Thieves Damaged Her Car in an Auto Shop Parking Lot, Who Repairs the Damage? – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
A driver from North Texas left her car with a mechanic for repairs. When the job was done, thieves cut off the catalytic converter while it waited for collection in the garage parking lot.
So who is responsible for the damage?
“My guess was that your insurance would cover something like this”
When her son’s VW Beetle broke down in 2006, Amanda Walker-Wait had it towed to the Cedar Hill auto repair shop that she’s been using for years. After the Beetle finished, Walker-Wait said her son paid the bill and the family planned to pick up the car if a second driver was available.
“We picked up the keys and made arrangements to collect them before they opened the next morning,” said Walker-Wait.
While the car was parked in the parking lot in front of the store, thieves stole the catalyst. Walker-Wait said she knew something was wrong when her son started the car to take it home.
“It was incredibly loud,” she says.
The store’s security footage filled in the gaps.
“They looked at the surveillance camera and saw that two people had arrived at the scene, actually they were pretty bold, they were there overnight, jacked up the car, had bright lights and switched off the catalytic converter and sensors,” Walker-Wait called.
Cedar Hill Police recorded a report saying the video did not provide enough information to identify suspects. Police said they had not found any other similar reports in this auto repair shop in the past year.
Walker-Wait turned her attention to an estimated $ 2,600 repair and asked the store about coverage of the damage.
“My guess was that your insurance would cover something like this,” she said.
Walker-Wait said the owner told her when the customer picked up the keys and left the car the store was not hooked because of the damage.
NBC 5 Responds spoke to a CS Lee Tire and Auto manager over the phone. He said the store’s insurance would not cover the repairs. He said once the store was ready with the car the customer had the keys and the store clerks couldn’t put the car elsewhere for the night if they wanted.
Options for consumers
“You have several options if it happens,” said Meloney Perry – an insurance lawyer not involved in the case.
In general, Perry said that if something happens to a vehicle in a auto repair shop, the first thing you should do is contact the repairer’s customer service department.
You can also ask for the company’s insurance information and apply yourself. If you cannot get the carrier’s name, send a certified letter and request it.
“I would document a registered letter to ensure that you can provide evidence that your registered agent received the letter and that you need to respond one way or another. Then they know you mean business, or at least they know you are not going away, ”Perry said.
Perry advises that the claim could be denied or the stores you visit may not have insurance against theft or vandalism.
If you have fully comprehensive insurance for your vehicle, you can fall back on your insurance.
“Make sure you have good coverage so you don’t have to worry. You will at least be reimbursed by your own carrier, ”Perry said.
Your insurance company can also contact the store’s carrier to settle the damage.
Ask how your vehicle is secured
Perry said a last resort could be court, but there is a certain gray area in these cases. Before you park your vehicle in a store, Perry said, ask questions about how you want your vehicle to be secured.
“Have good communication with the garage or your dealer. Hopefully it won’t happen, but sometimes you park at your own risk, ”Perry said.
Walker-Wait said she filed a claim with her own insurance company. She had to pay a deductible and her insurance will cover it from there.
“All’s well that ends well,” said Walker-Wait. “The car is repaired; We have a new relationship with a new shop. “
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