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VE SV6 Car accident (AAMI insured, comprehensive)

HellSoldier

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Bought the Black SV6 in Feb, deliver May 22nd 2010.

Saturday at around 7pm or so was going up to a round-about (Taylors Lakes Maccas main round-about). Left lane, melton hwy onto the caldar fwy, Learner in front of me (Driving a Mazda) couldn't decide on whether or not to stop or go as there was a van blocking her vision of oncoming traffic to her right.

Mazda hesitates 2 or 3 times before finally stopping. I slam on the breaks and avoid an accident by 2 foot or more. I'm sitting there thinking "GO. Come on, GO GO GO". Nothing. Then SLAM. Glasses fly off my head. Head hits the steering wheel (I'm 6" 4' so how this happened is beyond me considering how far I sit away from the wheel) and my iPhone goes flying from the center area (Opposite the hand break) onto the ground.

Am sitting there wondering wtf.. learner drive turns left and pulls up on the curb. I follow suite. So does the car that hit me apparently.

I just sat there for a good minute in my car, went jittery searching for my mobile after putting the car in park, turning it off and turning on the hazards.

Get out of the car and they both try talking to me, raised a finger and just moved towards the grass, sat down and just sat for a moment shaky as hell with a massive WTF headache. Finally start making phone calls to get a) a lift and b) someone to drive my car home.

Sat there a tad longer and the headache went away mostly. Get up and start exchanging the details, taking a few snaps here and there.

Turns out the car behind me (A celica driven by a woman) didn't break in time. The learner plate (Mazda) was crying a fair amount and apologising. First thing I tell the learner "Not your fault, you hesitated which is bad but you did the right thing in not going when you weren't sure of what was going around the round-about. It's better to know that it's safe then to assume it is like most drivers" on the other hand I was thinking "Anyone else would have just gone as it's normally safe". First thing the celica driver says: "My car!!".

....

My exhaust on the back left has been pushed in and away from the mounting bracket whilst the right is just pushed in. Rear grills are ####ed but I can open and close the boot. Only problem is the mounting bracket that holds on the rear bumper is bent in the middle. Oh and the parking sensors are a definite screwed.

Hood is semi-ok, just buckled and dented at the front. Along with the front bumper and number plate (Bent like a V through the middle heh).

Am seriously lucky the Celica is a low vehicle and that there was no on-coming traffic - else wise the learner would have had a seriously bad day.

Turns out the Mazda is ensured by RACV. The Celica driver isn't insured. At all. Her life is about to suck big time. The celica driver wasn't displaying their updated Rego sticker and the address on her license wasn't were she was living (Moved house apparently).

Called AAMI an hour later after trying to unwind, got told it was a 30 minute wait to speak to someone so it was suggested to call them back the next day.

Did so at around 3:30pm the next day, after waiting 15-20 minutes on hold. Gave them details of the accident, those involved and got told about the options;

a) AAMI take care of everything, Soonest someone can take a look at everything is end of March (WTF)
b) Supply two quotes and AAMI choose the best one
c) Get the Car towed to an Assessment center near airport west

Go with option C. Have been waiting since 3:30pm yesterday for a phone call organising the tow truck. Called today at 1pm as it's not that difficult to oranigse one, got told they'd call me back - that was another 30 minute phone call.

Seriously impatient, love the car but so far not thrilled with waiting 24 hours for a simple phone call. /Exercise extreme patience so I hear. Apparently according to some, my car won't be on the road for a few weeks at least.

I'd be driving it but the rear bumper is touching the wheels so it's not exactly safe.

Any thoughts on:
AAMI as an insurer
Damage to the SV6
Who was at fault
What would have happened if the cops were called
Is it safe to drive with the rear mud-flap hitting the wheel
 

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Nikk_90

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Im insured with AAMI and recently smashed my car (pictures in profile). Took 2 months for them to fix it and am still chasing stuff up with them after 4 months.
Celica is at fault for sure. Failing to stop.
Shouldve called the cops, usually if its over 2k in damage i think... correct me if im wrong.
Goodluck with AAMI
 

ashbox

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yeah depends which state but cops should've def been called...
as tinbum said, the celica is at fault, failure to stop and driving without due care..
haven't had an issue with aami, and if you need the car, take the rear bumper off...
I personally would get 2 quotes and then let aami decide on which one to go with

and ouch troy, just ouch
 

TinSnips

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Not sure if it's a similar set up with Vic Police, but here, there's a Police Assistance Hotline - where you can lodge the incident and they'll give you a job number. That way, at minimum, your side of events are on file. If there is the same set up there, lodge the call anyway - it's not too late to lodge it. It's generally considered a good idea to lodge the events whether your at fault or not, just so you have your side of events on record. They'll also determine if police need to attend the scene (not 100% on the circumstances required - but sounds like a neg driving charge on the celica's behalf). If any vehicle needs to be towed from the scene, police need to be involved.

As for AAMI, the missus and I are both with them. Luckily, I haven't had to claim yet (touch wood) but she had a p-plater reverse into the side of her car while it was parked on the side of the road. Yes the other driver was a knob for not seeing the car that was DIRECTLY BEHIND HIM... but full credit has to go to him, as he did leave his contact details with the car and freely admitted full responsibility. Like you, we took the car to the assessment centre - everything was sorted by AAMI - car was repaired and we picked the car back up from the assessing centre with a repairs approval cert from AAMI. All up, from memory, it took 2-3weeks from drop off to pick up. The damage wasn't hugely serious - but driver's door, rear quarter, drivers window had to be replaced (amongst a number of other things that I can't recall off the top of my head) - plus whilst being repaired, the aircon decided to die in the arse - and was replaced without question or issue in the same timeframe, before we picked the car up. Have to say we were both pretty happy with the way it was handled.

Like yours, not an at-fault accident, so may be handled differently to an at-fault issue - however, we're both pretty happy to stay with AAMI.
 

Troy711

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Honestly I think that getting quotes is a load of crap. Obviously it wasn't your fault so I dont see why you should have to drive a potentially unroadworthy car around just so AAMI can save a few bucks. What would happen if Repairer A quotes 12K while Repairer B quotes 8K because they missed the bent chassis rail? At least with NRMA you nominate your repairer and stick with them.
 

Troy711

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JEEPERS!!! Taping a car back together is never good.

It was only to keep the water out of the boot while it was waiting to be repaired. They way I see it is that it a V8 Supercar can win at Bathurst whilst covered in race tape then my car can drive around in the same guise.
 

TinSnips

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It was only to keep the water out of the boot while it was waiting to be repaired. They way I see it is that it a V8 Supercar can win at Bathurst whilst covered in race tape then my car can drive around in the same guise.

sorry mate.. didn't mean it wasn't a good idea to tape it up... Just that it sucks to have to do it. Had to tape the front end back on my sister's VT not that long ago.
 
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