Minor Accident, car might get written off [manitoba],

CaptSmethwick wrote: ↑ The options are:

First, negotiate the highest possible settlement from the insurance company and put the settlement money towards another vehicle. Your relative will still be out of pocket but (maybe) into something newer.

Second, negotiate the highest possible settlement from the insurance company, buy the vehicle from the insurance company at its salvage value, and pay for the repairs. The downside of this is that the vehicle will likely be branded and its resale value will be awful. Plus, the insurance company will likely not offer collision coverage going forward. Still, your relative could get (say) $5,000 for the vehicle, buy it back for $1,500 and then spend $6,000 on repairs - so, down $2500 BUT the value of the car will probably be cut in half.

Third, don't go through insurance, fork out the $6k and get a lawyer to send a letter to the other driver asking for compensation. Good luck with that route. All we know is that your relative will be out of pocket $6k with this option.

BengaliPrince wrote: ↑ Hi there.

Last June, I helped my relative (international student) purchase his first car in Ontario, and he had it transferred over to Manitoba as he moved there.

It's a 2005 Lexus ES he bought for $4500 in great condition.

Last week he got into a minor accident with someone (relative is deemed 100% not at fault).
He got a photo of the other persons drivers license and car registration.

The guy decides to block and ghost my relative.

In Manitoba, they only have one insurance called "Manitoba Public Insurance", the shop the insurance referred my relative to said it will be 6K (pic attached) and that insurance will likely write off the car.

This kind of repair in Toronto would be maybe $1500-2K.

Is it possible to "cancel" the insurance claim and just repair it privately? He does not want to write off the car as it's hard to find a mechanically excellent condition car for under 5K as his budget is tight.

He'd rather pay $1500 to get it repaired himself.

Attached are pics

blexann wrote: ↑ No idea what the rules are in Manitoba but where did you get the Toronto price from? It will be significantly more than what you quoted.

kkkat wrote: ↑ I believe you have the option to buy it back after it’s written off. Check with MPI.

CaptSmethwick wrote: ↑
Third, don't go through insurance, fork out the $6k and get a lawyer to send a letter to the other driver asking for compensation. Good luck with that route. All we know is that your relative will be out of pocket $6k with this option.

warpdwhim wrote: ↑ Just don't go through with the claim. Don't bother to repair that damage. Drive it as is. There is no "cancelling" the claim/estimate as far as I know. Just because there's a claim made doesn't mean you have to go through with it. Have him call his adjuster at MPI and they will guide him to what needs or can be be done. They can also tell him what $$ they'd give him IF they write it off. He may be surprised at the value if it is in as nice condition as you say.

If he goes through having it repaired on his own so be it. There's no way he'll get a proper/quality repair done on that for $1500. Buy a can of spray paint and cover up the exposed metal. From the pictures I'd say that whole quarter panel needs replacement and that's why the estimate is that high. There's even cracks in the paint ahead of the fuel door. That's not a "minor" hit.

Also - MPI will NOT refer anyone to a specific bodyshop. There are many bodyshops that will do the estimates for MPI but they will not send anyone directly to one or another shop.

coolintheshade wrote: ↑ +1 no way 2k repair.

coolintheshade wrote: ↑ This is not an option at all.
The person at fault, his only obligation is to report the accident to MPI.
If the OP's relative decides not to go through insurance, he can't just go ahead and sue the other person, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
Maybe you can do that in Ontario or other provinces, but not here.

M1K3Z0R wrote: ↑ Yep. Crazy how fast costs add up, quite a bit more involved than just banging a panel back into shape and spraying it. I hit a deer that banged up the corner of my car (hood, light bent down, bumper cracked, no airbags and was still driveable). Didn't seem like much but it was $10K after all was said and done, labour and painting/blending made up the bulk of the cost.