Anyone had a car totaled and filed with your own insurance?

[yeti rider]

This year will be my 24th year in the collision repair industry. If you trust the body shop you have chosen, they should be able to help you with all of these questions. Most big insurance companies either have their own formula for figuring out the value of your vehicle, or use something like NADA
I would highly recommend trying to settle with the other company as a claimant. Like someone stated before, you may, or may not get your deductible back in the end if you use your own carrier. If things go south using the other party's insurance company, your company is contractually obligated to cover your loss. I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have over a pm if you'd like (nothing in it for me, i've just done this a lot). Also, as someone else has mentioned, make sure you get sales tax and license plate transfer fees in your settlement. You can't buy a new car without paying those fees. Feel free to ask anymore questions.

 

[K_W]

My agent assures me the taxes, fees, and deductible will all be accounted for.

Our family has had a few claims with my insurer in the past all settled to our satisfaction... unlike my experience twice before with the other car's insurer.

 

[K_W]

It's official, the car is totaled.

The body shop guy talked to me before he was even finished the damage estimate; he was already up to $11000 and stopped.

The adjuster called a half hour later made it official. She's going to turn the paperwork in to the total loss guy and says the check should be cut by tomorrow evening if I approve the settlement.

I sent the adjuster a copy of the receipt for my nearly new tires and the body shop has noted the car is in near immaculate condition with no mechanical faults or existing damage, I should get top value for the car. They are going to get my deductible back too.

If not I'm going to make a lot of noise, especially since it's my insurance.

 

[Alamo]

I guess this is late, but...

+1 USAA. I've had them since 1982 for auto except for while I was in Germany, and they have been great. Few years ago my nephew borrowed my Dodge pickup, was thinking about buying it from me, and got T-boned at an intersection, not his fault. Other party admitted. I didn't owe on the truck, USAA gave me pretty good value on it (especially since it had some body damage already), and the only hiccup was I realized that USAA didn't know I had a camper shell on it. When I told them, they gave me choice of reclaiming the shell or they would pay for it too. I had no other dodge to put it on, so it went with the truck and they bumped up my check. So they gave me credit for stuff I had added to the truck.

I went to the salvage yard where it had been towed to get my personal stuff, and I was surprised they didn't take me to the truck -- instead they brought to the truck to me. Guy on BIG forklift picked it up from the back someplace and brought it right up to the office just inside the gate and set it down.

It was a really easy process and I thought USAA treated me pretty well. My nephew was bummed he didn't get to buy the truck, he wanted that Cummins diesel in it.

 

[calcot7]

All I can say is that you better hope that it is totaled. My wife was rear-ended in 2009 in her 2005 Camry SE. The car had been maintained well and there was no body damage or rust anywhere. Accept for a few light dings and minor scratches the car was in great shape. The insurance company of the person that hit her wouldn't total it because even with the amount of damage that was incurred it would still be less expensive to repair it. The difference wasn't that much. After the car was finished being repaired I had to take it back twice for inferior workmanship. By 2011 rust was coming through the exterior of the panels below the doors on n both sides, right where the damaged part met the undamaged part.

 

[K_W]

All I can say is that you better hope that it is totaled. My wife was rear-ended in 2009 in her 2005 Camry SE. The car had been maintained well and there was no body damage or rust anywhere. Accept for a few light dings and minor scratches the car was in great shape. The insurance company of the person that hit her wouldn't total it because even with the amount of damage that was incurred it would still be less expensive to repair it. The difference wasn't that much. After the car was finished being repaired I had to take it back twice for inferior workmanship. By 2011 rust was coming through the exterior of the panels below the doors on n both sides, right where the damaged part met the undamaged part.

It is totaled, adjuster told me today. Post #23

 

[Brandon]

Both times I was involved in a wreck (both not my fault) my insurance waved the deductible.

 

[K_W]

Both times I was involved in a wreck (both not my fault) my insurance waved the deductible.

I'm 1/2 as lucky. My agent and adjuster said it would be deducted from claim but then should be refunded after final settlement.

 

[Brandon]

I'm 1/2 as lucky. My agent and adjuster said it would be deducted from claim but then should be refunded after final settlement.

I was lucky, I guess both people that hit me said they would pay the deductible/damages. Neither of them had insurance.

 

[SteveM4A1]

I was lucky, I guess both people that hit me said they would pay the deductible/damages. Neither of them had insurance.

Some companies offer waivers of deductibles in cases like this. It is usually in the more expensive packages with other coverages, but well worth it IMO.

 

[K_W]

I have talked to my adjuster several times, removed all my non-bolted-down add-ons, accessories, and belongings out of the car. I meet with my third party appraiser (hired by my Ins. Company) next week to appraise the car.

I am nervous about the appraisal as I know the car truly was in above average condition but had some MINOR flaws and some previous non structural work; quarter panel & bumper cover (OEM parts) and most importantly... fresh quality paint.

I am worried he finds something I never knew about and my car is now worth peanuts.

I did get a copy of the crash report and the girl did admit she hit me, saying she saw me "slow or stop" and "the brakes" could not stop her in time.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

My 10 Mustang caught fire and burned up last year about this time, no other car involved, and I learned a couple of things. It was free & clear, exceptionally low mileage, and practically showroom new, but I had no documentation to prove that. The odometer was electronic, and was destroyed in the fire. Geico had to estimate the mileage due to age, so I was paid for a 68K car when it hadn't even hit 19K. I didn't have any dated service records because I hadn't driven it far enough to have anything go wrong. I lost money there and lost my deductible. On the 12 I'm taking pictures of the odometer periodically. I had it towed to the body shop, and the next day I went to get my stuff out of the trunk. Did you know there's no way to open the trunk on one of those from the outside without the system being in working order? I had to take a prybar to the trunk lid, which was probably the most valuable part remaining (yeah, the FD took their time getting there). I took the license plate, but the registration was no longer. Geico treated me right otherwise, but I may have to sue Ford, as I've since discovered this has been a problem in that series. If it does anybody any good to know, the hydraulic assist on the clutch blew out, and the spewing fluid ignited.

 

[Scout]

I had a vehicle get totalled. I let a friend drive it and she hit a pole. I had Geico at the time, they told me to remove my personal belongings and would send someone to pick it up and take it from fort Wayne to Goshen so they could inspect it. I took everything out, personal stuff, new stereo, amp and subs. After a few days they called to lete know they would total it, and head me meet a guy in town to pick up my check.

The other one that got totalled was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I was rear ended. I opted to keep it as it was still drivable and paid for. That didnt take long to settle.