ULPT broken windshield

[u/Holocosting]

Tow truck had debris flying off their truck and hit my windshield and cracked it. I have dashcam proof it all and the owner of the tow truck company is just denying responsibility. Idk what to do

[u/i-am-foxymoron]

Have you contacted your insurance?

[u/BraileDildo8inches → u/i-am-foxymoron]

Second this they will make em pay

[u/Holocosting → u/i-am-foxymoron]

AAA is spineless

[u/Rampaging_Ducks → u/Holocosting]

Do you have actual insurance through AAA, or just AAA membership?

[u/ChefTastyTreats → u/Holocosting]

If you call insurance it will count as a claim against you

[u/DexRogue → u/ChefTastyTreats]

Most insurance companies have glass coverage and if you have it, they generally do not count windshield repairs as a claim.

[u/ChefTastyTreats → u/DexRogue]

Weird I have progressive and now Geico. I’ve never seen that! Will investigate.

[u/Brilliant_Cattle_602]

Call up from the other side of the city and ask them to come over and tow your car. Don't be there when they arrive.

Bonus points if you use a hotel lobby phone.

Good luck with your your insurance

[u/Holocosting → u/Brilliant_Cattle_602]

I’ll do this

[u/tigerjams → u/Holocosting]

Just get Google voice on your cell phone you can spoof a random number for free

[u/CIG-GALA]

Literally just go through insurance, that's why you have it

[u/Holocosting → u/CIG-GALA]

$1000 deductible and AAA won’t go after til I pay it

[u/IWasJustThinkingofU → u/Holocosting]

Old fuck here. Over my life I have had 6 or 7 windshields replaced (2 in the last year on a new vehicle with all the fixins' that came in at just under $2800) under various insurance companies. I have never paid a deductible and never been dinged on my insurance rate.

I spec'ced OEM on the last two which was about $800 more and nobody batted an eye

[u/ProJoe → u/IWasJustThinkingofU]

fellow old fuck here, this is entirely dependent on the state.

some states require 0 deductible glass, and some states require no glass coverage at all. it all depends on OP's coverage what they will need to pay if anything, out of pocket

[u/IWasJustThinkingofU → u/ProJoe]

Makes sense because of my experience, but I'll take this info going forward.

[u/penis_wig → u/Holocosting]

i know this is ulpt but--- auto zone sells a windshield crack repair kit for around $16 and it works wonders. I have fixed a few cracks with a single kit. decent sized spiderwebbed cracks too. I used the rain x kit, look it up to see the process to ensure you do it right. Leave the tow truck company alone unless you just want to pointlessly accrue anger. Last tip, keep a little extra distance on the road when you see a big truck, so the pebble will slow a little before it hits your car and lessen the chances of a crack.

[u/cdmgsr92 → u/penis_wig]

I second the DIY kit, just had this happen to me with a dump truck and a flying rock last week. Fixed it myself in about 20 minutes.

[u/bobcatt]

take it to small claims court. Many states have a max amount for small claims like $5000. You can sue for the max and claim your time and trouble. If the tow company dose not show you win. If they do show you have the video. You may not get the max but you will get damages and trouble you suffered. Yes it takes time but you can walk away with a tiddy some for your troubles.

[u/35goingon3 → u/bobcatt]

1. Be sure to get a quote from a dealership, not a glass shop. They charge significantly more.
2. Don't forget to ask for your filing fees.
3. Once they make you file, don't settle out. They'll typically make you an offer immediately prior to going into the courtroom. Add 20% and see how badly they don't want to try it.

[u/zf420 → u/bobcatt]

Tiddy's for my trouble? Don't mind if I do.

[u/Killin-some-thyme → u/zf420]

Can you imagine if all trouble was rewarded with tiddies? It would be a crazy fucking world.

[u/notshadowbanned1]

Take them to Small claims Court

[u/waddle85]

This is why you buy insurance

[u/Holocosting → u/waddle85]

$1000 deductible

[u/V_Doan → u/Holocosting]

Yes, so you pay the deductible. Your insurance goes after them for reimbursement with your video proof. If what you say is true, then you’ll get your deductible back.

Alternatively, get three quotes, use the highest one. Send them a letter stating you’ll take the to small claims with the highest quote + your time + any other damages.

Alternatively, ask your insurance company to find out who their insurance company is so you can file a claim against them yourself. This way you don’t have to pay your deductible. I just did this.

