Crashed my WS6! Insurance question

**casper6871** · 08-09-2006, 07:24 PM

Not my fault but either way my pride and joy, never driven in the rain, never spent the night outside prestine WS6 just got devalued today.

Got hit on the right rear qtr panel and door, busted the rear, tweaked the frame, looks real bad to me. Looking at the tailights one side is higher than the other. At what point would they total it and if they did where would they get the value from?

anyone had to deal with this??

**ss~zoso~ss** · 08-09-2006, 07:37 PM

i believe if the damage is more money than the car is worth then its totalled, my guess is that its not

**0rion** · 08-09-2006, 08:20 PM

Glad you're ok and sorry to hear about your car. If the frame is bent I would bet they total it. I'm not sure exactly on where they get their numbers but I do know you'll have to fight to get what you think it's worth out of them. Make sure to point out it's the last year of the model and would've been a collector car. If/when they total it, buy it back and part the car out. You'll make a little more of your money back that way. Sorry to hear about that and hopefully there isn't frame damage and it's just body mounts but if your rear broke that sounds like a hard hit.

**gnomee** · 08-09-2006, 09:10 PM

They will try and control the situation and act like what they say is final. You need to be aware that what you say is final. If you lay out the terms and specify what you want and don't take no for an answer they will cave eventually. My dad got rear ended several years ago in his work van and the insurance company dicked him around for over a month. They totalled the van.

His terms were
1. We want the van (none of that buy it back bull shit either. Sometimes depending on the agency that will not happen you will have to "buy it back" Either way they are giving it back though, just giving you less money)
2. We want the x value for the van
3. I want this much compensation plus my bills paid

If its the other drivers fault they are completely at your mercy. As long as them hitting you was there fault, they are at blame and they owe you pretty much whatever you want to keep it out of court. Don't get CRAZY though, just get your car, what Blue book says its worth + whatever you think it could have been worth since it is the last year, and all your bills etc...

Sorry it was so long winded, but I hate to see people cheated because they are miss informed and the insurance agency's love it when they can bully you around.

**SteveC** · 08-10-2006, 03:42 AM

Generally speaking, if the air bags deploy, the vehicle is totalled.

SteveC

**Sarge** · 08-10-2006, 04:20 AM

Originally Posted by gnomee

They will try and control the situation and act like what they say is final. You need to be aware that what you say is final. If you lay out the terms and specify what you want and don't take no for an answer they will cave eventually. My dad got rear ended several years ago in his work van and the insurance company dicked him around for over a month. They totalled the van.

His terms were
1. We want the van (none of that buy it back bull shit either. Sometimes depending on the agency that will not happen you will have to "buy it back" Either way they are giving it back though, just giving you less money)
2. We want the x value for the van
3. I want this much compensation plus my bills paid

If its the other drivers fault they are completely at your mercy. As long as them hitting you was there fault, they are at blame and they owe you pretty much whatever you want to keep it out of court. Don't get CRAZY though, just get your car, what Blue book says its worth + whatever you think it could have been worth since it is the last year, and all your bills etc...

Sorry it was so long winded, but I hate to see people cheated because they are miss informed and the insurance agency's love it when they can bully you around.

Dead on...very good advice^^^

**casper6871** · 08-10-2006, 04:43 AM

Thanks so much for the advice and keep it coming. she rattled off that NADA was over 21k and that was from my insurance co. I never intended to sell it so i really havent kept up with the value. The airbags did not deploy but i think its because of where it was hit (on the side).

**SSwt00SS** · 08-10-2006, 05:25 AM

They will total out a vehicle if the cost to repair the vehicle exceeds 70% of the value of the car. I know this because I was T-boned in my old 95z28 on the passenger side, screwed the wheel, the quater panel, rear bumper, blew the tire, busted the lower control arm, dislodged the rear spring (which made the rear axle look bent), and just clipped the passenger door. I took it to 3 different body shops for estimates before I even let my insurance company look at my car (state farm). I then took my car to them on a trailer and they gave me an estimate. Between those 4 estimates I got we worked out a number that was just below "totaled out" price. My dad and I did all the mechanical work ($80 for a lower control arm, $100 for a wheel and tire) and nothing else was messed up mechanically, no frame damage, etc. Took it to the lowest estimated certified State Farm Collision Center and they fixed me up in no time. I pocketed about $3000 from my insurance from going this route and my car still carried a CLEAN title. You have options so be thorough in researching them all. I'm glad to hear you're ok, and sorry to hear about your car.

**casper6871** · 08-11-2006, 07:20 PM

Well its a total.... over 16k in damages.... RIP baby... :-(

**casper6871** · 08-13-2006, 08:27 PM

So now they are going to offer me something on it. He said it retailed for 21500.00. I am thinking of trying for more than that as i see them selling for more. Thinking of buying it back and back halving it..... everthing that is damaged needs to be cut out any way as most of the damage was done with the axle being ripped out from under the car....