[rastaman777]

My car is friggin brand new, with only 3000 miles on it.
Insurance company wants to use some aftermarket parts !
Not small parts either....front hood, air conditioner condenser just to name a couple.

Tried arguing with the adjuster to no avail. I have to pay the difference out of pocket for OEM.

Any suggestions?
Anyone know of insurance companies that do provide OEM? I would even pay extra with my premium to be guaranteed OEM.

[CIWS]

Originally Posted by rastaman777

My car is friggin brand new, with only 3000 miles on it.
Insurance company wants to use some aftermarket parts !
Not small parts either....front hood, air conditioner condenser just to name a couple.

Tried arguing with the adjuster to no avail. I have to pay the difference out of pocket for OEM.

Any suggestions?
Anyone know of insurance companies that do provide OEM? I would even pay extra with my premium to be guaranteed OEM.

BMW offers it through Liberty Mutual.

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...Insurance.aspx

[tboooe]

I have Liberty Mutual car insurance. Do I automatically get BMW Performance insurance or is this on top of my insurance or does it replace it?

[NightWriter]

Who's your insurance company? Every one I've ever had allows you to choose your mechanic. If that's a BMW dealer/approved body shop, they only deal with OEM parts.

[ft1330]

Originally Posted by rastaman777

My car is friggin brand new, with only 3000 miles on it.
Insurance company wants to use some aftermarket parts !
Not small parts either....front hood, air conditioner condenser just to name a couple.

Tried arguing with the adjuster to no avail. I have to pay the difference out of pocket for OEM.

Any suggestions?
Anyone know of insurance companies that do provide OEM? I would even pay extra with my premium to be guaranteed OEM.

I'm guessing you have GEICO? Cool ads, lame coverage.

[chiefneil]

Take your car to a BMW CCRC and let them fight the insurance company for you.

[Mamyf30]

Got in an accident in 2006 and needed front bumper replacement and painting.

Geico notified me of BMW dealer and BMW approved body shops to get the work done.

[bad karma]

Read the fine print of your policy and your state law, but in most cases YOU are allowed to choose the body shop that will do the repairs, you do NOT have to use whomever your insurance company recommends. I have Progressive, and have had three or four claims with them on my BMWs. Each time I take it to my body shop (the only certified BMW repair center in Oregon) and let them deal with the insurance company. Never had an issue getting OEM parts or getting the claim paid in full.

[BavarianFanatic]

Ask them how they'll maintain the factory warranty if they use non-oem parts. Review your policy to see if this is addressed. It wouldn't be the first time an adjuster tried pulling one over on an unsophisticated customer. I have and absolutely love Amica. Been with them over 30 years. Never any drama.

[Thumper333]

Originally Posted by NightWriter

Who's your insurance company? Every one I've ever had allows you to choose your mechanic. If that's a BMW dealer/approved body shop, they only deal with OEM parts.

I worked in the insurance field for well over a decade, I currently work in the Auto Body repair field and obviously deal with insurance companies, all of them, regularly.

It still amazes me how little everyone knows about how their insurance policy works and they pay so much money for it. Insurance is a contract containing a promise to fulfill certain obligations, certain SPECIFIC obligations, in the event of a triggering condition. If you do not know what it covers, how it covers it, and what it DOESN'T cover........well, seems like those would be things I would know. People really should start reading their policies and becoming familiar with what you bought.

Most if not all states allow you to pick who repairs your car, that has nothing to do with what parts are used. The body shop will do whatever you want and use whatever parts you want to repair the car with, it's your car, you are finally decider for how it is repaired. However, the insurance policy you bought will only issue payment for items and conditions it specifically covers. If it has a clause to allow the use of Like Kind and Quality(used) parts, re-manufactured OEM or new non-OEM parts then that is what YOU agreed to and that is what they will pay for. If you decide you want only new OEM then yes, you have to pay the difference because the contract you signed specifically states they don't pay for that. Just like you pick and choose your deductible that you agree to pay in the event of a loss.

