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General Information => General => Topic started by: shwak23 on April 26, 2011, 03:33:18 pm
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So my neighbor dented my hatch on my 1990 MKII Golf 1.6TishD... I don't think the dent is erm... Repairable would the insurance company just replace the hatch? And if so where would they source it? I believe it's no longer available. Maybe they'll just total the car. ;D I'll post a picture in a minute when I let my dog out.
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If they scratched the paint so that the hatch would need to be repainted your car is a total loss.
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Lol huh. So how much does one get for a totaled 1990 MKII Golf with 176k on the OD.
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Roughly two Snickers bars and half a glass of milk!
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I got 1500 out of my 85 2 door jetta gasser when it got totalled.
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Did you try and buy the car back after? How many miles were on it?
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From Kelly Blue Book
For 1991 Golf 2dr
No Air and no other addons
Condition Value Excellent
$1,635
Suggested Retail Value Assumes Excellent Condition More
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Mines a four door... In less than excellent shape. Retail it's $1800 on KBB. What do adjusters take into account when they value your car? Do they take off points or dollars for having a ***ty custom alternator bracket? I hope not... Cuz mines super ***ty.
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I have had the displeasure of dealing with abusters several times as my cars, my kids cars and others have been hit by less than respectable people who just drive away. Seems that most of the time it is done on the phone, and the car was not looked at very hard.
They do most of it out of the book, or laptop these days. So most often it is the average of KBB or Edmunds or some private insurance pricer.
My son had a custom Miata that he rolled being young and stupid while under excessive boost. They didn't care that he had all the bling on it at all this is the price. He asks, what if I take all that custom stuff off?
Answer: as long as there are stock parts in their place we don't care. But if they are not then we cut the price some more. Boy did we work to get that stuff off in short order. He had all the stock stuff in the basement. I was glad to see it go but really bummed he totaled it. I painted it yellow and black for his graduation present.
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I think I had around 100k miles on it.
They offered me $1000, I said no, put up a fuss for $2000 and we eventually settled at $1500.
I bought the car back afterwards for the price of scrap, which I think was $100 or 150. I was told that you ALWAYS have this option in Ontario. Obviously it may be different for you.
Call your insurance company and ask for details on making a claim
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If you have any receipts for repairs, or even parts for the car from within the last year break them out and pass them to the adjuster.. That can really help out, especially maintenance items as that shows you took care of it an whatnot.. You should have the option to buy it back with a salvage title.. It's cheaper and easier for the insurance company that way.. Be prepared to bark if you're not happy with their offer.. In PA at least part of the valuation is based on what it would cost to buy a similar car within a certain mileage radius.. When I've gone though this in the past I took a little time and got dealer listings of similar cars showing what it would cost to replace it, since technically that's what they are paying you for, a replacement.....
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Would they really total it if the hatch needs to be repaired/replaced. I dunno the damage isn't horrible. But I don't think it's a real easy fix.
(http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww106/shwak23/Mobile%20Uploads/2011-04-26_19-41-02_401.jpg)
(http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww106/shwak23/Mobile%20Uploads/2011-04-26_19-41-14_162.jpg)
(http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww106/shwak23/Mobile%20Uploads/2011-04-26_19-41-28_300.jpg)
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Typically if the cost to repair is over 2/3 of what they value the car at, yes it will probably be totaled.... Have you gotten any estimates for the repair yet??
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Nah it happend at like 5:30 pmish so I should get an estimate tomorrow I guess... Or just do whatever the adjuster says. I think I have MY choice of where I go for the repairs. I'll push for them totaling it so I can just buy it back and fix it. I don't need a title for this car so having a "salvage title" doesn't matter and I don't really plan on selling it.
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Why are you reporting this to the insurance? has your neighbour confessed? Get him to give you $50 and be on your way.
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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???
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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.
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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.
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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..
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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.
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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..
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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..
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
::) I believe I mentioned before that it was my neighbors choice to put it on insurance. I offered to let him just buy me a used hatch for $50-$100 or whatever and he said he would ask his mother what he should do and what would be cheaper for him. She told him to use the insurance. It's not going to cost him anything directly out of pocket. Granted his rates may go up, but I gave him the choice.
Plus lets say for example I do get a higher quote from the dealership and the insurance company pays out $1700. That's not going to impact my neighbor any more than the $359 would.
"With insurance, it is 40% determination, 40% playing your cards right, and 20%what is actually right and proper."
As far as this quote goes. I think that you are misinterpreting it. What he's implying is that the insurance companies aren't going to always make decisions in your favor (as you've mentioned). Thus you have to be more attentive to your claim and can't just do "what's right and proper" which I assume to mean "calling in your claim and waiting for your check".
For example: My boss was given $2400 dollars for the damage to his truck after it was hit but when he had it fixed it ended up needing $4500.
Thank you for implying that my 19 year old neighbor and his girlfriend [not a whole family] think i'm a scammer and a low-life. You made an awful lot of assumptions to make your points. I assume you know what assuming does right? It makes.... ;)
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"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.
The right and proper thing is for the insurance co to do what they were paid for, and make your vehicle just as good as it was before their client messed it up. Occasionally(20%), they just to that. When you think about it though, they are in business to collect money and deny claims in the highest possible ratio. Generally, if you do not stick to your guns, and learn to play their field you will get screwed. If knowing this makes me a horrible person, Oh well...
