Car Insurance Claim

[rockyfatcat]

This young girl totalled my Blazer. So I'm dealing with her insurance company.

Had a brand new Diehard, nice aftermarket wheels with high dollar tires, and an aftermarket trailer hitch. So i suggested all of that should get some some "consideration".

Adjuster sent me a nice letter, saying none of that added any value to the vehicle.

Well, I'm a go along get along kind of guy and come Saturday me and my dad head for the recovery yard. The operator gives us some flak about how he has to get some permission from the insurance company, i show him my title, and ask him does he want to explain to the police why he is denying me access to my vehicle.

So me and dad pull the battery, put on the original tires with some $5 junkyard tires, and take off the trailer hitch.

Bright and early Monday morning, I get this irate call from the adjuster about how I was committing insurance fraud, he was going to have me arrested, I was going to jail, blah, blah, blah.

I pointed out to him that
(a) it was still my vehicle and I could do anything I wanted with any part of it (the vehicle was paid for).

(b) he hadn't paid me anything so there was no insurance fraud, and best of all,

(c) I had this letter o this really nice stationary with his signature, saying all that stuff had NO value. Thank you very much.

What i knew from dealing with adjusters for years is that all those aftermarket accessories don't show up on the vehicle paperwork. The recovery company skims them off, and kicks money back to the adjuster. That's the primary reason they are so hard nosed about paying out anything for aftermarket stuff.

I think it’s because now that they received notification from the yard holding your vehicle that you removed bits from the car. Now they have to go back and re-evaluate the value of the vehicle. Time the adjustor is out.

I think you’re on solid ground legally with the removal of your aftermarket parts. Although you probably didn’t make any friends with your insurance adjuster.

Be prepared with your own comparable vehicles for price negotiation. While they can grab any dozen vehicles from Craigslist to say it is comparable.

Years ago my dad had a 60’s vw bug in mint condition. It ran perfectly. I rebuilt the motor (remember DIY and no receipt) and he Adjusted the valves once a month religiously.

The insurance company found that vehicle could be replaced for $600. That only got a 20 year old beater that he invested a grand into to make it where he was at before.

Knowing what I know now. I would have taken it to court before setting for what he accepted.

Do your homework and know exactly how many miles and every optional equipment and shop apples to apples and have your own list of vehicles that are for sale in as similar condition. Where they are for sale and the asking price.

I am not telling you to invent a few Craigslist posts if you don’t have many vehicles that are comparable. But if your car is not very common, or the condition is extraordinary, I would bring in ads from surrounding areas.

But the law is they cannot make you better off, or worse off than you were before.

 

[linebacker]

Never accept the first offer they make to you, NEVER.

 

[BanjoJohn]

I think it’s because now that they received notification from the yard holding your vehicle that you removed bits from the car. Now they have to go back and re-evaluate the value of the vehicle. Time the adjustor is out.

I think you’re on solid ground legally with the removal of your aftermarket parts. Although you probably didn’t make any friends with your insurance adjuster.

Be prepared with your own comparable vehicles for price negotiation. While they can grab any dozen vehicles from Craigslist to say it is comparable.

Years ago my dad had a 60’s vw bug in mint condition. It ran perfectly. I rebuilt the motor (remember DIY and no receipt) and he Adjusted the valves once a month religiously.

The insurance company found that vehicle could be replaced for $600. That only got a 20 year old beater that he invested a grand into to make it where he was at before.

Knowing what I know now. I would have taken it to court before setting for what he accepted.

Do your homework and know exactly how many miles and every optional equipment and shop apples to apples and have your own list of vehicles that are for sale in as similar condition. Where they are for sale and the asking price.

I am not telling you to invent a few Craigslist posts if you don’t have many vehicles that are comparable. But if your car is not very common, or the condition is extraordinary, I would bring in ads from surrounding areas.

But the law is they cannot make you better off, or worse off than you were before.

I had a 85 K5 Blazer that had some severe "deer" damage. The adjuster told me that the average selling price for a 85 Chevy Silverado K 5 Blazer was $1,250.00.

I told her that I would take a dozen, if they were comparable, to mine.

I took it upon myself to price compare. I found a 84 for $7,900.00 and a 86 that wasn't a Silverado for $8,200.00.

They spent $6,500.00 repairing my Blazer.

Most of the people i run across with some type of authority are either liars and blow smoke up your ass, or just plain ignorant and do not know of what they speak.

 

[rockyfatcat]

I had a 85 K5 Blazer that had some severe "deer" damage. The adjuster told me that the average selling price for a 85 Chevy Silverado K 5 Blazer was $1,250.00.

I told her that I would take a dozen, if they were comparable, to mine.

I took it upon myself to price compare. I found a 84 for $7,900.00 and a 86 that wasn't a Silverado for $8,200.00.

They spent $6,500.00 repairing my Blazer.

Most of the people i run across with some type of authority are either liars and blow smoke up your ass, or just plain ignorant and do not know of what they speak.

Fantastic! The power of the informed consumer. The things we (unfortunately) learn the hard way.

 

[BanjoJohn]

Fantastic! The power of the informed consumer. The things we (unfortunately) learn the hard way.

I stay on the "list" because I question "authority", especially when they know not of what they speak.
Those with "Authority" don't like to be questioned or proven wrong.
I've had some retaliate and not only lose their "authority", but also lose their job.