Replacement Cost by Insurance Company for Totaled Vehicle

Mr_Shiftright · October 2006

I don't think they are under any obligation to sell it back to you. This is especially true in cases of cars stolen and stripped. The insurance company is afraid the theft was rigged, and that the parties involved will rebuild the car with the stolen parts they have stashed.

klunkyb · November 2006

Any help would be nice, I am not sure what to do. I was rear ended and it did enough damage to total the car. The insurance adjuster said that my car is only worth $3900 but the blue book value is $6600. They are taking off $1500 because it is a salvaged car, why that amount?? I had no idea it was a salvaged car when I got it and the person I got it from didn't tell me. I am paying for full coverage but if my car isn't worth the coverage I have been paying for 4 years is there something I can do with my insurance people. If I fill a claim with my insurance do they have to give me the amount I have been paying for? Please help, anything will be nice!

Thank you!

klunkyb · November 2006

cccompson · November 2006

The insurance company is obligated to pay you what the car is worth. If it has a branded (i.e., salvage) title, it is worth considerably less than "blue book" (which itself is pretty meaningless) or a comparable vehicle with a clear title. I don't understand how you could not know that is was a salvage vehicle.

It would help if you could provide further details about the vehicles so we could offer a better idea of what it was worth prior to the collision.

jat5600 · November 2006

I have a 1998 Ford Ranger and last night I was in a car/deer accident. I hit him at highway speed and had both airbags deploy. The insurance company has already told me that the truck will be totaled because the of the air bags going off. The truck is a one owner, clear title and the truck was in good shape, (no rust, or major dents, paint was clean) It has high miles (103000). I was wondering what figure they would use to pay me. The trade in value is not very high, but retail is at minimum 3000, both KBB and NADA are in that area, Edmunds ran a little higher at 4000. When saying fair market value is that trade in value or replacement value?

cccompson · November 2006

It's replacement value. Don't forget to get money to cover tax and title as well.

Truck values vary WIDELY depending on optional equipment.

klunkyb · November 2006

The car doesn't have a salvaged title and my insurance company is the one how totaled the car in 2001 and I bought it in 2002. They also told me that they are not allowed to give Full coverage on a salvaged car and that is what I have had since June of 02. I wasn't told by the owner that it had even been in a wreak and he may not of even know since his title wasn't a salvaged title, someone along the line didn't get a salvaged title for this car. I talked to my insurance and they told me to seek legal advice.

cccompson · November 2006

The problem is that the amount at issue here ($1500 or whatever it is) may not make it economically feasible to hire a lawyer.

My inclination would be to take a hard line with the insurance company on this. They are claiming that they alone have particular information that lessens the value of the vehicle. Even if it's true that they paid out a loss years ago, I have a hard time seeing the sort of dimunition in value they are now talking about. A $6000 vehicle simply doesn't take a big hit in value due to prior repairs (absent a salvage title). True, there should be some reduction but not much.

klunkyb · December 2006

I just talked to someone at the Department of revenue motor vehicel department and they told me that my car did have a salvage title in 01 and then it was given a clear/clean title also in 01 when a company bought it. And that until 2004 you could get a clean title on cars that were totaled and then rebuilt. Is this really true?? I find this hard to believe and I am not sure the girl I talked to really knew. I called the GA insurance commisioner about this and they gave me the number of the place I already talkd to. Any help??

sandpmove · December 2006

Hi, My car was in a bad accident and the car is being totalled. The car is a 2005 Toyota Corolla LE with ABS, 5 CD changer, and cruise control with 19,000 miles on it. Prior to the crash the car was in very good condition. Edmunds.com or Kbb.com give the trade-in value of the vehicle to be about 12,000$. The car was financed by toyota financial and the pay off balance is 11804$ as of today. My insurance company is Geico and the fault in the accident is mine. I have the following questions and I would really appreciate advise here: 1) What value should I expect from Geico? Is it the same as I see in Kbb.com? 2) What I owe toyota financial will then be the pay off balance minus the amount geico claims is the fair market value of the car. Correct? 3) Will they pay for title change, sales tax when car was bought etc? 4) Please share with me any pointers to make sure that I get a good deal from Geico - anything I can do to improve my chances here. Thanks very much!

