I'm so sorry to hear about the bumper cracker accident, toomuchglass! And it sucks that the bumpers crack so easily now! On the upside, if it was a stronger bumper, it probably would have done a lot more damage to the garage. I'm glad you aren't physically hurt (I bet you sure hurt emotionally though!). I've done the same thing myself with one of my older cars. I hit one of those concrete bases on the big light poles in a parking lot. Sure didn't hurt the concrete but I managed to get a crack in the bumper. But it wasn't because my foot slipped off the brake! I just couldn't see the concrete out my rear window because my car (a Pontiac Grand Prix) was built higher in the back and had a spoiler on the trunk to boot. I'm with Susiesunshine ... let's pray for Spring! (One without all the flooding we had last spring!) On another note ... I don't know about South Milwaukee, but it seems the rest of the Milwaukee area has horrible snow and ice removal these past couple of years. The snow has to be 6" deep or more for them to bother bringing out the plows. There are always multiple accidents on the streets and freeways because the roads are so horrible. I remember one big snow storm last year that happened while I was at work. We got at least 8" during the day and they let us go early. I fell and couldn't get up while cleaning off my car because I could get any good footing. I was rolling around like a turtle on its back hoping no one was looking. lol! I finally crawled to the front of the van and was able to lean against it to get up. I think I held my breath most of the way home. It was hard to tell where the road was ... everything was just one big blanket of snow! And not a snow plow in sight! I practically fell out of my van with relief when I got home and kissed the garage floor. If they are going to cut back on government spending, I sure could think of better ways to do it!

Auto accidents and the prevailing insurance issues has always been a hot topic for me. Recently, my 20 yo daughter who has had 2 auto accidents in the last 2 years as well as 2 speeding tickets has me paying premiums in excess of 8000/yr. I have a 17 yo who has been driving on a permit for a year who is itching for her license but my insurance company of 25 years tells me my rates will go to 9900/yr, something I just can't fathom as the current rates are really putting a choke hold on my family. Concerned about my own daughters automobile, (the one that has been in 2 accidents totalling about 9000.00 in damages) I ordered a carfax report, I think it cost me something like 29 dollars. It came back Clean! Can you believe it?!! My first impulse was to call and complain, before the duh factor kicked in. Her car was put back together with parts that fit but weren't necessary made for her make and model; i.e., non-factory parts. It also should have been totaled but the repair shop did quite a bit of work before determining the damage was more extensive than first appraised. Oh well, like I said, auto insurance is such a hot topic with me, it always pushes my buttons, I just had to jump in. If I were the OP and I had the stamina, I would raise cain with the insurance company to be compensated for the depreciated loss. Kathy

Our old (2005) but good (20K miles) Jaguar X-Type was broadsided in an intersection by a teen girl in October 2012. The driver's father's insurance, Chubb Group, paid to have the car towed to our Jaguar dealer and to a body shop, for body work and for a rental car. After I complained about lost trade-in value, they kicked in another $650 cash. My DH was driving and suffered only sore ribs. We have not paid for his check-up at the hospital ER on the day of the accident, and he had no lasting physical probems once the bruised ribs improved. Chubb has yet to settle the personal claim. Yes, we are happy no one was seriously injured, but...this has caused us DAYS of work with the back and forth of getting the car back and the general unsettling effect of the accident. What should we be expecting from Chubb on the personal injury side of this incident?

Sorry, I failed to see that this kind of black box is different from something insurance companies once touted to record your safe driving and 'help you save on premiums'. (Hahahaha!) We'll skip the stress of small claims court, and Travelers has no motive for budging. They might have if we'd had Collision coverage and State Farm arguing for us. The nicest thing I can believe about the other driver is that he just didn't feel or hear the collision when he backed up. It's unlikely, but 'possible'. We can afford to pay for this, but my belief in people 'doing the right thing' has taken a hit. This little fender bender pales to nothing in the news of a horrible accident last week where a young woman driving 'wrong way' crashed head-on into another vehicle, killing herself and five of six family members -- wife/mother and four children -- leaving the husband/father in critical condition. The family was enroute to a vacation in Minnesota. Thank you all for your helpful comments...and commiseration.