Personally, I've given my insurance co about $30,000 for exactly nothing( I guess I'm an OK driver, and my bumpers are pretty mean-). Even if I did have a claim or two, and stretched them to the limits of plausibility, the company would still be coming out ahead.
If I totaled all 4 cars, it still wouldn't be 30K, let alone the interest they've made :-[
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When you think about it though, they are in business to collect money and deny claims in the highest possible ratio. Generally, if you do not stick to your guns, and learn to play their field you will get screwed. If knowing this makes me a horrible person, Oh well...
Exactly.
(http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww106/shwak23/rainmaker.jpg)
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OK you are not a scammer or a low life. Sorry on that score.
I have had my times with the insurance co. and had to stick by my guns and even shoot over the head of the claims adjuster at times. Progressive, not that they are any better or worse than Allstate or a hundred others, was really raking my son bad for an incident where the unlicensed teenager across the street decided to "practice" backing in and out of the drive while mom and dad were not home. Well the first time she backed it up the wheel on the back ended up in my sons rear quarter panel. He was legally parked across from the drive. I figured it was an open and shut deal, uninsured, unlicensed driver hits parked car. Well, after he had to go get 3 different estimates (which is bogus here) the adjuster low balled the lowest estimate and said that was the best she could do. This individual would not return calls and was not located here in this town. Was 2 hr drive from here.
With no money being exchanged the car was not getting fixed and my son needed it running for a trip shortly. He asked me to step in. I do the call, leave a message and wait three hours. No Call back call again, and again at 3 hour intervals. Finally I get on line, get some numbers for customer support, work through several individuals that finally give me the name and number of the office manager. Waited until 8:30AM next day and called him. Left one blistering message and threatened to send this whole affair to the insurance ombudsman for the state. 9 AM the manager is calling and telling me he will have the agent return my call. Not good enough I say. She is to meet me at the shop at noon and we are going to print a check. She was there and it took several calls back to the office for her to get permission to get the higher rates to fix the car but I was satisfied. The owner of the shop told me he has always had trouble getting her to come up to his prices and he was totally amazed that I got what I did.
He also fixed the car with the emphasis on detail and timeliness. My son made his trip in his newly painted up, dentless mobile.
So I know how to be nasty but I really don't care to do business like that. Shouldn't have to. I was in customer service type jobs long enough to learn you get more with honesty and detail than rudeness and sloppy service.
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OK you are not a scammer or a low life. Sorry on that score.
I have had my times with the insurance co. and had to stick by my guns and even shoot over the head of the claims adjuster at times. Progressive, not that they are any better or worse than Allstate or a hundred others, was really raking my son bad for an incident where the unlicensed teenager across the street decided to "practice" backing in and out of the drive while mom and dad were not home. Well the first time she backed it up the wheel on the back ended up in my sons rear quarter panel. He was legally parked across from the drive. I figured it was an open and shut deal, uninsured, unlicensed driver hits parked car. Well, after he had to go get 3 different estimates (which is bogus here) the adjuster low balled the lowest estimate and said that was the best she could do. This individual would not return calls and was not located here in this town. Was 2 hr drive from here.
With no money being exchanged the car was not getting fixed and my son needed it running for a trip shortly. He asked me to step in. I do the call, leave a message and wait three hours. No Call back call again, and again at 3 hour intervals. Finally I get on line, get some numbers for customer support, work through several individuals that finally give me the name and number of the office manager. Waited until 8:30AM next day and called him. Left one blistering message and threatened to send this whole affair to the insurance ombudsman for the state. 9 AM the manager is calling and telling me he will have the agent return my call. Not good enough I say. She is to meet me at the shop at noon and we are going to print a check. She was there and it took several calls back to the office for her to get permission to get the higher rates to fix the car but I was satisfied. The owner of the shop told me he has always had trouble getting her to come up to his prices and he was totally amazed that I got what I did.
He also fixed the car with the emphasis on detail and timeliness. My son made his trip in his newly painted up, dentless mobile.
So I know how to be nasty but I really don't care to do business like that. Shouldn't have to. I was in customer service type jobs long enough to learn you get more with honesty and detail than rudeness and sloppy service.
Well seems as though we all agree. Insurance companies are not out for our best interests. Though I assume that the insurance company gave me plenty of money to do the repair I am rather curious to see if it's that accurate. I mean honestly how do they come up with these estimates? The guy who did mine came, took some pictures, went back to his car, and came back with an estimate that had the hours of labor, materials, and steps itemized. Is there like a generic program that comes up with these? Something like alldata or whatever?
[Has anyone even seen rainmaker here? lol]
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There is indeed software similar to alldata for doing auto body estimates.. Very cool indeed! With the subscriptions (which most larger body shops & claims adjusters have now days) they can locate and price new or used parts, as well as other materials.. Cam in mighty handy a few years back with a late 60's Buick Electra I once had.. Before the adjuster made the scene I started my usual preparations and had no luck finding a new fender.. He popped out his laptop and within 30 mins had a fender and check on the way to the body shop.. Antique auto insurance companies are MUCH nicer to deal with, they foot the bill for getting things fixed, then go after the other parties for the money..