sandpmove · December 2006

How do I find out what is the replacement value of the car? Is it the trade-in value (lowest of 3 i.e. fair condition) as per KBB.com?

sammylynn26 · December 2006

Hi, I need some advice. I saved for months to buy a car, it wasn't much, but it was a 95 Ford Contour, had 105,000 miles on it and was in good condition. That was a month ago. Last week, my car was parked in front of my house, and a 16 yr. old boy with his license for only two weeks was running late going 50 miles an hour in a 35 mph residential neighborhood, dropped his cell phone and in the process of looking for it, crashed into my car. Their insurance company (Grange Insurance) deemed my car a total loss. I paid 1,300 dollars for the car, the Blue Book Value is two thousand, but because of a few things such as a crack in the bumper and some rust on the roof, their offer is 800 dollars. I've talked to my insurance company (Progressive) and they're no help. Progressive says there is nothing that I can do, and the people at Grange are not very nice. I assume I have to take the 800 dollars, but it just doesn't seem fair. I missed two days of work because I didn't have a way to get there, they said they would give me ten dollars a day for those two days. Any advice? Thank you.

sammylynn26 · December 2006

Hi, same poster as before - with an update. I have not accepted the 800 dollar offer, I call to talk to my insurance rep (who is conveniently out of town until next week) and find out that the other person's insurance company already sent out the salvage company to take my car. This was after I told the rep from Grange Insurance that Progressive was coming out to appraise the car themselves. But when progressive went out they found the car already gone. Then they say that they want their rental car back tomorrow but they won't be sending a check out until next week. I am totally confused and feel like I am the one being punished here. I have looked up comprabable prices for my car, I even list it as "rough" condition, when it's not, and the dealer value (which is what they say they are using) stands at 1200 dollars. Please help!

cccompson · December 2006

Grange has not right to touch your car without your permission or your having signed the title over to them. We have a law here in Ohio that covers this - it's called theft. While they probably were just trying to reduce storage costs, call them to have it returned to you if that's what you want.

The fact that you paid $1300 only a month ago should be decisive as to its value. They'll be able to see that figure on your title (you did declare the correct amount, right?). Demand that from Grange as well as sales tax. If they balk, tell them you're headed to small claims and file against them.

candcfam · December 2006

My husband totaled his 95 Jeep Wrangler

, which the insurance company is valuing at $5170 (which is good), but their buy-back price offer is $1450 - which is like 28% of what they are valuing it at. Does this seem outrageously high (I keep reading 10 - 13% is the norm, or are insurance companies at liberty to price the buy-back at whatever they want? ETA: We are in Arkansas, if this makes any difference as far as what is the norm.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

deepdrop · December 2006

I was lost at night and hit what was essentially a ski slope, went airborne, and came down in a rut on the side of the road, on a large rock. I wasn't even speeding but the damage was major.

I've never been in an accident before. I guess my question is how do I know what is a fair price to be offered if the car is deemed totalled? Is this a bargaining process?

It's a 2003 Subaru Forester XS with 28,000 miles, no accidents, one owner, clean, etc. Thanks for any help.

If anyone cares to read on, the following might help someone. After I got out of the car to see if I was OK, it really didn't look too bad. I called AAA and they pulled it out of the ditch, saw the damage was extensive and went back to get a flat bed. While they were gone, the state police (NH) came and removed the vehicle to whatever lot they use. So the original guy came back and found no car.
Lessons learned: 1) AAA does not cover these towing fees (at least with standard AAA), so make sure you know what you're covered for or what your insurance covers for towing. I now have to pay the initial pull out of the ditch, the return trip with the flatbed to find the car gone, the guy who the cops had do the actual towing, storage in his lot while I figured out where my care was, and finally towage to the final repair facility.
2) I didn't realize I had to call the police. I figured I had run off the road, nobody was hurt, no property damage, etc. Well, the state police were pretty angry and told me that I had created property damage to the earth and that I could face a year in jail for a misdemeanor but that they would only give me a speeding ticket instead on the assumption that I must have been going too fast for conditions.

