Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: Hi, i have a huge
Hi, i have a huge problem! I recently was involved in a major accident two and a half hours away from my home. The damages were all to the front end and were major. The guy who called to discuss estimates with me says it is not a total loss but that he cannot promise that there is not frame damage. My air bags also did not deploy. I do not want this car back but the insurance company does not seem to favor it. This is a loaded out 2006 Trailblazer EXT leather with all the options. The damages are over 11,000$ with some slight bending of the center frame. I do not want this car back because i know that it will never be the same and I haul my children in this car. So far, my options seem to be that they cut me a check for the $11,000 minus deductable and sell my car at auction- whatever it brings they send to me also. This seems like I'm getting screwed hard as this vehicle is destroyed and will probably bring less than 3-4 thousand. I owe 170000 on the car. What can I do ??
I do not want this car back because i know that it will never be the same and I haul my children in this car.
How do you know this? That is pretty much the main question I have.
My guess is that you've heard that once a frame is bent, it will never be the same. If so, this is what people said 10 to 15 years ago and does not really apply these days. The technology to straighten frames has become much better. Also, the insurance company should not pay for nor should the shop perform work that is not recommended by the manufacture of the vehicle. _That_ is key here. If the manufacture does not state that the repair is unsafe then you can be assured that it's fine as the manufacture is not going to put their neck on the line for something like this. But it also comes down to the competency of the repair center. Some are better then others and you need to feel comfortable with the repair center.
You owe a lot on this vehicle ($170,0000). But what you owe is not a factor at all in the claim. It's the value of the vehicle that matters. If the repair cost is close to 80% of it's _value_ then you might be able to talk the adjuster into totalling it out. Let the adjuster know that you'd rather have it totalled, that there are probably going to be several supplements (your guessing) so if the cost to repair is under 80%, but close, that they may want to consider it a total loss at this time. If the cost to repair is well under 80% of the vehicles value, then they will most likely only pay for the repairs.
As you mentioned, you can take the repair money and sell the vehicle in order to buy another. That is your choice. But the insurance company only owes for either the repair cost or the value of the vehicle, which ever is less.
I do not want this car back because i know that it will never be the same and I haul my children in this car.
Tcope, has explained this fully, unfortunately you don't get to pick...I might suggest repairing it then trading it in. _________________ Have you been helped by a poster? Do you want to show your appreciation? YOU CAN !! Just simply click on the donate button and send them some coin!
Well, I guess that there is a problem with the number of zeros in the figure...as the OP has written
Quote:
they cut me a check for the $11,000 minus deductable and sell my car at auction- whatever it brings they send to me also. This seems like I'm getting screwed hard as this vehicle is destroyed and will probably bring less than 3-4 thousand.
However, tcope's explanation is absolutely exhaustive and requires no further elaboration.
Hi Jenny, I'm not sure if there is any way available to persuade the insurer to total out a vehicle as long as it is repairable. Tcope is right, most of the insurer will only consider the vehicle as 'totaled' when its cost of repair will exceed a certain percentage of its value.
Sorry to hear about your car and the rough time you're having with the insurance company. It sounds like you don't have many options at this point. I wish there was more to add but it seems that tcope has beat us all to the punch and covered the topic very well.
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i agree with the above posters.
Probably the best option would be to use the 11k, fix it, drive it and finish paying it off. maybe you can petition to bump up the 11k to something higher?
But what you owe is not a factor at all in the claim. It's the value of the vehicle that matters. If the repair cost is close to 80% of it's _value_ then you might be able to talk the adjuster into totalling it out. Let the adjuster know that you'd rather have it totalled, that there are probably going to be several supplements (your guessing) so if the cost to repair is under 80%, but close, that they may want to consider it a total loss at this time. If the cost to repair is well under 80% of the vehicles value, then they will most likely only pay for the repairs.