There are insurance companies out there that state by default that they will not use anything but new OEM parts on a car with less than X miles (usually 15k) and/or the current model year (currently that would be 2015 and 2016 models). There are also many insurance companies that offer, at an added cost, an endorsement to update the contract so that they will pay for all OEM parts no matter what. This must be added to the policy before a loss obviously. This also must be researched and found out when buying, if you just spend 15 minutes, or 7 minutes or whatever pipe dreams the commercials claim and save your money and then never think of it again.....well.......you get what you pay for.

FYI, many policies also exclude payment for aftermarket items you add, like expensive stereo equipment, wheels, wings, body kits, etc. This is also something you need to make sure you understand and either purchase extra coverage for them or buy a different policy. Good to know these things before you slap $6000 of HRE wheels on your car and find out after they are damaged/stolen that your policy only covers $1000 for aftermarket wheels.......

Buying insurance should be no different than buying your car in the first place, or any product. Do your research, learn about what you are spending money on. Do you buy a TV and get mad when you get home cause it only has 2 HDMI inputs and you needed 3? It listed that on the package.

In reality, I'll give you all $50 worth of free advice.

BMW doesn't make a single radiator, AC condenser, wheel bearing, spark plug, windshield, headlight, or tail light. They contract with a company that makes those for them.....the same company that often makes non-BMW branded replacement parts.

The biggest issue with aftermarket parts used in repairs is for my techs and me, not the customer. They usually take a little extra work to make fit perfectly, but ultimately if they don't fit....we don't use them....and at that point insurance pays for OEM. So at the end of the repair, if it's on the car.....it fit and the vehicle owner has nothing to worry about. It's not like a plastic bumper cover is going to burst into flames LOL And any shop worth their bill warranties their work, the parts, and their paint. Sure, we'd prefer to use nothing but new OEM, mostly cause we constantly have the insurance company and customers constantly calling and yelling about how long their car is in the shop. People seem to think cars just bolt, weld, and straighten themselves out in some kind of easy scientific process. Spending the extra time that we aren't paid for to make the parts fit right, or dealing with sending them back and ordering new parts after the fact all screw up our work flow and schedule. But whenever people come in when they DON'T have insurance coverage, and they are paying out of pocket, it's amazing how fast they ask to save money using non-OEM parts.

It's ultimately a bit funny when these threads come up......on a forum where people are constantly talking about all the aftermarket parts they buy and slap on their own cars, many ordered off ebay from China. And unlike headlights and bumpers.....we install brakes, engine management software all not designed, made or even approved by BMW and are perfectly happy with these vital components not stamped with a roundel......


TLR - Read your insurance policies, know what you are spending your money on and make sure it is what you want and you know what is covered and how.

[rastaman777]

Wow, gracias for all the replies.

Yup, like previous poster said...thanks for all the details.
Was already aware of most of those details...except obviously that my policy will not pay for OEM if A/M CAPA certified parts were available.

This BMW dealer said they don't use these aftermarket parts...and basically said they can't do the repair unless I either I take it somewhere else, convince insurance to pay for the OEM, or pay out of pocket.

What's crazy is the difference in price is only a few hundred dollars!
Obviously I'm going to end up paying the difference....but it astounds me that they would rather lose a customer including the rest of my policies, and all the negative word of mouth I'll dish out...over a few hundred dollars.

I'm also surprised that BMW can't swallow that cost. I mean in the past I've gone to get quotes from BMW first, and then received a lower estimate from the insurance company...and BMW still does the work at the lower cost.

Thanks for the names of other insurance companies. I have called a couple, and of course over the phone they say they would have used strictly OEM parts in my situation...but now when I shop for a new provider...I'll obviously try and decipher the contract myself.

I don't mod my car so I have no aftermarket parts. I lease a new car every 2 years. I wonder what the lease agreement details are regarding returning a BMW lease with aftermarket parts?