So anyway, I apologize for a long saga. Hopefully someone can offer advice on the financial aspects.
I revisited the scene today and it is unsafe at the speed limit in broad daylight. The neighbors report frequent runoffs. Pretty frustrating since I have a clean record and have been driving for 30 years.

derek533 · December 2006

I will try to answer your questions.

First off, Geico is going to base their offer on your car most likely from what other cars like yours are selling for. If you have been a member on these forums for awhile (and even if you haven't but have good common sense), then you know that KBB, Edmunds, NADA are guides only. The true value of a car is what they are selling for in your area. The company that I work for uses a replacement service that goes out to the local dealerships (via internet, newspaper ads, etc.) and finds comparable vehicles to the one they are trying to quote and we base our offer on those comparables. The reality is, that they only owe you what you can go out and buy the exact same vehicle for. Having said that, when we evaluate a car and inspect it, we give condition ratings and those are purely the opinion of each adjuster. If you have new tires and they rate them as average, then you have some room to negotiate with them. Same with the body panels, glass, interior, etc. Ask for a copy of their evaluation and see for yourself how they rated its condition.

Realistically speaking, you should expect somewhere between trade-in value and retail value for your vehicle. As you know, retail value is what the vehicle will have an asking price of, not what the dealer would actually take for the vehicle. What the dealer actually takes for the vehicle though, should be a little higher than trade-in value as theoretically (in a perfect world so to speak), he paid that to the previous owner to put it on his lot. He wouldn't make any profit if he sold it to you for what he bought it from the previous owner for.

As part of the settlement, you will get the un-used portion of your tag, title transfer fees and sales tax based on replacing your vehicle with the exact same vehicle. Also, you will get anything leftover after Toyota has been paid off. The insurance company will have to get either a lien release from Toyota Financial or the title itself. Some states title laws dictate that the buyer retains the title and a lien is placed on it while others dictate that the finance company holds the title until paid off. Either way, their lien will have to be honored first and then you get what is leftover after their lien and your deductible.

I no longer adjust auto claims and I only do heavy property and commercial losses. I can honestly say though, that the adjuster only wants to settle your claim and have you rate the experience dealing with them as being a positive one. Contrary to popular belief, there is no incentive for the adjuster to "save money" by paying you less for your claim. We don't get bonuses or commissions for saving money. That would be extremely unethical let alone illegal. Our pay is based on goals that are set for us which includes a goal that we close 100% of the claims that we receive in a given month. If we miss those goals because we were arguing over the value of a car with a customer just to save money for the company, then we have actually cost ourselves money. The incentive is for us to get the claim settled. If that means that we kick out some more money to get it settled, then we won't hesitate to do it. That's why we are called adjusters and not appraisers or estimators.

Also, just like in anything else, the nicer you are to us, the nicer we will be to you. We will go the extra mile for you and bend anyway we can. Just be realistic too and don't demand an un-reasonable amount of money that has no grounds to back it up. Don't puff up and be a jerk about it if you don't agree with the appraisal and threaten attorneys etc. That doesn't solve anything and we hear that so much that it has no effect on us and it won't affect the outcome either.

Sorry for the long post and I hope I was helpful.

derek533 · December 2006

The short answer is no.

The long answer is that it depends on alot of different circumstances. Salvage values for cars are based on what salvage lots are getting for them when they auction them off. Some cars have a lower salvage value while some have higher values. Especially if the car was only totalled due to the value of it and not because of the repairs it would take to fix it. What I mean by that is that because it is a 95 with a value of $5,170, they only have about $3500-$4000 that they can spend to repair it. If they spend more than that to repair it, then the total cost of the claim to them would be higher than if they totalled the vehicle and collected a return on the salvage.

