cash out on auto insurance claim based on a higher estimate?

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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:07 pm Post subject: cash out on auto insurance claim based on a higher estimate?

I filed a not at fault comprehensive claim and an appraiser hired by my insurance company gave me a low ball estimate and I received a check minus deductible. Meanwhile I had another estimate made by a DRP shop my insurer initially "recommended". The second estimate came out almost twice as much. My insurance company told me that they are going to send me another check for the difference. Am I looking for trouble haggling with my insurance company like that? Do they expect most people to either have the car fixed or accept an initial low estimate if the insured opts for cash out? By contacting their DRP facility directly I basically forced them to give me a more realistic estimate without having the car fixed there. And I can still keep the cash if I want to, right? That means that I am costing my insurance company more than they expected. Can they choose to include me in some kind of a pain in the butt category and drop me or raise the premium?

cough77

New member

Joined: 24 Jun 2009
Posts: 1

1.44 Dollars($)

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:49 am Post subject:

Hi Cough77,

Have you ever expressed your desire not to repair the car to the adjuster? Why do you feel that you were low-balled?

Quote:

Meanwhile I had another estimate made by a DRP shop my insurer initially "recommended".

What do you mean by initially recommended? Have you later on taken your vehicle to another bodyshop?

I guess the adjuster would only pay for the difference if you get the car fixed at their suggested bodyshop and most likely the claim check would bear the name of the bodyshop instead. Hence, the money wouldn't come to you directly.

Quote:

Do they expect most people to either have the car fixed or accept an initial low estimate if the insured opts for cash out?

They don't expect anything. If the car is repairable they would pay to fix it.

Anyway, you always have the right to negotiate the value if you feel that they are trying to lowball the claim, but your claim should be based on evidences.

~Jeremy

JeremyHolter

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Joined: 06 Jun 2007
Posts: 1194

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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:25 am Post subject:

Hi Cough77..

Quote:

My insurance company told me that they are going to send me another check for the difference.

Well, I guess this is the most interesting part of your experience..

Did they come up with any explanation of why they didn't write the correct amount initially?

Quote:

By contacting their DRP facility directly I basically forced them to give me a more realistic estimate without having the car fixed there.

Does this mean that you always believed the DRP estimate to be unrealistic?

Don't you think it's strange that your automobile insurance carrier would issue another check without investigating the true worth of the settlement?

Thanks, Roddick

roddick

Senior member