stupid altima drivers (or how one hit my car)

[CmdrVimes]

So, I've barely had my car a month now and I just made the first payment yesterday. So I guess that means something bad has to happen today (like those buddy cops movies where the guy dies 3 days before retirement).

Anyway, down to the story. I was backing out of a space in a really cramped parking lot today. I was fully out of the space and was getting ready to put in the car into first and leave when some guy who obviously wasn't looking starts backing out of a space across the isle from me. He doesn't see my car and proceeds to hit the passenger side of the rear bumper. It just so happens that he hit the bumper right where the metal ends under the fiberglass bumper. So the bumper has a nice near (probably about 2") right there with a bit of metal visible underneath. Can you guess how much damage there was to his car? Absolutely none. His bumper is a little dirtier, but that's all.

Needless to say I called up my insurance when I got back to work. When I did I found out he was on the other line talking with one of the women who work there. When I finally talked to her she advised me that if I thought he was at fault that I should call up his insurance company and file a claim with them. She also held off putting anything into their system just in case his insurance will pay off my claim, that way the big insurance company (I called my local guy) never knows that there was an accident so my rates won't go up. I called up his insurance company and gave them all my information and they told me I should be hearing from a claims adjuster by Monday.

Hopefully this gets taken car of without any ill effect on my insurance. I'm guessing the damage could probably be repaired and made to look like new. But frankly (given that I've had the car a little over a month) I want the fiberglass bumper replaced with brand new one. I mean, who knows what will happen over the life of my car with a repair. I don't want to have some hole reforming in a couple years because some joker at the insurance company didn't deem my damage was enough to warrant a complete replacement.

[indimini]

CmdrVimes, sorry to hear about the accident. If his insurance co. is a large, reputable company, they should be willing to pay for a full replacement part and not just fill the hole with some bondo.

When my Mini needed some work done, I took it to Manassas European Autobody. They were recommended by Mini of Sterling. They did excellent work. It is a bit out of the way from MD, but for piece of mind knowing the job will be done right, you may want to give them a call. PM/e-mail me if you want their address and phone number.

[CmdrVimes]

Okay, got a call from the other guy's insurance company, they're sending me a accident report form and asked if I had an estimate for repairs yet. To me that seems like they're probably going to pay my claim. I think the guy has a previous problem with accidents because when he went searching for his insurance info in his car he pulled out a bunch of faxes and such which made it look like he just recently switched insurance companies.

Anyway, if anyone knows any shops in the Baltimore/DC area that do body work I would appreciate them either posting something here on PMing me. I'm looking to replace the rear bumper (obviously color matched).