[rastaman777]

Originally Posted by CIWS

BMW offers it through Liberty Mutual.

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...Insurance.aspx

Wow i just did an online quote for Liberty and the premium is almost 3 times what i'm paying!

Thanks for the info though. I average 1 claim every 3 years so not worth it...guess I'll just suck it up.

[rastaman777]

Originally Posted by BavarianFanatic

Ask them how they'll maintain the factory warranty if they use non-oem parts. Review your policy to see if this is addressed. It wouldn't be the first time an adjuster tried pulling one over on an unsophisticated customer. I have and absolutely love Amica. Been with them over 30 years. Never any drama.

Crap. Their quote was more than double my premium. Looks like I'm really going to have to suck it up.

Going to check with allstate and state farm tomorrow.

[rking117]

Originally Posted by Thumper333

I worked in the insurance field for well over a decade, I currently work in the Auto Body repair field and obviously deal with insurance companies, all of them, regularly.

It still amazes me how little everyone knows about how their insurance policy works and they pay so much money for it. Insurance is a contract containing a promise to fulfill certain obligations, certain SPECIFIC obligations, in the event of a triggering condition. If you do not know what it covers, how it covers it, and what it DOESN'T cover........well, seems like those would be things I would know. People really should start reading their policies and becoming familiar with what you bought.

Most if not all states allow you to pick who repairs your car, that has nothing to do with what parts are used. The body shop will do whatever you want and use whatever parts you want to repair the car with, it's your car, you are finally decider for how it is repaired. However, the insurance policy you bought will only issue payment for items and conditions it specifically covers. If it has a clause to allow the use of Like Kind and Quality(used) parts, re-manufactured OEM or new non-OEM parts then that is what YOU agreed to and that is what they will pay for. If you decide you want only new OEM then yes, you have to pay the difference because the contract you signed specifically states they don't pay for that. Just like you pick and choose your deductible that you agree to pay in the event of a loss.

There are insurance companies out there that state by default that they will not use anything but new OEM parts on a car with less than X miles (usually 15k) and/or the current model year (currently that would be 2015 and 2016 models). There are also many insurance companies that offer, at an added cost, an endorsement to update the contract so that they will pay for all OEM parts no matter what. This must be added to the policy before a loss obviously. This also must be researched and found out when buying, if you just spend 15 minutes, or 7 minutes or whatever pipe dreams the commercials claim and save your money and then never think of it again.....well.......you get what you pay for.

FYI, many policies also exclude payment for aftermarket items you add, like expensive stereo equipment, wheels, wings, body kits, etc. This is also something you need to make sure you understand and either purchase extra coverage for them or buy a different policy. Good to know these things before you slap $6000 of HRE wheels on your car and find out after they are damaged/stolen that your policy only covers $1000 for aftermarket wheels.......

Buying insurance should be no different than buying your car in the first place, or any product. Do your research, learn about what you are spending money on. Do you buy a TV and get mad when you get home cause it only has 2 HDMI inputs and you needed 3? It listed that on the package.

In reality, I'll give you all $50 worth of free advice.

BMW doesn't make a single radiator, AC condenser, wheel bearing, spark plug, windshield, headlight, or tail light. They contract with a company that makes those for them.....the same company that often makes non-BMW branded replacement parts.

The biggest issue with aftermarket parts used in repairs is for my techs and me, not the customer. They usually take a little extra work to make fit perfectly, but ultimately if they don't fit....we don't use them....and at that point insurance pays for OEM. So at the end of the repair, if it's on the car.....it fit and the vehicle owner has nothing to worry about. It's not like a plastic bumper cover is going to burst into flames LOL And any shop worth their bill warranties their work, the parts, and their paint. Sure, we'd prefer to use nothing but new OEM, mostly cause we constantly have the insurance company and customers constantly calling and yelling about how long their car is in the shop. People seem to think cars just bolt, weld, and straighten themselves out in some kind of easy scientific process. Spending the extra time that we aren't paid for to make the parts fit right, or dealing with sending them back and ordering new parts after the fact all screw up our work flow and schedule. But whenever people come in when they DON'T have insurance coverage, and they are paying out of pocket, it's amazing how fast they ask to save money using non-OEM parts.