In the grand scheme of things, $3,500-$4,000 in repairs is not alot of repairs nowadays by no strecth of the imagination. Personally, I can tell you that back in 2002, we had damage done to our Accord coupe. A dump truck was hauling rocks (basketball size and larger) and some of those rocks flew out of the bed and landed on our windshield, right fender and roof. A rock also hit our undercarriage and damaged the suspension as well. The vehicle was still driveable and it really didn't look horrendous (although it did to us b/c we just bought it about a month previuos to this happenning :sick: ). Anyways, the total repairs were over $7,000.

Salvage buyers at auctions are looking for cars that have good parts left on them. The more good parts left, the higher the salvage value.

Most insurance companies will total a car when the repair costs have reached around 65-80% of the vehicle's value. They do this because they expect about a 20-30% return on salvage. Obviously, those numbers differ for each situation a little but that is generally the expected range. If the norm as you stated was 10-13%, then the insurance company wouldn't be so fast to total out a vehicle that was a borderline total which is what yours sounds like it is since you want to keep it.

Also, being in Arkansas (go Hogs!), pickup trucks and suv's have higher salvage values than say a Chevy Cavalier b/c there are more of them on the road and the parts are needed.

Finally, the last thing to keep in mind, is that a car with a whole assembly such as a front clip (both front fenders, bumper, headlights, grille and hood), that is still in good condition, will have a higher salvage value than a car that doesn't. The going rate for a front clip last time I checked was anywhere from $1,500-3,000 depending on the vehicle. Also, a rear clip is just as valuable (rear clip being the rear quarter panels, rear bumper, trunk and taillights) as a front clip. If either of these are still in good condtion, then the salvage value is definitely not out of line.

Hopefully that helps.

Kirstie_H · December 2006

Hi derek, and thanks for jumping in! I see you're a new-ish member, so welcome. We really appreciate you taking the time to share your expertise.

kbt · December 2006

The reality is, that they only owe you what you can go out and buy the exact same vehicle for.

derek533, I'm interested in this portion of your response. My husband's car was hit by a teen driver and after two weeks in the shop, the insurance company has decided to total it after all. The company is offering to pay the NADA value on his car; I don't have any idea how those run, so it may be more or less than we'll be able to replace the car, but when I specifically asked what happens if a like-configured/milage/condition car costs me more to purchase, I was told they will pay only up to the current value of the car.

Had my husband been at fault, I'd have no issue with the "current value" being the basis for payout. However, he wasn't, so the idea that I might be out money on this deal is irking me beyond belief. This particular configuration was difficult enough to find the first time, when I had the luxury of time and bargaining; I'm not looking for a new car to replace one I purchased used, and I'm not trying to compensate for the hassle factor, though it's significant. I just want the car I wanted/bought 6 months ago, and I dont want to pay more for the privilege. Ugh. LOL!

At any rate, I found your comment interesting since it's not quite what I'd heard. Also, I was unaware of the tag/tax/etc. issue, so now at least I know to ask about that. Thanks for your insights.

derek533 · December 2006

Since you are the third party to the insurance company making the offer, according to state laws, they only owe you the actual cash value of the vehicle plus taxes, tag and title transfer fees. So what is the ACV? That is the million dollar question.

In most states, the ACV of a vehicle is equal to the market value. Market value is defined as what a willing buyer and a willing seller would be willing to exchange the vehicle for but weren't compelled to do so. NADA is no where near accurate in determining market value IMO. Most of the car sales guys on these boards would also agree to that. Real world numbers are all that matter when it comes to determining market value for a particular vehicle. I think you will find that the NADA value for your vehicle is a number that you will probably be pretty satisfied with.

The reality is that dealerships don't like NADA b/c their retail numbers are a little lower and the trade-in/wholesale values are a little higher than KBB. KBB traditionally has lower trade-in numbers but higher retail numbers which obviously favor the dealership whereas NADA values favor the consumer.

Since you are a third party to the other company, they tell you what the value of the vehicle is and it is a take-it-or leave-it number. The burden of proof is on you to show them that the amount they are offerring is not enough to replace your vehicle with an equivalent vehicle. Having said that, you must remember that dealer retail is not the market value either. That is the dealers wish list of what they would like to get for the vehicle and not what they will actually take. As stated above, the actual market value of the vehicle is somewhere in between what the vehicle is worth wholesale (trade-in) and the full retail asking price of the dealer.

