Auto insurance company won’t pay me amount of quote Paul Ommen asked 9 months ago
Auto insurance company won’t pay me amount of quote

Hi,

My car was recently hit by someone (not my fault). I got an estimate for the body work from one of State Farm’s preferred vendors. The insurance company came back with their lower estimate (30% lower). The said their estimate is always low, and the place that does the work sends in supplemental estimates to get paid for the cost of the work that was over their lower estimate. I would like a check for the value of the original estimate, but the insurance company will only send me a check for their lower estimate. Also, I can’t submit a supplemental quote. They say only repair shops can. This seem illegal in Minnesota. Do I have to go through small claims court to get the remainder?

1 Answers
Al Stoll Al Stoll Expert answered 9 months ago
0 Vote Up Vote Down

Paul, this can be a difficult issue. If you can make the time, it can be helpful to get another estimate from a body shop you know and respect, and submit that to State Farm, with a nice written letter, asking for full payment. The main thing here is to 1. Cooperate with State Farm. 2. When you send them evidence of your claim, such as a new estimate, make sure that is in writing. Unfortunately you may be stuck with a two step process, the lower estimate, and then a supplemental when the shop gets in and sees what’s going on when they do the work. Best, Al