QuestionMy car was rear ended and was at the mechanics for 3 months waiting for the other party's insurance company to establish liability. After they assumed liablility and paid for the repairs they refused to pay the $1200 for storage fees the garage charged me for the 3 months the car sat there. The insurance co. said the car was repaired there so I should not have been charged storage fees. Is this correct?
AnswerIF your car was rear-ender (in the traditional sense) WHY did it take the other party's company three months to accept liability? I sense that I do not have all the pieces.... please expand and clarify.
Why was your car at the mechanics for three months? Was the vehicle safely driveable?
Even though you may have a legit claim you still have a duty/responsibility to mitigate your damages and that includes the storage fees, etc... In retro-spect could you have moved/stored the car elsewhere? Could you have affected repairs out of your own pocket and gone after the other company in an effort to recover the spent money?
The insurance company is correct in that most repair facilities will not charge for storage if they do the repairs but three months is asking any shop a lot and the insurance company should know that.
Don't permit the company to "wash their hands" re the storage charges as arguable it was their dilatory handling that precipitated those very charges.
If you can't work out a deal/understanding with the body shop and the company that is acceptable to all parties I would give serious considertion to filing a formal complaint with your state's Dept of Insurance... I would let the company know that you are "considering" this option as it may well loosen up the old purse strings.
Hope and trust that the above answers your question(s).
Feel free to get back to me with any additional questions/issues relative to this matter.
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Thanks
