Maybe I am naive, but wouldn't this just be a matter of getting the insurance company's adjuster out there to look at the bike and maybe a bit of time with the service writer too?

What difference would it make how busy the techs in the shop are? The OP at this point is wanting a repair estimate only, and is probably equally glad he is not dealing with you.

 

It seems to me like a dealer wanting to basically get free $$$ in an insurance check would place a high priority on getting an estimate. I don't know how long would be appropriate but personally I would say about a week, maybe 2 at the most.. We are customers.. some people seem to forget that.

 

Makes a huge difference. That bike is coming in for repair work. That bike is a customer like anyone that has a rod knock, bar installed, etc. just because you had an accident it does not mean you automatically get front if the line price ledges ahead of all other appts or scheduled work.

It's not a one step or two step process. It's a 5-6 step process. I te dealer is thorough the insurance may sen a second adjuster out. This alone can be a two week process. A food wreck estimate can be 3-4 hours depending on bike and severity.

Like I said, I've never seen an adjuster cut a check, in fact the more I think about it they can't sign a check and try don't ring printers they CANNOT cut a check on the spot. I've been involved with hundreds of wreck estimates and they all take the same length no matter the insurance company. A month is a quick time on getting a check cut. I repairs will be made. Sometimes a total will be quicker but a full estimate still has to be done.

Often insurance companies will want a tank repaired and ask for stupid stuff. The dealerships fight to get new tin instead if repaints.

 

Adjusters do write checks all the time if the vehicle is paid off. If the title is clean they write it to the vehicle owner, if there is a lien, they write it to the lien holder and the vehicle owner after the repair is finished. At least that is how they do it in Ohio.

 

He might deliver a check, but he is not writing a check. As stated I believe or I read it wrong, they came out, looked at repairs and cut a check. I'm in ohio. It's not up to the adjuster to total a vehicle. They don't have the final say.

 

most dealers are 2-3 weeks backed up with the 2014 issues

 

No dog in this fight but...This is not a law thing. It is an insurance company thing. I have seen Progressive adjusters write checks (after a hurricane)...State Farm mailed theirs out...Just depends on the company...

 

It is very interesting how different Harleys' are compared to cars and trucks when it comes to service and or accident repairs. My guess is that because bikes are a luxury, the since of urgency is not placed on them. What I don't understand is, why if a shop is constantly 2 or more weeks out for a service they don't add techs and or expand the business. It would seem that the money would increase and the C-Sat would as well.

When I owned my Auto repair facility, people would not stand for the delays in estimating or repairs. In Fact! I worked at a Chevy dealer for several years and they actually promised 45 minute tune-ups and oil changes. The Body shop estimated on arrival and supplements were requested when hidden damage was discovered during repairs.

 

One reason, and it's a big one.. That it takes so long, is that shops and stealerships "pad" estimate repair hours. So this takes more time with the insurance company to research if they're getting ripped off.

See, it's a 2 way ****ing between the shop and the insurance company. The insurance company doesn't want to pay any money yet, the shop/stealership is going to try as hard as possible because the insurance company will pay less than book times.

For instance, let's say the front wheel was taco'd and the fork tubes were bent. Book time for all related parts is 4.5 hours. So the shop gives an estimate for 6.0 hours. Then a list of parts is sent to the insurance company along with a labor estimate. So when the ins. Co. Gets this they look it over and go WTF.. They then send in a rebuttal for 4.0 hours and a denial for the wheel bearings that were quoted.

So if the service writer is any good, they call the insurance CO back up and say WTF, so they then "approve" labor time at 4.6 hours, but they want an estimate for junkyard or aftermarket parts.

So the service writer finds fork tubes off a 2 year older bike that'll fit yours, a used wheel from a 3 year older bike and a set of Chinese aftermarket wheel bearings. They call the insurance company back up, give the estimate on "used" parts, and give an authorization number. Cool.. Parts ordered.

So when the bike is torn down, the ins. Co. Calls back and says "wait a minute!" Wheel bearings aren't covered because they deemed them "maintenance items".

So they give you, the customer a call saying, "well, YOUR insurance company won't cover the wheel bearings needed, because they say it's a 'maintenance item'. It'll cost $xxx.xx for parts and 0.5 extra labor to replace. Do you want to go ahead and do this?" Of course you're going to say YES. So then the writer submits the parts request into parts. The parts guy orders everything except the wheel, because he "over looked it". Oh ****...

So the writer scrambles to find the number he called for the "used wheel". He can't find it. So he goes to parts and starts chewing some ***, while the parts guy is throwing his hands in the air.

So after the writer is done with next couple of days of warranty or whatever work repair orders and customers, he finds the sticky note with the number of the used part vendor on his monitor in front of his face... "Ah ha!" He exclaims. He calls up the vendor, they say "sorry that wheel was sold, try these guys".

So the writer calls the new vendor. They don't have it. He calls around and around to no avail. So he has to call back the insurance company. The insurance company "sighs", and does their own set of searching. A couple of days later, a wheel shows up! Woohoo! BUT.. The one the insurance company sent is bent! FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCC!!!!!!

So the writer calls back the insurance co and they apologize and get another one sent out. WTF! It's bent too!!! FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCC C!!!!!!

So now the insurance co can't find another, so they succumb of buying the new OEM wheel against their will. So once all the parts are in, the tech gets to work. It takes him 3 days of working on your bike and doing warranty compensators and other noises...

He finally gets the bike done, it's sent over to detail and it's washed. Now the waiting game for the insurance company to "cut the check". Your bike sits. So finally, you the customer have been completely left in the dark and are pissed. So you call up your wimpy service writer and finally ask WTF dude! And he throws his hands in the air and blames YOUR ins co.

You give a world class *** chewing, demand to speak to the service manager and they tell you to pick up your bike at the end of the day without getting a check from the insurance Co and you pay your portion for the Chinese wheel bearings.

A week later and countless phone calls to YOUR ins co, with authorization numbers armed, the finally mail out a check.

So after 2 months of bullshit and politics, you finally get your bike back, the shop gets paid and all is well ?

Well you notice your fork tubes look used and those aftermarket bearings that the writer didn't tell you were aftermarket because he didn't think they were any different are noisy. So you call back the shop... UH OH.

 

Unless im misunderstanding your post you've beat around the bush at calling bs on me twice and now ur saying it didnt happen period.

Let me make my post clear your wrong period.

Im far from an expert on motorcycle insurance this is only my second claim in 25 yrs.

But insurance adjusters/agents have been able to write checks on the spot for 25yrs in my area. Granted it rarely go's smooth and back in the old days you had to go in to your agent to get a check.
But portable Printers along with adjusters cutting checks on spot has been taking place for several years thats a fact. When talking about insurance in general.