Blueridge Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 My Dh slid on ice coming up our road, backed into a tree and shattered the back window and dented the back hatch door. The adjuster comes tomorrow. He may give us reimbursement for repairs. If he 'totals' it, what does that mean? Would he only give the blue book value for it, because it is an old but dependable car that we couldn't replace for that low an amount. Does it matter what I say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I am not sure. Our adjusters have been very helpful and generous. When our car was totaled after a hailstorm (with softball sized hail) the adjuster let us buy it back for very little $. We just received a check for less the buyback price. The only thing I would request would be a free and clear title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 If you think the car might be totaled, remove anything of value from the car, like a mounted GPS. When dh's car was totaled, they wanted to take the GPS too. :( It was an old Subaru and the front bumper had a hole punched into it. Dh literally filled the hole with spray insulation foam. He was able to buy back his car for $200 or $400. He received a "totaled title" but since he was going to drive that car into the ground anyway, he didn't care about selling it. We ended up moving and a neighbor really wanted the car, so he sold it for the $200 or $400, transferred the title, and it's still running! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 My Dh slid on ice coming up our road, backed into a tree and shattered the back window and dented the back hatch door. The adjuster comes tomorrow. He may give us reimbursement for repairs. If he 'totals' it, what does that mean? Would he only give the blue book value for it, because it is an old but dependable car that we couldn't replace for that low an amount. Does it matter what I say? The only time we had a car declared totaled, it was due to the frame being bent plus body damage along one entire side of the car. The cost to repair the damage and straighten the frame exceeded the car's blue book value. I think this (cost of repairs vs. blue book value) is often the decision point when totaling older vehicles. We could have pushed to have the car repaired, but dh didn't want to do this because once before (different vehicle) the insurance paid to have the frame straightened and the vehicle never handled properly after that. Lest you think we are terrible drivers, both vehicles were legally parked when drunk/inattentive drivers hit them. See what the adjuster offers. You shouldn't have to make a decision on the spot. Take the info and discuss with your dh before deciding what to do. You might need to get an estimate (from a shop "approved" by your insurance) before the final decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I am not sure. Our adjusters have been very helpful and generous. When our car was totaled after a hailstorm (with softball sized hail) the adjuster let us buy it back for very little $. We just received a check for less the buyback price. The only thing I would request would be a free and clear title. Were you able to get a clear title? I thought that was impossible. If the car is declared totaled and they pay you for it, the title is changed. If you retained a clear title, then you were basically being paid twice - once for the value of the car, and then again by retaining the value of the car which you could cash in by selling it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I don't have any firsthand experience so I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong. My understanding is they will give you whatever costs less (they are in business for themselves afterall). So they will either pay for the repair or they will pay approximately the blue book value to total it. If they total it and you really want to keep it, I think you can ask for the value of the "totalling" and just pay the additional cost yourself to get it fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 We have only dealt with Progressive (two cars totaled last year). Each time, the value of the vehicle was based not only on blue book, but JD Powers (I think that's it), Craigslist, local listings at dealerships...They got an average price and that is what we were paid (and each time, they were really generous by what we assumed we would get). We also had the option to buy back our vehicles. The van was like $500 and the car was $700. We decided not to go for it because we don't have time to part out a vehicle (both vehicles were not usable anymore, but could have made some money if we wanted to put in the time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Thank you all. I should say that we own this car and do not owe anything, and hold the title. So I was going to make a fuss of how terrifying it was to know Dh could have plunged down the ravine (true) and point out every little scratch, but Dh seems to want to make light of it (he is embarrassed I guess!) so does anything we say make a difference? I feel stupid, I just don't want the adjuster to give us a check for $1,000 and haul my car away! I know I am over-thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 I car can easily be totaled for something that is not as major as the frame being bent. If the amount to repair the vehicle is more than the value of the vehicle then the insurance company will total it. If you choose to accept the check from the insurance company then you give your car to them and you have to figure out how to replace the vehicle. We have two cars that are paid off and have little monetary value, but they are worth a lot to us. I was in a minor accident a couple of years ago--skid on ice. It was my fault. The other driver made a claim against my insurance. My insurance contacted me a few times about whether I would be making a claim for repairs. I did not. I took the vehicle to a body shop. I told them to punch out the rear quarter panel and replace the lights --make it so it would pass inspection. It was cheaper for us to pay out of pocket to fix the vehicle because that meant we still had a vehicle for much less money than car payments on a vehicle we'd have to purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Like Betty said, the determination of "totaled" is based on the cost of repairs and the value of the car. I would cancel the adjuster until I had a repair estimate in my hand. This is also why we don't have insurance for the older cars (for ours to be repaired) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Like Betty said, the determination of "totaled" is based on the cost of repairs and the value of the car. I would cancel the adjuster until I had a repair estimate in my hand. This is also why we don't have insurance for the older cars (for ours to be repaired) Just to clarify Lara, you carry collision insurance so that if you are in an accident and are at fault the insurance covers the damage you do to the other vehicle and injuries. You don't have insurance to cover the damage to your own vehicle. In the OPs situation, I would also do as Lara suggests and cancel the insurance adjuster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Here is something on the Clark Howard website about the topic. So sorry about the accident, and I'm glad your husband is ok. "Totaling" a car is based on whether it will save the insurance company money to just buy your car from you, rather than fix it for you. If the car is totaled, and your adjuster offers to sell you the car back again, I'd be calling the agency that regulates insurance companies in my state. That seems, on the surface and without all the details, highly illegal. Sometimes, it is cheaper for you to fix the car yourself, than go through the insurance agency. If the car is drivable, you can take it to a few trusted body shops and get estimates. A personal note: I know the feeling of having an older, reliable car that isn't worth much on paper, but has been an excellent vehicle. I hope you are able to get what it's worth to you or have it restored to its pre-accident condition. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Thank you all. I should say that we own this car and do not owe anything, and hold the title. So I was going to make a fuss of how terrifying it was to know Dh could have plunged down the ravine (true) and point out every little scratch, but Dh seems to want to make light of it (he is embarrassed I guess!) so does anything we say make a difference? I feel stupid, I just don't want the adjuster to give us a check for $1,000 and haul my car away! I know I am over-thinking... What you say and do will make a difference regarding how much money you get, in one respect. How much money you get will not depend on how scary the accident was or how worried you are about your husband. The adjuster can only pay for property damages-not pain and suffering. If the care needs a new quarter panel, for instance, pointing out every scratch won't matter because the entire panel will be replaced. Does that make sense? You're not overthinking, though! It's good to have information before these meetings. It's good to think about the meeting and know what your rights are. Adjusters are working for the insurance company, after all, and it's in their best interest to satisfy you with as little as possible. (Not to imply that they are crooks who will try to take advantage of you, but they are in business and are trying to make a profit.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Just to clarify Lara, you carry collision insurance so that if you are in an accident and are at fault the insurance covers the damage you do to the other vehicle and injuries. You don't have insurance to cover the damage to your own vehicle. In the OPs situation, I would also do as Lara suggests and cancel the insurance adjuster. Yes, what you said, (much better than I) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueridge Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Thank you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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