So I went grocery shopping on January 1, which was a fairly windy day in southwest Chicago suburbia. I come out to my car to find a lovely amount of damage to the driver's side front fender. My initial thought was another hit and run on my car (front bumper has gotten it twice). But, after looking closer, I find that it was a sailing shopping cart that cruised down the side of my car, leaving some scratches by the rear wheel. While I was standing there, another cart was heading straight for my front end, coming from the handicap parking spaces.

A letter from the corporate offices of the store came as expected that I would receive no help from them. Pity they don't have enough profit and hire useless cart retrieving employees. The one on duty tried telling me in broken english to find the manager, which I just did and tried explaining to him.

The real kicker came today when my car insurance company called to "remind" me that I don't have collision coverage. Since this was a mobile object, it's not comprehensive like a tree branch falling on my car. Awesome!!

So, I'm in the hunt for a used fender or other options. I had 2 estimates done last week, and I'm trying to save as much money as possible without having a crap job done.
Any suggestions?

Pics of the carnage:

 

If anyone is offering to send me a fender, I'll quietly mention my birthday was this past sunday and I'll accept your gift. Ahem.

 

Maybe you can save some money and open the fender liner and try to push it back out? I know it wouldn't be anywhere near as good as it was before but it'll save some $$. Also spray some clear coat so it won't rust the exposed metal.

 

Yo, it's gonna be snowing tough in the Chi soon here. You cannot let that rust brother. Get that ish fixed or at least rig it and cover it up with some spray or something. I definitely feel for you man. I always park back back back as far as I can no matter the weather conditions. And I take up two spots as well. That is about all you can do... it's sad how people don't give a s**t....

 

First suggestion: Find a new insurance company. That happened to me in the rear quarter panel a couple of years ago and it caved the whole panel in. It ended up being covered under my comprehensive insurance. It was covered the same way that vandalism would have been. Because my comprehensive deductible was lower than my collision one I saved some money. In your case it would make a huge difference.

 

holy crap thats a fast cart. i have never knew a cart could that much damage! carts dont hit me but prople who park 2" away from me and still try to get out of there car do.....

 

Yeah, I'm considering switching insurance companies. I had All-State before but went back to my old agent because I needed to save money. Well all that saved money is out the window now.
Ray- I'm dreading the Chicago winter coming. Snowpocalypse was no joke last year. But I always park far away in the back forty. I guess that translates into further distance this cart had to pick up speed.
Anyway, I'm getting this fixed somehow. I'm driving this car until it falls apart.

 

It's not hard to remove that panel, take it to a collision place and have them fix/paint it.

 

the shopping center is liable for the damages. if it is caught on tape you can fight to get it repaired on their dime.

 

call your insurance company back and tell them that someone PUSHED the cart into your car. AKA vandalism. They can't not cover something like that and if you fight enough they will cover it. That is as comprehensive as it gets. If they want to call it a moving vehicle or object that would be an unisured vehicle. ALSO covered.

Fight them back.

 

9/10 Shopping centers have signs in the parking lot saying they aren't responsible for things like this. The signs don't stand out so you have to look for them.


And if there are camera's then you get busted for insurance fraud, yay!

 

Yep cameras and the store takes no responsibility.
I've already tried the thought of these angles but I'm not going to change my story after a claim has been filed.

 

unfortunatley for the companies and they are supposed to maintain the parking lot. so they are liable those signs are just to discourage ppl from claiming against them. i know a few people that have gotten their cars repaired. what was the shopping center?

 

Shopping centers do have people to get their carts, but its unreasonable to expect them to sit out there and gather every cart each time the user is done with it. Generally at grocery stores it is the responsibility of the Bagger, at places like walmart they have a semi-dedicated crew. Either way, the signs being posted are there, and the center is not held responsible. Why? Because the user is supposed to put them in a dedicated spot, and if they don't then it's the users fault, and unless you can catch them without a doubt, it's useless. There really is no need fighting it.

Take the fender off, it's not hard. You can likely pound that out to be less noticable, I'd get some cheap spray on clear coat in the mean time since snow is expected.

 

I wasn't saying to comit insurance fraud. What I am saying is that if they don't want to cover it under vandalism/act of god (wind being the act pushing the cart) then they are calling a mobile "vehicle" which is covered under uninsured "vehicle" so either way it SHOULD and would be covered depending on how much you fight it. I got my 07 GSXR 1000 covered when I didn't even have comprehensive, Liability only. Because it was pushed over in the middle of the night. I called and told them it was knocked over... They in turn told me that I didn't have coverage for vandalism so I hung up. BUT luckily I did get a police report. THEN I found out from a good friend and insurance adjuster that unisured motorist is a 0 deductible coverage that you are required to have by law so it's always factored in to your price.

This covers you when someone hits and runs or hits you and doesn't have insurance. Then the insurance company goes after that individual to pay THEM back instead of you having to deal with a busted car till you can take them to court and own their ___.

SO they either get it to play one way or the other. They don't get to call a moving vehicle not an unisured vehicle and also say that the wind pushing something is not an act of god. It has to go one way or the other. There is no grey area in insurance writing. Speak to an isurance adjuster or claims rep that IS NOT your own and they will tell you.

To get that fixed "the right way" you are at least looking at a grand if you fix all the other scratches going down the side of your car and blend the fender to the bumper and hood so you can't tell the damage was ever there.

This is not insurance fraud and insurance company's play dirty. They KNEW for sure my bike was covered when I called the first time and denied my claim. That was till two days later when I called and told them I talked to some people including my lawyer and that the bike can't be proven that it wasn't hit by a car and knocked over so unless they can prove otherwise we are going to consider that it was. Therefore I got a check for 2300 the same week and got the bike fixed.

I am a hard ___ when it comes to my cars and motorcycles. I take great pride in the way they look and if something like this were to happen to me ( I only have comprehensive as well) you better believe I would take it all the way to court till they paid and then they would pay for my missed work and court fee's.

You WOULD win.

Just depends how much you care and if you want to deal with that.

 

Good info. I won't let this go away, and I feel like I'm being pushed aside. I am going to fight this.

 

I think you are confused. There is specific coverage called "uninsured coverage" that you can elect to have or not. You do pay for this coverage.

 

you could check ebay there are some people that part out cars on there or search for the part yourself and paint it yourself its not too hard to do. I've done it on two of my past cars.

 

2 second search

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5380221120-L...ht_2655wt_1139

 

thanks. but the 10-14 day delivery might not work for my 23rd body shop appointment. i asked them to look for a used fender and they did say i can bump my appointment back. i'll have to call tomorrow to see if they sourced a fender, especially for a better price than that.