Insurance woes after hit and run

[Steeveedee]

That baloney about using out of state values is just that- baloney. They're ram rodding you. Get more prices from your area, and don't back off of them.

I just want to know how that Cruze cruised away after a hit like that? Wild.

[mrtoni]

Here's the cruze

[Boog]

That car ought to be wadded up like a pretzel after hitting the blazer.
I agree with trying to hang onto your K5 if you can. It looks like a solid truck.
Have you talked to your insurance agent at all about how this is proceeding? I know they aren't liable but he can offer some valuable advice as to how you should proceed and what you might can expect the other insurance company to pay or suggest an outside adjuster for his advice. Also ask him about where those vehicle average prices should be pulled from. Things like that.
You could also call your state's insurance commission as a last resort. Don't expect them to get involved in your case but you could ask them if you are being done right. They are there to oversee the insurance industry in your state. I hope you get it fixed soon.

[PAWS 72]

Even with liability insurance, if you have another vehicle with full coverage, same agent, talk to him about this

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by Boog

That car ought to be wadded up like a pretzel after hitting the blazer.
I agree with trying to hang onto your K5 if you can. It looks like a solid truck.
Have you talked to your insurance agent at all about how this is proceeding? I know they aren't liable but he can offer some valuable advice as to how you should proceed and what you might can expect the other insurance company to pay or suggest an outside adjuster for his advice. Also ask him about where those vehicle average prices should be pulled from. Things like that.
You could also call your state's insurance commission as a last resort. Don't expect them to get involved in your case but you could ask them if you are being done right. They are there to oversee the insurance industry in your state. I hope you get it fixed soon.

Yeah, I'd be talking to the state insurance commissioner's office. I thought about it after I posted. I think that maybe that wouldn't be the last resort, though. I guess I was looking at another post, but I first thought that he was in California, not Nevada. Still, the adjuster is supposed to look at local prices So, unless you live at the Nevada/Missouri/whatever borders, they shouldn't be using anything from out of state.

[mrtoni]

Update. Allstate, his insurance, has declared my mine totaled. Body shop wanted $5700 for new bedside, axel, spring pack, wheel etc. this exceeded the 65% of the $8200 value. The body guy says do not retain lawyer as it will be "tied up for two years." I've hired an independent appraiser, they won't even look at my comp sales from eBay. Will let you all know soon.

[tsetsaf]

You do not have to accept their "totaled" finding. Their job is to protect their insured from a lawsuit. Figure out your total repair cost versus real market value. Small claims is up to $10k dollars no lawyer needed. Sue the insured.

Judges in small claims are fact based not policy based. Show the pics, show the values, provide the repair cost, and provide full readout of your interactions with the ins company. You will win.

[mrtoni]

Allstate sucks. The total loss officer called today. They value my blazer at $8350. Buy back is $1800. They say it is totaled due to panel replacement. I hired an appraiser who valued it at $13000. This was the adjusters advice and it cost $300. Now they say since I'm the claimant, 3rd party and not the insured, I cannot appeal or arbitrate and my appraisal is no good. They do not look at auctions to establish value so the two comps they found are it. I'm lawyering up I want to avoid the salvage title. In Nevada salvage vehicles cannot be registered unless rebuilt and inspected by dmv shop. Cannot be sold except to dmv approved salvage yards. There are hundreds of salvage vehicles for sale on Craigslist so I don't get the " felony to sell salvage vehicle to private party." There's value even if I buy it for 1800, I'm sure I could sell it for 4000ish or pull 402/t400 axels, sell seats, top, wheels etc to recoup money.

[midnightrider78]

I applaud you for being able to keep your cool. I hope everything works out for you.

[B Myers]

Originally Posted by mrtoni

Allstate sucks. The total loss officer called today. They value my blazer at $8350. Buy back is $1800. They say it is totaled due to panel replacement. I hired an appraiser who valued it at $13000. This was the adjusters advice and it cost $300. Now they say since I'm the claimant, 3rd party and not the insured, I cannot appeal or arbitrate and my appraisal is no good. They do not look at auctions to establish value so the two comps they found are it. I'm lawyering up I want to avoid the salvage title. In Nevada salvage vehicles cannot be registered unless rebuilt and inspected by dmv shop. Cannot be sold except to dmv approved salvage yards. There are hundreds of salvage vehicles for sale on Craigslist so I don't get the " felony to sell salvage vehicle to private party." There's value even if I buy it for 1800, I'm sure I could sell it for 4000ish or pull 402/t400 axels, sell seats, top, wheels etc to recoup money.

In Illinois you can buy it back if you own it and the title doesn't change, only if it totals and the insurance company takes possession does it require a salvage title. If you buy it back it's not totalled and considered salvage yet. Check it out, it will cost you money but you'll have a clean title.

[Bigdav160]

What Mr Myers says. Accepting their offer and keeping your Blazer shouldn't change the status of the title. (unless Nevada does things differently)

I had something similar happen to my '67 Nova. I got rear ended by a kid in a new Mustang. I eventually parted out the car but I got nowhere with offers from his insurance company.

[DarkMonohue]

Tell the adjuster, "No problem, just replace the vehicle. If you can find one in like condition with like equipment for that number, go ahead, because I sure can't." That may direct the conversation back toward real world replacement value. IMO, the important thing to focus on is that you're buying and selling vehicles in the real world, in your part of the country, NOT on a computer program, NOT thousands of miles away where market conditions and vehicle conditions are vastly, vastly different.

Originally Posted by Boog

That car ought to be wadded up like a pretzel after hitting the blazer.

So should the owner. Are you pressing charges? Surely the police are involved. If not, they need to be.

