by I.J.
(San Francisco, CA)
She Who Laughs Last... ...Gets TWO new bumpers!
Okay, so the insurance claim itself is not so funny but I did end up the last one laughing!
I was rear-ended on my way home from work. It was a pretty straightforward case of who was in the wrong.
The other person's insurance company agreed to foot the bill for a new rear bumper for my car... and pay for a rental while it was in the body shop! Sweet...
I took my car to the body shop of my choice and dropped it off. Ten days later they called to let me know that my car was ready for pick up.
I got there, picked up the keys then proceeded to the lot to inspect my new bumper.
Alas... my rear bumper was still damaged and looked like it hadn't been replaced. Well I marched right back into the office and asked why my car was not fixed.
After a lot of hullabaloo among the technicians, it turned out the good folks at the body shop automatically assumed that since I was in a rear-ending accident, I was automatically at fault (I guess I fit the profile of a reckless driver;) ) so they just went ahead and changed my "perfectly fine, almost brand new front bumper" without even inspecting the entire car.
Well, guess who got both a brand new front AND rear bumper at zero cost, (and a sweet luxury rental car) about three weeks after the accident...? Moi!
Neither the insurance company nor the auto body shop was laughing when it was all said and done but I sure was! :)
-IJ