Can I get a free paint job with broad collision coverage?

Question

My car needs a new paint job badly but I don't want to pay for one since they cost so much. My auto body repair shop told me that if I get AAA car insurace with broad collision coverage, I could just scratch up my car and pretend as if someone else did it and they would give the car a new paint job. Do you think this will work and why or have you heard of the idea before?

Answer 1

No.  First, you are not allowed to gain from insurance.  Insurance is only there to bring  you back to your prior condition, which is a vehicle with a crappy paint job or whatever.  Second, if you scratch it up and lie, thats insurance fraud, if you get caught you're in big trouble.  Third, if your body shop said that then your body shop is shady and you should choose a new one. Fourth, the body shop doesn't know what they are talking about, collision coverages cover damages due to collisions... your vehicle driving into something for exampe.  Vandalism to your vehicle is considered comprehensive and would be covered under comprehensive not collision coverage.

Answer 2

#1 - that's insurance fraud, and it's a felony.

#2 - I don't know any insurance company that would pay to repaint an entire vehicle to have a scratch repaired. The purpose of insurance is to "make you whole", meaning they will repair your vehicle to the condition it was in prior to the damage. Insurance is not meant to enrich you, meaning it won't repair the vehicle to make it better than it was.

Answer 3

That is called insurance fraud and it is a felony. So if you want to spend some time behind bars, by all means.

When you purchase your insurance, your agent will inspect your vehicle, and they will note on your policy that your car has a crapy paint job.

And furthermore, no insurance company is going to pay to repaint your car.

Answer 4

Well, as you know this is fraud.  I would not recommend it.  Also, I have never heard or broad collision coverage.  However, if your vehicle was "vandalized", then it would fall under your Comprehensive coverage anyway.

Answer 5

Anytime an insurance company pays out on your behalf you rates are going to go up and it is going to give you insurance points stop being so cheap and save some money if you want a paint job and do not defruad or scam the insurance compaies thats why all of us good drivers and insureds have higher rates because of scams like you.

Answer 6

Insurance Fraud.  Go directly to jail.  Do not collect $200.

FYI, the insurance company will normally need to see the car before they offer coverage.  Your knackered paint job will be duly noted and they will NOT pay for a complete re-spray on a claim like that.  

Of course, when you file the claim, they'll note the general deterioration of the paint job and probably only offer you a payment that reflects the reduction in the FMV prior to the damage and after the damage.  That won't cover the cost of a complete paint job.

Contrary to the mindset of folks who pull stunts like this, insurance underwriters and claims adjusters are not idiots.  They know a scam the instant they see it and will give you just enough rope to start to hang yourself and then deny the claim with the threat that if you press the issue, they'll file fraud charges against you.  Then once you drop the claim they'll drop your coverage for filing a fraudulent claim and may well file the fraud charges anyway.

And pretty obviously the idiot telling you this doesn't know a lot about insurance coverage.  This would be a vandalism claim and that's covered under Comprehensive, not Collision.  Let alone that I've never heard of "Broad" Collision coverage and I've been buying insurance for 40 years now.

Answer 7

i dunno let me know if it does though seriously?