My car got hit... Kinda

[maxfax]

Pending on the company, how things work in your state, and the costs involved, they may just tell you to go get an estimate or 3.. IF you have someone who can give you a quick estimate, it may not hurt to at least have an idea..  The more info you are armed with, the less likely you are to get screwed...

 Does Maine allow you to register a car with a salvage title for the road???

[shwak23]

Eh my neighbor recommended we report it. I just did what he wanted. I offered to let him just buy me a used hatch or whatever but he asked his Mother what he should do and she said call the insurance company. Meh. I dunno. We'll see what happens.

Edit: Yeah Maine pretty much lets you do whatever you want compared to most states. We have a state inspection but it's not hard to get a car passed. I think you just apply for a rebuilt title or something but i'm not even sure it matters on cars 15 years or older. I'd have to do more research.

[burn_your_money]

I think you just apply for a rebuilt title or something but i'm not even sure it matters on cars 15 years or older. I'd have to do more research.

Make sure you get this figured out BEFORE you put in a claim.

[R.O.R-2.0]

I think you just apply for a rebuilt title or something but i'm not even sure it matters on cars 15 years or older. I'd have to do more research.

Make sure you get this figured out BEFORE you put in a claim.

in the USA, if your car has ever been totalled, you get a branded title.. even if the car has been fixed perfect..

[clbanman]

In Ontario once the insurance companies are required to allow you to choose who will do the estimate for repair.   I only had to get one quote the last time this happened, and I wanted the car written off, so I got a quote from the dealer.

Again in Ontario, if you do get it written off and buy it back, the title will always stay branded as previously mentioned, but to put it back on the road the car needs a full safety inspection.

[R.O.R-2.0]

yea, see, the good ol us of a doesnt give a damn if you are driving an unsafe vehicle on the road, for the most part.. its amazing some of the rigs you see driving down the road. they would not pass a canadian safety inspection..

[ToddA1]

in the USA, if your car has ever been totalled, you get a branded title.. even if the car has been fixed perfect..

That rule doesn't apply in NJ.  I've had many cars given back to me at no charge, with no change in title.  Those cars were stripped and junked.  I had a car totaled 2 summers ago and that was the first time I was ever charged a salvage fee to get it back.  I fixed it and it's not a salvage title....  It'll likely show up "totaled" in a carfax report, but it's a standard title.

-Todd

[jasonsansfleece]

From the picture you posted it looks like an easy fix.
Some sand paper, bondo and a can of spray paint.
You can usually find a close enough paint match at VIP or Autozone.

An option if you did not want to deal with the car being written off

[shwak23]

I have enough time on my hands to really drag this out. I don't mind if the car gets totaled. I'll just buy it back from them... Buy a used hatch. Get it painted and put the rest of the money into things I need like injectors, calipers, and turbo install.

[ORCoaster]

I have enough time on my hands to really drag this out. I don't mind if the car gets totaled. I'll just buy it back from them... Buy a used hatch. Get it painted and put the rest of the money into things I need like injectors, calipers, and turbo install.

Given the above statement about time is yours, you plan to do the work later and such I would have to say:  Drop the insurance idea, get a few bucks from the neighbor and get to work.  The pictures say to me a very, super easy fix here.  If it was me, it would be done in like an hour.  A little hammer, sandpaper, and bondo work and then some primer.  I wouldn't go to the insurance co. at all.  They are just looking for an excuse to jack your rates.  Keep your strikes against yourself for the speeding tickets and such.  Claims just don't look good for either of you.  Do you have some sort of deductible on this rig?  Chances are it would be pretty high so you wouldn't really get 1500 if they offered you that.  You might get 1000 if you have 500 deductible going. 

The best fix for this situation is to take the few bucks the neighbor will provide and get it back to its old lines. 

[8v-of-fury]

totally agree. Insurance wont help you on this one, and in my opinion could just be cleaned up and left alone even. BUT Thats me.. I wouldn't go to the insurance unless it was going to cost me well over $500..

[745 turbogreasel]

I beg to differ, You've paid insurance for years, why shouldn't they buy you a parts car(or whatever) while funding your repair?  Contrary to popular belief, they don't hold it against you if your parked car is hit by somebody else.

Get a notepad, and make a not of every piece that will need to be removed to do a perfect paint job
  -inside panel, latch, handle...
every clip and gasket new...
find some flaw that will require the hinges and latches  adjusted...
If it chipped any paint on the body of the car, no matter how small...

Take it to the body shop, say 'I want it totaled, can you help me?' and hand them the list.
If they say no, take it somewhere else.


Or
say 'I'll strip all this crap off, sand the hatch, and bring it to you, write me a quote  to respray it, and please try not to  write it off.'

I had one job  the estimates were $1500 and $4800.  Adjuster  didn't blink an eye at 4800, so we got a bunch of unrelated work done at the same time.

With insurance, it is 40% determination, 40% playing your cards right, and 20%what is actually right and proper.

[burn_your_money]

A deductible isn't going to play into this because he is not at fault. It will however effect his neighbor so really he may as well just ask for the deductible from his neighbor.

[shwak23]

Well update: I put the claim in. They assessed the damage at $359 and handed me a check for that amount. They said my car was worth $1700 give or take. I may go over to the VW Dealer and see what they would charge. If it's significantly more i'll contact the insurance company. If not then i'll take my treefiddy and buy a used hatch and paint it and put the rest of the money into other *** I need. I believe the expression is: Can of Corn. And I don't think my neighbor pays his insurance. I think his mommy does. So he didn't really care what I did.

Edit: Oh and it's actually illegal for a company to raise your insurance rates after an accident when you aren't at fault. A friend of mine is involved in a lawsuit against her company for just that reason.

[ORCoaster]

Insurance Co.s    I hate them

No they won't necessarily raise your rates after a claim they will just send you a cancellation notice.  Then try and get another insurance co. to handle you when they ask have you ever been dropped or canceled by another co.  Answer yes and they say sorry we can't take you then or we can take you but that now means you pay double or triple what you were before.  It is a no good racket. 

And speaking of no good. 

"With insurance, it is 40% determination, 40% playing your cards right, and 20%what is actually right and proper."  Does anyone else see a person with low morals here or is it just me?  20% right and proper.  Is that how you live your life?  I am so sorry for you.  And you wonder what gives the insurance co.s the need to have rates that are excessive compared to the real cost of doing business.

Take the 359, you have earned it by now.  For the sake of you neighbor I would not have done so.  I would have fixed it on my own dime and bought the trust and friendship of the entire family next door.  Now you will appear to be a scammer and a lowlife in their eyes.  Sorry for you again.