My advice is to check NADA's website and verify the number you are being offerred. Then check the local newspaper ads and autotrader to see what they are selling for. Do your homework and if a number is being offerred you don't like, you can either go through your own company (see below for explanation) and see if they will offer you more, or try and persuade the other carrier to increase their offer based on your research.

If you decide to shop against your own insurance (assuming you have collision coverage), that process is called subrogation. Basically, you are allowing your own insurance company to settle your claim and they then go after the other carrier for the money they paid you. Most policies have a subrogation clause written into the policy and allow for this. Also, most companies count this as a non-chargeable accident meaning they won't raise your rates either. Anyway, your company will make you an offer and from that offer, subtract your deductible and pay you the difference. You will eventually get that deductible back once the other carrier pays your carrier but it could take a few weeks. What you have to look at is total net to you after you receive your deductible back. You can then decide if it is worth it to you. Also, since they are your own insurance carrier, they have an obligation to follow the contract (policy) and can be held in breach of contract if they do so whereas the other carrier just has to follow the laws of the state when dealing with you. Your policy is usually more strict in how the claims are settled so it may benefit you to investigate that.

All in all, I bet that after some research by you, you will discover that the value you are offerred is pretty reasonable and you won't have to mess with all of the above.

Good luck.

cccompson · December 2006

No need to jump through too many hoops here - it's value can't have changed much since you bought it (used) six months ago. Compare the insurance company's offer to what you paid - the difference should be less than $1000.

derek533 · December 2006

Unless they paid too much for it when they bought it or put on alot of miles in the six months that they owned it.

BTW KBT, NADA is showing $12,675 and $14,850 for trade-in and retail. That's me assuming that the vehicle has 30K miles on it (15k per year) and with no additional options checked beyond what a standard LE has on it. It also assumes a clean vehicle and no damage history other than the wreck that totaled it. If it has leather seats or lower miles, the value will be slightly higher.

kbt · December 2006

Thank you both for your responses.

Unless they paid too much for it when they bought it or put on alot of miles in the six months that they owned it.

None of the above. This isn't a Corolla, though, it's a Trailblazer; I happened on this discussion and it struck a chord.

We found two similar vehicles listed ... one 50 miles north, one 50 miles south. He opted to go south and likes the car. It's pretty close. A little give (no 4WD or sunroof) and take (nav system), but mostly on par with the specs he had before. OTD cost will be a thousand more than last time. Still waiting on the insurance company offer.

I want to say that the company has been great so far about all the issues involved. My concern was more being uninformed on how the NADA values run, when I know that's what the company is basing it on. Thanks to this website, I'm used to being very informed on all my car finanacial decisions. ;-)

Think there's any chance I can get by with telling my husband he's getting a new car for Christmas so he won't be getting a big-screen TV after all?

northman22 · December 2006

I recently was involved in an accident which totaled my newly purchased truck. It was a 1993 Ford f150 xlt with 150,000 miles. It didn't have a scratch on it. It had a rebuilt motor and tranny in it. It also had a camper shell, aluminum wheels, chrome bumpers, custom grille , brand new chrome exhaust, etc. Beautiful truck. I paid 4500 for the truck, other driver was at fault, no insurance. I've been offered 3180 for the truck from my company. High wholesale blue book is 3180, private is 4450 & retail is 5700. I stand to lose $2000 including my deductable. I can't come close to replacing it in my area with the settlement. Truck buyback is 650. I'm not a mechanic and won't be able to part it out. How can I recoup any losses, or am I stuck?

pch101 · December 2006

I think that the generic one-size-fits-all answer is to always fight to get full retail KBB, plus TTL and the value of any recent add-ons and recent repairs. Remember, you are supposed to be receiving replacement cost, and that is the theoretical cost of buying a new car, i.e. paying retail, plus the taxes, doc fees, registration, etc.

Insurance companies try to pay as little as possible, and you need to negotiate. If you have a friend who is a lawyer and who can be aggressive (insurance adjusters are not a group to play nice with), you may want to use him/her as leverage.

