Insurance Company is killing me!
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Newbie
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 3
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ML550
Insurance Company is killing me!
I have a 2007 ML500 that came new with the AMG appearance package which includes the ML63 front bumper cover, ML63 bumper cover support frame ML63, ML63 Grille and all the extra air grilles, stainless bumper trim guards, ML63 Fog lights, etc.
My wife rear ended car on icy roads about 8 weeks ago and cracked the bumper cover and messed up the main grille, air grilles and other trim pieces. There wasn't any structural damage other than the bumper and bumper related items. The insurance company wrote the estimate with all Non AMG parts and refused to pay for the higher dollar AMG package parts which amounted to double their estimate. Meanwhile my vehicle was sitting at the body shop, as I refused to accept the non AMG estimate and the body shop wanted it dealt with so I purchased on my own, a hard to find, used AMG ML63 cover, a ML63 cover frame support and a new ML63 Grille. The body shop did a great job on the repairs.
I then threatened the insurance company and they finally agreed to pay for all parts (After I had paid out of my pocket for the repairs), but only if I submitted actual MB receipts for the parts. They would not reimburse me for the parts I had already purchased. They knew I had the vehicle repaired by then. They forced me to buy additional new MB parts with their claim settlement.
What a total mess. Getting new insurance quotes as we speak. My wife and I had been with this company for fifteen years and never had a vehicle claim.
According to the local MB dealer my ML550 had the code for the AMG appearance package. The insurance company originally claimed it didn't...
Anybody else have to go through this?
John
My wife rear ended car on icy roads about 8 weeks ago and cracked the bumper cover and messed up the main grille, air grilles and other trim pieces. There wasn't any structural damage other than the bumper and bumper related items. The insurance company wrote the estimate with all Non AMG parts and refused to pay for the higher dollar AMG package parts which amounted to double their estimate. Meanwhile my vehicle was sitting at the body shop, as I refused to accept the non AMG estimate and the body shop wanted it dealt with so I purchased on my own, a hard to find, used AMG ML63 cover, a ML63 cover frame support and a new ML63 Grille. The body shop did a great job on the repairs.
I then threatened the insurance company and they finally agreed to pay for all parts (After I had paid out of my pocket for the repairs), but only if I submitted actual MB receipts for the parts. They would not reimburse me for the parts I had already purchased. They knew I had the vehicle repaired by then. They forced me to buy additional new MB parts with their claim settlement.
What a total mess. Getting new insurance quotes as we speak. My wife and I had been with this company for fifteen years and never had a vehicle claim.
According to the local MB dealer my ML550 had the code for the AMG appearance package. The insurance company originally claimed it didn't...
Anybody else have to go through this?
John
Last edited by ml775; Mar 3, 2015 at 11:22 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 309
Likes: 6
From: Central Pennsylvania
1994 S420 RIP (2/8/13), 06 CLS55, 02 ML55, 94 TT Supra, 89 Maserati 228, 911 Porsche Carerra
Hey there is only one thing worse than paying high premiums and that's getting screwed when you make a claim. Would suggest you file a complaint with the state insurance commissioner as those boys don't play around and no company wants to pay fines or lose the privilege to sell coverage in your state. THEN I'd get another carrier because you got screwed especially after 15 years of paying them for the privilege of not filing a claim!
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 446
Likes: 2
From: Culver City, California
1999 C43 AMG
If your car has the AMG package code 772/774, if you want you can send me your vin so i can pdf a copy of the Mercedes-Benz datacard and email it back to you. Did your Bumper have washer lamps/park sensors?
Insurance adjusters are not doing their jobs. They have to by law check your property and justifiably asess the damages. If does not matter what your car has or does have. If it is on the car, its your property and you deserve to have everything back like it was before the accident. Don't know which insurance is involved but once you accept their check, they will not want to pay you back. If the body shop knowingly knows that your car has the AMG package, their job is to repair it back to how it was before. No one shop can decide to put a Base model bumper if your car did not come with it. Unless you authorize in signature that you are ok with any other bumper installed other than the one the car came with.
Sorry about your car. Hope everything works out. Dont know if your state has a Bureau of Automotive Repair. You want to involve them in cases like these.
Insurance adjusters are not doing their jobs. They have to by law check your property and justifiably asess the damages. If does not matter what your car has or does have. If it is on the car, its your property and you deserve to have everything back like it was before the accident. Don't know which insurance is involved but once you accept their check, they will not want to pay you back. If the body shop knowingly knows that your car has the AMG package, their job is to repair it back to how it was before. No one shop can decide to put a Base model bumper if your car did not come with it. Unless you authorize in signature that you are ok with any other bumper installed other than the one the car came with.
Sorry about your car. Hope everything works out. Dont know if your state has a Bureau of Automotive Repair. You want to involve them in cases like these.
Last edited by Tony_AMG; Mar 21, 2015 at 11:02 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,364
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
SLS AMG | S65 AMG | GL550
I had a similar issue with my wife's Porsche. It's a Cayenne Turbo S - limited model. An idiot crossed a double yellow and three lanes in front of me and I T-Boned her. 100% her fault. Progressive, my insurance company, wrote the estimate up much lower with standard Cayenne Parts (non-HID lights, etc). I rose hell and they changed it. A front collision they changed one headlight and not the other. I refused pickup and they did not budge. I ended buying the light ($1,250) myself. I pay progressive ~$950/mo AND they were going to claim against the lady that caused the accident so it would not have cost them a penny. I should look for other insurance, but I'm lazy I guess.
Erik
Erik