Originally Posted by Boog

Have you talked to your insurance agent at all about how this is proceeding? I know they aren't liable but he can offer some valuable advice as to how you should proceed and what you might can expect the other insurance company to pay or suggest an outside adjuster for his advice. Also ask him about where those vehicle average prices should be pulled from. Things like that.

Very good advice. I had to do this many years ago and it really jump-started a claim that the other driver's insurance company was stalling on. Your agent can be a great resource.

Originally Posted by Boog

You could also call your state's insurance commission as a last resort. Don't expect them to get involved in your case but you could ask them if you are being done right. They are there to oversee the insurance industry in your state. I hope you get it fixed soon.

Boog, you beat me to it, though IMO it is by no means a last resort. A few years back, a drunk totalled my wife's car, also parked on the street. In our case, we were with Progressive, as was the drunk, so we didn't have a liason - effectively, it was us against Progressive. This was a cheap car but they tried every trick in the book to devalue it and refused to consider the comps I found, then (probably assuming we couldn't afford to negotiate) stalled us out.

A few calls to the state insurance division confirmed that they were not playing fair. When I mentioned to the Progressive adjuster that I had been checking their methods with the state and was prepared to file a formal complaint if this didn't get resolved fairly and quickly, they stopped playing games.

As mentioned, all parties were insured by Progressive. I told the adjuster several times that they would lose our business if they failed to treat us fairly. That didn't motivate him, but the threat of formal complaint sure did. And we no longer purchase insurance over the phone or internet.

http://doi.nv.gov/Consumers/

Good luck!

[vics stuff]

Here is what I know from dealing with insurances. If they total the vehicle and you both agree to buy it back . DO NOT LET THEM HAVE THE TITLE ! All the time , they will just deduct the amount from the total and pay you the difference and you retained the title .
If you have receipts for parts installed on the vehicle in the past year , they also will have to reimburse you for those costs.
Vic

[mrtoni]

So,this is how it was just explained to me. It is Nevada state law that if an insurance claim is over 65% in repairs excluding paint, the vehicle is totaled. The body shop is legally bound by insurance fraud laws to inform the state and insurer. The title will be salvage unless it is rebuilt and inspected and then can have "rebuilt" on title. I asked for,a,payout just under 65% to repair it and keep title clean. They said no that's fraud. I am giving them my title but pretty sure I don't have to the state will deem it salvage and send me a replacement title.

So now I can take the $8350 buy it back for $1800 and part it out (cannot legally sell a salvage vehicle in Nevada). I would have to recoup the $1800 to make it worth it. Seats, radio not original. Rear axle is damaged. Front d44 has auto hubs, even the top has some repair needed. I might buy it for the 402 and tranny and put it in another project

[mrtoni]

Good news. Dept of Insurance says they are full of it. Told me to file complaint. They must negotiate regardless of their policy and might be required to replace my blazer with comparable one.

[72freak]

Get three real quotes and then an attorney.

DO NOT EXCEPT THE CHECK!!

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by mrtoni

Good news. Dept of Insurance says they are full of it. Told me to file complaint. They must negotiate regardless of their policy and might be required to replace my blazer with comparable one.

Yup. You should be "made whole", whether that's this one repaired or a comparable replacement. If they provide a replacement, have someone go over it with a fine toothed comb, as though he is trying to sell you every repair he can. The more eyes the better.

I'm curious. Did the guilty party get charged with hit and run?

[mrtoni]

Well, not sure if he was charged. I'm sure it was dui but his parents answered his door and said he wasn't home and they weren't sure were his girlfriend lives. He's 36. Typical of small town, three weeks later the police report still was not done. I've been out of town and will try again tomorrow.

[Blue GMC]

Any update? Hopefully its in the shop and on the way home

[mrtoni]

Update

Insurance has offered 10500 up from 8200. My appraisal came back at 13500. I'm gonna try and squeeze an extra 1000 out of them so I can buy it back and still net close to 10k. It will have a salvage title so I may part it or sell it or fix it up and get a rebuilt title just not sure if I can do the work myself and have state approve that it is roadworthy. I could have the shop fix it for like 6000-7000 and they would apply for the rebuilt title.

Not sure if parting is worth the trouble. For 1800 buy back, I'd keep the 402/ turbo 400. Other than that I could sell hood fenders, winch bumper, doors, top etc. seats not original.
I bought it for 7500 so I'm torn as I don't think I could find a replacement for 10500. What do you think I could sell it for outright with salvage title?

[Blue GMC]

If you can get the work done for 6772.00 it should put you at 64% and they can't make it a salvage title even more wiggle room if they go up on value 1k more

[68c10airstream]

Mrtoni, ask for proof that states upon issuance of check that they legally now own your vehicle! You own it, you keep it. Ask for the policy that states this situation. One precaution though, if/when you accept a check, ask in advance if you will be 1099'd for a taxable income as you would then be responsible for the taxes on the amount of the check. Ask lots of questions BEFORE hand.

Ask me how i dodged high insurance costs raising kids turning into drivers! Ask me how my wife and i avoided being liable for what my kids do driving! It's easy and doesn't cost a thing, and saves gobs of money!

[mrtoni]

The title issue varies state by state. I've looked into this and spoken to the state and my body guy. It's my blazer and they won't steal it but once it's declared a total loss a new title is issued that says salvage. The question is whether it exceeds the 65% threshold.

[Robznob11]

Originally Posted by mrtoni

Copy that. Newly divorced and paying 2100 in child support so had to cut costs i.e. Insurance on 3rd car.

I just put $30000 replacement cost classic car insurance on my truck (full coverage) $268 a year through NCM

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by Robznob11

I just put $30000 replacement cost classic car insurance on my truck (full coverage) $268 a year through NCM

Do you drive it daily and park it on the street?