Don't accept the first offer (or possibly the second or beyond), and don't compromise on your value. Unfortunately, if you want the maximum, you'll have to be prepared to dig in and do battle.

cccompson · December 2006

Just counter the insurance company by documenting your recent purchase price (it should be on the title or tax receipt). It's value is thus fairly established. Be sure to get sales tax too.

nataliak · December 2006

Hi
My name is Natalia and last week I was hit from behind while making a left turn on a busy street. The driver hit me from behind at 60km/h because he was reading a map. The police charged him with careless driving on the spot. I have not spoken to the appraiser yet to find out whether or not my car is a write-off. Frankly my car is 2 months old and I don't want a re-built car. Any suggestions to sway my insurance (President's Choice - part of Aviva Traders) to give me a new car and not fix this one. I don't want to be paying for a brand new car and driving a rebuilt. If you could please offer me some advice or suggestions to say to the insurance company that would be great.

Kirstie_H · December 2006

1. Wait til you get the appraisal/offer from the insurance company.
2. The other driver's insurance is responsible for paying, not yours, if he is at fault.
3. Read the few posts just before yours for advice on getting the purchase price + tax if your car is totalled.

smittynyc · December 2006

"2. The other driver's insurance is responsible for paying, not yours, if he is at fault."

Unless you have the misfortune of residing in a no-fault state.

However, it seems like the OP is from Canada. They have a modified no-fault system which does assign fault, and the at-fault driver's insurance would probably be on the hook for the payment.

EDIT: I'm wrong (at least with respect to NY state). No-fault only applies to personal injury and liability. If a driver is found to be at fault, then his insurance company is responsible for damage to other drivers' cars (assuming he has insurance).

Kirstie_H · December 2006

Good point, smitty - I hadn't thought of the no-fault state issue.

nataliak · December 2006

I spoke with my insurance company today and was told that the damaged was around $9700, and my car is worth $18600. Is there any way I can get them to replace my car even though the damage is not more than the car's worth? What about the fact that I don't want to be paying for a rebuilt car that is 2 months old, while i'm paying it's 'brand new' price? What are my options now? Especially if I plan to sell it on the open market. Would I have to disclose it as rebuilt? will that even show up on my ownership, or is it buyer beware?

All the help is greatly appreciated.

Natalia

pch101 · December 2006

You have a battle on your hands trying to get the car totalled out. I would begin be getting different estimates with (hopefully) higher damage estimates, and by reviewing the estimate that you've received to make sure that the work it details is appropriate and sufficient for the job.

To the extent that you can, try to get as many new OEM parts as possible (as opposed to used junkyard parts and lookalike parts that were not used by the manufacturer of your car.) Make sure that the cost is not being lowballed in order to get you to accept a repair job when a total might be more appropriate.

If the car has extensive frame damage (and with that kind of repair bill, it just might), that might provide another basis for fighting for a total.

Hopefully, some Canadian posters will see this, as laws vary between the US and Canada, and I presume from province to province.

And again, if you succeed in getting the car totalled, be sure that your settlement on a total includes tax (GST and PST), registration fees, etc., and that the value is based upon the car's retail value. (Kelley Blue Book is a US publication, so you will want to use the Canadian equivalent.)

cccompson · December 2006

If the damages are only slightly more than the value of the vehicle, the insurance company will not total it.

What you need to fight for is its diminished value as a result of having been in a severe collision. Regardless of how well it is repaired, a trained eye will be able to detect that it has been fixed.

lilgto · January 2007

Hello,

Hopefully someone can provide me with some advice concerning a recent accident my daughter was involved in and if her vehicle should be totaled. The other driver was cited at fault, both vehicles were covered by different insurance carriers. As of today the damage to her 2005 Sunfire stands at $6,056.00, to me this vehicle should be totaled due to the amount of damage sustained. It was hit on the driver's side, door, rear quarter, window, rear tire & wheel, were destroyed, damage to the roof line, interior (seats bent over) and damage to the floor pan. According to the estimates more work is to be completed once the vehicle is straightened. Due to the damage and impact I believe this vehicle will never be correct and that the insurance company should total the vehicle. What options does my daughter have in order to make sure this vehicle is totaled or repaired? I believe the damages must reach a figure of 70% of the NADA retail value before it is totaled, is this true?