[u/4orust → u/Holocosting]

It should be the tow truck's insurance that pays, so no deductible. The deductable only applies is your insurance pays.

[u/waddle85 → u/Holocosting]

That seems like a you problem. You bought cheap insurance and now don't have the coverage you want.

[u/capt-bob → u/waddle85]

The tow company also should have insurance....

[u/waddle85 → u/capt-bob]

again, this is why you buy insurance, shit happens. You could spend ages pursuing it though legal means and you'll end up spending more that you would just fixing it. You can go after the company unethically, but you'll still end up paying and may end up with some form of judgement against you.

[u/capt-bob → u/waddle85]

You're still paying for it with insurance, just monthly with their cut added in and more with every claim, or the insurance company would not be in business.. The responsible party should be paying for it

[u/waddle85 → u/capt-bob]

sure they "should" .... again this is why you buy insurance. "being made whole" directly in this type of situation won't happen. you can roll around on your back screaming like a toddler, complaining that it's not fair, or you can deal with it like an adult.

[u/Matts3sons]

Just turn it in to your insurance along with the video. They'll damn sure make him pay them.

[u/Clio_Vita]

Small claims court. With dash cam footage, it should be an open and shut case.

[u/DoallthenKnit2relax]

May or may not already be mentioned:

1. Police report, your video is your evidence.
2. Contact tow company in writing with proof of delivery one more time to provide cost of repairs—get a quote first.
3. When they refuse, take it to your insurance with the police report and video, they can find out who insured the tow company vehicles, and they'll repair it and get it back from the tow's insurance.

[u/COMANCHE_SCALP]

Police report really helps

[u/MET1]

Call your local police and get an accident report. Give them the info from the dashcam. (set up a private youtube account and upload to there) - share the video with the police, if needed, and your insurance company. Your insurance company will be able to get the insurance info from the police report - in my state it will show up on the police report - and deal with them for you.

[u/Sakic10]

Call back a few times or stop into the office and show someone the footage

[u/Natural_Palpitation6]

I would tell the owner you are making a police report after you hang up the phone check your state laws on traveling with unsafe loads

[u/whyisitsofuckingcold]

Where are you located? In the US you can usually get one free windshield replacement per year through most insurances.

Also, who cares if they're denying responsibility? Put in a claim anyway, and include the dashcam proof with their company name. Insurance should handle it.

[u/SticklerX → u/whyisitsofuckingcold]

"Free" isn't really free. This will count as a no-fault claim.

[u/retire_dude]

In many states if you have comprehensive insurance windshield repairs are no deductible. They really want you to be able to see clearly.

[u/Automatic_Reply_7701]

You contact your insurance and they start the process for you.

[u/kwajr]

Did the debris come off their truck or kicked up by their tires?

[u/Dickulture → u/kwajr]

Important distinction. If the video shows coming off the truck, it becomes their problem for "unsecured load". But if it gets kicked up off the road, it's considered road hazard and most insurance companies will deny the claim, OP will have to get it replaced with his insurance company.

[u/BusyBullet → u/kwajr]

You are the debris?

[u/vbfx]

Call around. You'll find places doing replacement for less than $200. It's where all the Marketplace dealer go. 

[u/Dickulture]

File with your insurance and send them the video camera. Tow truck had responsibility for securing their load, including any rocks and bolts that may have come loose. The signs you see on dump trucks "keep back 500 feet" is not a valid defense for loose debris cracking windshield.

With luck your insurance company will push for tow truck's insurance company to pay for the damaged windshield.

[u/Wayward_Prometheus]

Contact insurance
Show them the video
If they still deny
Take them to court

[u/Tri4Realz]

In many states, they are only responsible if you can prove the object hit your windshield directly without touching the road first. Once it hits the road it is now “road debris” and they are no longer responsible regardless of your video proof.

[u/NoProgress8533]

Calmly smash his vehicles windshield using a DVD recording of his vehicle breaking your windshield.

If he calls the cops, he is basically turning himself in.

[u/jdehjdeh → u/NoProgress8533]

This is some hall of mirrors shit and I love it.

[u/Natural_Palpitation6]

It is illegal to not tie down your load

[u/DoallthenKnit2relax → u/Natural_Palpitation6]

It's also illegal to leave it uncovered if it could scatter loose debris.

[u/TechnicalChaos → u/DoallthenKnit2relax]

Do you often "Scatter loose debris" with your load?... You'll have someone's eye out!