12s are handy). And yeah, get the curb, debris, and any weird skid marks. You never know what’ll help your case.
I always do the “crime scene” photo sweep: wide shots, close-ups, even a shoe for scale (size 12s are handy).
Haha, I thought I was the only one using random objects for scale. Once used my coffee mug—adjuster still called it “minor.” My rule: if you can see it without squinting, it’s not minor.