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

cccompson · January 2007

Tom, the formula (percentage of value to declare it a total loss) used varies somewhat by carrier. I've seen as low as 65% and as high as 85%. The model of vehicle may well affect the calculation as well - the insurer will be selling it if totaled and some cars are more in demand than others. Your daughter's car doesn't sound like it has much appeal as a "builder" for someone down the line. However, it would be good for parts. The initial damage estimate seems a bit low if the damage extended into the roof.

To "make sure" your daughter gets her desired result, she may have to give a little somewhere in the process.

lilgto · January 2007

Thanks for the response and yes that initial estimate to me is low.

isellhondas · January 2007

They deal with people every day who demand their cars be totaled or they want more money than the ins.companies are offering on cars that ARE totalled.

They don't care and they won't listen. They will tell you to take them to court.

dtownfb · January 2007

Is it possible to get another estimate? The car is only worth about $7500.

lilgto · January 2007

That is what we are working on now but according to the bank the NADA retail is around 12,000.00 and basically that is the price we have been finding around the area, which is strange because that is almost what she paid for it new...

kierra · January 2007

My insurance company must have a really high percentage rate that they work with for deciding whether a car is worth repairing or not. I had an accident recently which was my fault due to a lack of driving experience (I'd had my license less than a month on the day of the accident). I did 8,200 dollars worth of damage to my Saturn Ion but my insurance has decided to repair and not total the car.

Ultimately it's up to them what happens but that car was worth 12,000 at the most due to it being an automatic with a lot of extra options (former rental car) so it's really scary to think that I'm going to be driving this car again after it sustained so much damage. It's at a really reputable body shop and the insurance plus the body shop have said that I won't be able to tell the car has been in an accident once it's repaired but it's still scary.

Anyone had that much damage done to their car and had no major problems after the repair? I'm not going to fight them to total the car but I wonder if maybe they should have. I should have the car back next week.

picture: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/starladustangel/carwreck.jpg

lilgto · February 2007

As for problems after the repair, I really do believe there will always be problems because so many body shops today just want to get it in and out as quickly as they can. It will also depend on how "picky" you are when it comes to flaws, noise, etc. We had a vehicle that was vandalized about a year ago and now there are flaws starting to show up in the paint. Same way with another vehicle we had repaired years ago, about 4 years after the repair the lower quarter panel started to rust which is due to the "used" replacement quarter the body shop installed. Best of luck to you...

explorerx4 · February 2007

you may want to ask your insurance company about problems you find in the future.

lilgto · February 2007

In most cases insurance companies will cover the repairs only if it was repaired by one of their preferred vendors. In any case it is the constant headache of having your car in a repair facility...

explorerx4 · February 2007

when i had one of my vehicles repaired at the 'preferred vendor' out of state, due to the location of the accident, the local guy was able to finish up what should have been done in the first place, and correct the additional damage done at the first repair facility, no questions asked.

kierra · February 2007

The actual damage to the car was around 4,700. The final price to the body shop was around 9000 once labor, storage (the car sat there for two weeks while the insurance made a decision), sales tax etc was added on.

I got the car back on February 5th from the body shop. The check engine light was on so I took it back to the body shop. They didn't have the equipment to check the engine code there so I made an appointment with my car dealership to have it checked. Yesterday, the dealership checked the engine and found a cracked plastic intake valve which had been missed. Even they had trouble finding it. So I contacted my insurance company who sent the adjuster out to check if this was accident related. The insurance decided it was so they took my car back to the body shop and are going to be paying for this repair. My adjustor tells me I'll have the car back today so today I call the body shop who says tomorrow or maybe Friday. I don't have rental car coverage through my insurance so in the meantime I'm stuck on the bus which is really frustrating due to it taking twice as long to get me from work to home as my car can.

