Dealing with Insurance

[Kuato]

A quick look shows that $250 being the “trade in” value, private party resale is $1,000-$1,500 and a quick look of what’s available from dealers shows them in the $3,000 to $7,000 range. I’d tell the insurance company they need to do better than less than friggin scrap value. Heck, my brother in law just told me they’d give him $900 for both his crap box Nissan that’s living on head gasket in a bottle and a questionable S10.

This.

They have to return your mother to where she was before the accident… That is, with a vehicle in good condition of that same year and approximate miles. So find three examples of her vehicle at current market price and submit those to the other insurance company as comps. Be sure to print the online costs and don't accept less. If they balk, a strongly worded letter using the words "bad faith" along with "made whole" should get the right amount. That's for a total.

They are not required to pay salvage, ($250 is an insult) but -again- to restore your mother to where she was prior to the accident.

 

[RhondaHonda]

This.

They have to return your mother to where she was before the accident… That is, with a vehicle in good condition of that same year and approximate miles. So find three examples of her vehicle at current market price and submit those to the other insurance company as comps. Be sure to print the online costs and don't accept less. If they balk, a strongly worded letter using the words "bad faith" along with "made whole" should get the right amount. That's for a total.

They are not required to pay salvage, ($250 is an insult) but -again- to restore your mother to where she was prior to the accident.

Mostly right but bad faith only applies when dealing with your own insurance company. As a claimant she has no bad faith claim.

 

[Owen Lucas]

This.

They have to return your mother to where she was before the accident… That is, with a vehicle in good condition of that same year and approximate miles. So find three examples of her vehicle at current market price and submit those to the other insurance company as comps. Be sure to print the online costs and don't accept less. If they balk, a strongly worded letter using the words "bad faith" along with "made whole" should get the right amount. That's for a total.

They are not required to pay salvage, ($250 is an insult) but -again- to restore your mother to where she was prior to the accident.

It will be hard to find comparable vehicles with 390k miles on them. The insurance companies report will probably make adjustments for mileage to level the playing field. I don't think an insurance company will just use Kelly Blue Book, the actual price has to be based on comparable vehicles, which they will probably already have sourced the vehicles you would present to them so you want to make sure that they didn't screw up the report in any way. Basically don't accept any offers, look it over, run it by BITOG, and give it a few days.

 

[eljefino]

It will be hard to find comparable vehicles with 390k miles on them. The insurance companies report will probably make adjustments for mileage to level the playing field. I don't think an insurance company will just use Kelly Blue Book, the actual price has to be based on comparable vehicles, which they will probably already have sourced the vehicles you would present to them so you want to make sure that they didn't screw up the report in any way. Basically don't accept any offers, look it over, run it by BITOG, and give it a few days.

True, but too bad. The insurance needs to find her another running midsize sedan at a dealer, including tax and title. The fact that there's a price floor for anything in this category is not OP's mom's problem. If insurance can manage to find another one with 390k that's safe to drive, they can offer her the asking price for that.

 

[aquariuscsm]

She won't get any more than what the book says it's worth. That's just the way it is unfortunately.

 

[bullwinkle]

What planet would that be on? In this market......

I said decent, reliable-not beautiful, low mileage, desirable, etc... It is a 390,000 mile Taurus, after all-but even a beat up anything drivable will be $2-3K at least.

 

[Kuato]

Found one on Autotrader with 163k. Called the dealer, and they said they are putting it on the market for $4695. So based on the difference in mileage I don't think $2000 to $3000 would be unreasonable for replacement cost.

Best of luck Creekside, let us know what happens.

 

[Creekside]

Found one on Autotrader with 163k. Called the dealer, and they said they are putting it on the market for $4695. So based on the difference in mileage I don't think $2000 to $3000 would be unreasonable for replacement cost.

Best of luck Creekside, let us know what happens.

Thank you, I got to see the car today for the first time and it’s not as bad as I expected. Should they work out a deal where she keeps it I believe I can fix it. Will need a trunk lid and the back of the trunk pushed out a half an inch or so. I was able to get the lid latched with a little fussing with it. Theres a gap between the lid and seal on driver’s side about an inch where it is bowed up. Found a lid the proper color at pick and pull about an hour away. We’ll see what insurance does for now.

 

[Creekside]

Just providing an update, the other insurance company accepted the repair estimate from the body shop she had check the car out. They will be repairing it and providing a rental while it’s in the shop. We have used this body shop before with great results. Looks like all will be back to normal soon. The Taurus lives another day....

 

[Pew]

Or....

AHHHH! MY BACK! MY NECK! MY BACK AND MY NECK!

 

[Creekside]

Figured I'd post an update here. The car ended up not being repaired, she worked out some kind of deal but I don't know the details. Fast forward to last week, it had been in the shop for rear brakes and a new heater hose assembly. The day after she got it back she nailed a deer with it. Ruined the hood, right headlight, bumper, grille and header panel. I tore into it today to get a list of parts to get at pick and pull including the rear trunk lid and bumper from the accident from a few months ago. Happened to hit up FB Marketplace and found the same car(different color but that's an easy fix) not far from us with a blown head gasket for $600. Should have it this week and well get to work putting hers back together. I'm getting this thing to 400,000 miles if I have to drag it the last couple thousand. The parts car should keep it alive for 18-24 months until she retires.

 

[alarmguy]

deleted

 

[zzyzzx]

Please post some wreck pictures!

 

[Cujet]

As always, insurance companies must make you whole. However, they are experts at underpaying, and will often offer an absurdly low "settlement". This is all they do, insurance companies deal with the same issues over and over again, on an hourly basis. You on the other hand are suddenly thrust into the situation, without all of the information, and often unaware of all that you are entitled to.

A replacement vehicle is expensive today, and finding a cheap, reliable vehicle is not a simple matter.

Also, don't forget about rental cars, taxi/uber, registration/title fees, taxes, dealer fees and so on. You are likely entitled to all of that.

 

[2005jettatdi]

As always, insurance companies must make you whole. However, they are experts at underpaying, and will often offer an absurdly low "settlement". This is all they do, insurance companies deal with the same issues over and over again, on an hourly basis. You on the other hand are suddenly thrust into the situation, without all of the information, and often unaware of all that you are entitled to.

A replacement vehicle is expensive today, and finding a cheap, reliable vehicle is not a simple matter.

Also, don't forget about rental cars, taxi/uber, registration/title fees, taxes, dealer fees and so on. You are likely entitled to all of that.

This is it. The insurance company has to make you whole. She was entitled to a car in the same running condition as before the accident. Mileage is not an issue, condition is. If someone destroys my Jetta, I am will NOT settle for any blue book value. If you have to sue the other driver to get made whole, then that is what you do. Usually the threat is all that is needed since the legal fees will cost the insurance company far more.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I'm getting this thing to 400,000 miles if I have to drag it the last couple thousand

I like the way you think!

 

[Creekside]

Didn’t get any before pics before I tore it down but we started back together with the parts from the parts car we bought. I wanted to paint everything but a 20-30 degree cold snap and no shop has killed that plan. The goal is to get it together so she can start driving it instead of her F250 on the 100 mile round trip and maybe worry about paint later. Everything is going together really well. The blue car had a blown head gasket. Gotta bolt the hood on, align it and then move on to the trunk damage.