So I Got Rear-Ended A Few Weeks Ago And Today The Back Glass Spontaneously Cracked, But Now The Insurance Company Is Refusing to Pay for The Repair

Dakota Amato, a Tesla Model Y owner from New Hampshire, says he was rear-ended in an accident a few weeks ago.

At the time, the insurance adjuster from the other party came out and drafted an estimate for the damages.

This was all good, and over the past few weeks, Dakota had been waiting to take his vehicle to a Tesla-certified body shop.

However, today he left a coffee shop, and on one of the first cold days in New England, he noticed a new fracture on his back glass.

Dakota believes this is a delayed reaction from the previous accident and wants Allstate, the other driver’s insurance, to cover it. However, Allstate is refusing his claim.

The frustrated Tesla Model Y owner shared his story on the Tesla Tips & Tricks group on Facebook.

He writes…

“Hello all, we were rear-ended a few months ago. The adjuster from the other party's insurance came out and provided an estimate, but at that time, the back glass was not cracked.

A few weeks later, while waiting to get into the repair shop, we walked out of the coffee shop on one of the first cooler mornings here in New England and noticed this crack on the back window.

We finally got the car into the shop, where the back bumper and impact bar were replaced, and the trunk lid needed some repair. From my research, I found that this crack is very possibly from the impact and is a delayed stress crack.

However, the Allstate estimator who did the supplemental approval at the repair shop said that it had a “clear impact point” and therefore was not related to the accident.

What are your opinions? Should I bother trying to fight it or just accept it, pay for it myself, and move on?

From my research, the “impact point” looks more like a stress-release chip than an impact point.

Since the window is rigidly bonded to the body, any alignment shifts can cause a delayed crack like this, with one smooth crack running up the glass.”

Below his post, Dakota shared a picture of his Model Y showing a hairline fracture that runs across the middle of the rear glass.

This is definitely not ideal, and based on the picture, the insurance adjuster's claim that the crack has a clear impact point is a stretch.

There is an area where the fracture is slightly wider than the rest of the crack; however, it’s only a small increase in size, and the crack remains straight with no visible dents or chips.

Looking at the comments, several Tesla owners suggested that Dakota should fight for Allstate to cover the repairs.

A fellow Tesla owner, Jerry Day, writes…

“Fight it! Don’t let the insurance company take advantage of you.

You also need to file a loss of value claim against the third-party insurance—the guy’s insurance that hit you.

Your Tesla has been damaged and repaired. Regrettably, when you sell or trade it, you will get less for it. Fight for more than just the repair costs.

Hope no one was hurt. If so, see a chiropractor! Get your health concerns addressed, not just the symptoms.”

Another Tesla owner, Rodrick Triplett, writes…

“Always fight the insurance company; they're designed to pay the least amount of money on everything. Any time I'm in an accident, I get an attorney.”

A third Tesla owner, Robert Valente, writes…

“I would definitely elevate it with your insurance company - make sure it’s not just a stingy adjuster. You have nothing to lose.”

A fourth Tesla owner, Fred DelRusso, writes…

“Tell them you want the depreciation value paid to you. Since your car was in an accident, its book value will always be lower, so they have to pay you that amount.”

A fifth Tesla owner, Shersrin Naidu, writes…

“What about your neck and back pain that just popped up? Get an attorney. You can play the game as well.”

Overall, the sentiment amongst Tesla fans is to fight the insurance company. However, please let me know what you think in the comments. Share your ideas by clicking the red “Add new comment” button below. Also, be sure to visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.

Image: Screenshot from Tesla Tips & Tricks Facebook group. Reposted under fair use copyright law.

For more information, check out: A Tesla Model Y Owner Says a Rat Chewed Her Wires While She Was At Home. She’s Now Upset Because Tesla Refused to Fix The Damaged Cables Under Warranty

Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.