Well, my 2005 XJ8L may be gone. Yesterday, in bumper to bumper traffic, a lady came out from between 4 stopped cars and T-boned my car. I had less than 1 second to see the car that hit me, so all I got was female, mid size silver car. By the time I stopped, she had fled.

I get that...a lot of people have outstanding warrants or no insurance, etc.

What I don't get is, since most of the traffic was dead stopped and more than 20 other cars witnessed the hit and run, not a single driver stopped to offer assistance or an offer to help ID the runaway.

Anyway, pretty bummed. Not only did I witness a new low for human nature, I may be losing my Jag that I've had since 2005. With only 80k miles and garage kept, it is absolutely immaculate...but the book says what the book says. Waiting to hear the insurance decision...

 

Very sorry to hear about the situation. It truly is unfortunate what has come of society, both for the hit and run driver and witnesses. You are more likely to see a video of your accident on a compilation of bad drivers online than to actually have someone come help you.


And to this point I can relate. I hope they give you a decent deal.

Otherwise, glad you are here today to tell the tale. I hope you did not get too banged up.

 

+1 on EdBwoy's comments.

I have been lucky so far with only near misses unlike my wife in my truck and other cars during the last few years.

I have two video recorders in my XJR that are on all the time even when parked somewhere other than my house.

Two lenses rearward looking and one forward looking.

 

Sorry also for you, cjd.
Sad and bittering.
I hope at least that the insurance offers you a good deal

 

Thanks guys. I like Jack's idea about the cameras. I had considered adding dash cams (although this accident was from the side), but I think I'll get serious about adding them after this. The new 360 degree cameras are coming down in price.

 

Something happens to a lot people, even basically good people, when they get into a car. It's like they're insulated from the outside world. They treat others badly while driving, ignore those that need help. Very strange. I don't have comp and collision on either xj8 I own. Just too expensive so I'm taking a risk 24/7, even when parked (fingers crossed). I do have un-insured motorist coverage but I'd need to know who the other guy was.

Anyway, I hope things work out well for you in the end.

 

Same here with the insurance. I dropped the collision, so am not covered if it is my fault in an accident. I was not sure if this would be covered under my un-insured/under insured. Fortunately it is, even though I have no idea who hit me...and couldn't ID the lady if someone showed her to me!?!

I have learned the hard way that you can cut other covereages, but the 3 you should never cut are Personal Injury Protection, Un-insured Motorist, and Under-Insured Motorist. Those are the coverages that cover YOU. In a world of self centered, irresponsible people, it is important to cover yourself. Even if you are hit by an insured motorist, but only insured to the minimum liability, they will not have enough insurance to cover all your loss if there is an injury. I have PIP/UIM jacked to the max for all my cars.

 

Well, the final estimate is $11,200. $7600 is for the body, including the rear door, quarter, rocker and fender. The remainder is the buckled suspension and rear sub-frame. The value is listed as $7600-$8200, so I am afraid the old girl is going ot the bone yard.

Now I am curious what USAA will use for a residual value on her. I don't think you could find used parts in better shape than this car has. Somebody will get her back on the road, I am sure. But normally they set the residual way to high to buy it back outright. It has to go through auction.

 

I agree with the above...unfortunately nowadays with the ability to make a quick getaway in overpowered horses and have the anonymity by blending in with other look-a-like "jelly bean" cars in overpopulated areas, it makes hit and runs very easy to do and hard to catch.

Yes, uninsured/underinsured is worth it. Recently we had a minor hit and run on our x350. The payout paid for a years worth of insurance premium (after the deductible) and I was able to correct the paint to close to what it was before, at home. I've always called it my "hit and run" insurance.

Sorry to hear about your car, but glad you are okay. You can always replace it with another Jaguar beauty.

 

Just a follow up. It ought to be titled "modern business". I have been with USAA insurance for 40 years. They were once wonderful. You felt like you were family. We dropped them for our home insurance 15 years ago because they went through a change. We had a claim where I had to go as far as hiring an engineer to get paid what they owed us. We kept the auto insurance because it was cheap. (note WAS!)

I learned my Jag would likely be totaled from my body shop 4 weeks ago. My shop man told me the USAA rep was the final authority, though. I started calling him, but the way USAA communicates now is through this internal com center. They email that you have a message, and then have to dig it out of the com center. The problem is they have "enhanced security", so you can't even get in the com center, let alone read any messages. Every phone call goes through the security too, which normally takes 30 minutes, only to be told "that person has no voice mail, good bye!". I had told them on day one I wanted all communications in hard copy. They have yet to mail a single release form...or anything.

After 4 weeks my body man started charging USAA storage fees on the car he will never get to work on...low and behold USAA FINALLY started calling me. They wanted a verbal release to move the car to the auction house. 8 calls. 8 different insurance reps. I cleanly told them all GTH until we come up with a value on the car, that I had not even been told officially that the car had even been totaled! It is my car...tow it to MY house if you don't want to pay storage.

After that they finally sent a copy of the valuation. "It's non-negotiable!" The trouble is they missed half the options on the car and used the lowest comparables I've ever seen. In 15 minutes on search tempest I fired back 15 comparables that were an average of $4k higher than their's.

And now, 5 days later...still nothing.

I write this to demonstrate what has happened to corporate America. The best companies in the world are all turning to the same, "gimme your money direct draft and don't bother me about service". It's a real shame.

In the end, I will legally kick their asses. I always do. But I am done with USAA, and recommend anyone who still has them be wary. Our home has been with Farmers for 15 years. Friday I filed a claim for damage to my wife's wedding ring with Farmers. I filed at 8AM...the money was in our account direct deposit by 3pm. So there ARE still good companies, but they are becoming fewer!

edit. Oh, the salvage value on the car is only $900. My best friend wants it to rebuild. $900 is really a joke, as the OEM wheels and new michelins will bring almost that on Craig's list. Everything on the car is flawless before the accident. So, she'll be back on the road!!