It's ultimately a bit funny when these threads come up......on a forum where people are constantly talking about all the aftermarket parts they buy and slap on their own cars, many ordered off ebay from China. And unlike headlights and bumpers.....we install brakes, engine management software all not designed, made or even approved by BMW and are perfectly happy with these vital components not stamped with a roundel......


TLR - Read your insurance policies, know what you are spending your money on and make sure it is what you want and you know what is covered and how.

The issue is that Companies are allowed to by default to hide the intricacies of their policies in the details. it is not always the fault of the end user. For instance my insurance policy doesnt mention any thing about OEM non OEM. But thankfully so i live in a state that requires them to make me whole which may include depreciation of the vehicle.

[Thumper333]

Always happy to help, we all have different skills and knowledge and sharing those and using them to help is one of the great things about forums.

Originally Posted by rastaman777

What's crazy is the difference in price is only a few hundred dollars!
Obviously I'm going to end up paying the difference....but it astounds me that they would rather lose a customer including the rest of my policies, and all the negative word of mouth I'll dish out...over a few hundred dollars.

Yeah, this surprises a lot of people. Like I said, when we have people trying to repair on their own cause they don't have Collision or Comprehensive coverage they always ask for non-OEM to save money, and then when the bill is only a hundred or so dollars less they are shocked. Here's the thing, for you as an individual, you will only save a couple hundred if you were repairing out of pocket and it's just the one car you are fixing. But an insurance company, that handles hundreds of thousands of repairs a year........it adds up. And in a world where they can sell their product not on the merits of the service they provide or the coverage's but rather solely on the cost of the policy versus their competitors........ Look at every insurance commercial, with the one notable exception of Liberty Mutual who has commercials based on their coverages, every commercial talks about price. Save this, save that, here's how we save you money....cheap, save, cheap.....

I have worked for 3 insurance companies so have inside knowledge on those, the one in the middle was one of the best to work for and with service. You called in a claim and I was out to look at your car the same day or next day. We had the tools and the support to provide excellent service. We payed exactly what we owed for every repair and didn't have a bad rep with shops for being nickel and dime jerkbags. I still have friends that still work there and we stay in touch, starting the last couple years changes have been made so that they can compete on price because too many people were cancelling and going to cheaper companies. And so now service suffers, it could be 5 days before a car is inspected, sometimes it's 5 days and then the customer is told to go get their own estimate from a shop and send it in for a review. It's crazy, but to stay in business they have to be cheaper....not better. It's a crazy world.


I am also surprised that they did not reverse their decision and allow for the parts this one time for such a new car. I mean, I had people arguing they wanted only new OEM on their 10 year old Honda before and it just was not going to happen. But on a new car........


You bring up a good point on the lease, you can always read the lease contract and see what it says. If the lease contract says the car MUST be repaired with OEM only you may have a bit of leverage. Show them the lease clause and make the case that way........although worst case if they want to be dicks it could still come back on you as your insurance company was not a signor on the lease and it would have been your responsibility to know that and choose insurance that met that obligation.

[techwhiz]

Originally Posted by rastaman777

My car is friggin brand new, with only 3000 miles on it.
Insurance company wants to use some aftermarket parts !
Not small parts either....front hood, air conditioner condenser just to name a couple.

Tried arguing with the adjuster to no avail. I have to pay the difference out of pocket for OEM.

Any suggestions?
Anyone know of insurance companies that do provide OEM? I would even pay extra with my premium to be guaranteed OEM.

Glad I live in Ca.