The car overall looks and sounds fine while driving it so I'm hoping there are no other hidden problems. I noticed the cigarrette light adaptor was dead when I plugged my cell phone in it but the insurance says it can't be proven that was accident related although it worked fine before so I'll have to pay to get that fixed.

lilgto · February 2007

The repair total to my daughter's vehicle is up to a little over $7,000.00. We received a call from the body shop informing us that the vehicle was finished and ready for us to pick up. After looking over the repairs I had to inform the body shop we would not be taking this vehicle until the numerous flaws were fixed, repaired or replaced. The rear bumper panel was not even attached, Sanding marks were visible on different areas that was painted, the "B" Pillar replacement part (used) was full of numerous dents, side view mirror (used) looked like it had seen better days, interior door panel was faded(used) numerous pitts and scratches in the new paint and last thing that I just shook my head about was the back seat still was not installed properly and I found tools left behind by one of the techs... I don't even want to know what it is going to be like when we finally drive it down the road. After 2 months of repairs and the insurance company still paying for a rental car I think they would have been a little bit more intelligent to total this vehicle that is for sure...

Your frontal impact more than likely caused the cracked in the intake system as for your cigarette lighter adaptor, take your vehicle to a vendor that you can trust and have them make the determination that it was caused by the accident. Something was probably knocked loose due the impact or maybe the body shop did something...

toyoman1 · March 2007

So I had my dream Accord a total of a month and a half. I was driving home from the hospital after a 12 hour shift it was about 530p, and coming down a two lane each way highway guess what happens. A man in a 18 wheeler turns in front of me. I jam on the brakes and swerve right to avoid hitting the semi. I hit the curb at about 55mph and jumped it, slamming back down onto the road he was turning onto. I slid in front of him and across that road, before hitting another curb and sliding the accord down an embankment. The police department issued the SEMI driver a ticket for failure to yeild, and leaving the scene of an accident. Yeah he drove off. The guy behind me chased him and called the PD. Both witnesses backed my story and I was found not at fault.

Now, about my baby. Could anyone take a stab in the dark as to what could have all been damaged by this kind of impact. The car drove onto the flatbed, just with two flat tires up front and the front rims damaged. Car was still running when I came to a stop. I was wondering if the curb could have caused frame damage? Anyone think it might have? And do you all think the the suspension could be jacked up? Anyways... today sucks... I lost my baby, hopefully not permanently. Be in the end she kept me safe. GO HONDA!!!

bob311 · March 2007

I just received a Italian motorcycle that I had been searching for 2 years....Color Italian red, mileage, just over what is allowed to be imported into California (7500 min. had 7521).
The KBB shows $7995 for this bike, but they are not made anymore (Since 2004), not available except for a few high mileage or Salvage titled bikes in CA.
Repairs due to parts looks like about $8000. Mechanically the bike was perfect on the laser alignment. All the damage is front end plastic, and supports. The adjuster refused to look at the bike at my residence and required me to take it to a shop, and for them to perform an estimate. (Cost about $800 so far).

Since this is a 3rd party settlement, how can I force the company to make me whole??? It is not possible to purchase the same bike in California, and they would prohibit the importation of an out of state bike that had less than my mileage at time of accident.

I am patient so do not care if it takes some months.

Also I am happy to do my own repairs if we reach a settlement.

Suggestions....

(Some times money is not the answer)

mcgrawp1173 · April 2007

I was involved in a accident on Feb. 25, 2007, Someone turned in front of me and I hit them head on. The accident was ruled the other persons fault. My airbags never deployed although we were traveling around 40 mph upon impact. I am looking over copies of the repair bill which was around $10,000 in damage. They repaired stuff normal cosmetic stuff and I also notice where they had to replace the engine cradle mounts on both sides in the front and reinforce the side rail. I am wondering if I should really be concerned about this??? Toyota now has my car and they are investigating the airbag issue. The front of my car looked like I had hit a tree and even the bodyshop was a little surprised that the insurance company did not total the car. I am pregnant and have two small children. I don't feel that I will ever feel safe in my car again. What can I do??? :sick:

Replacement Cost by Insurance Company for Totaled Vehicle

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