Wrecked! Now what...

[jdalexa84]

Even if it is totaled out you can buy it back and fix it. Usually the insurance company doesn't want much to buy it back and you will get money also so it may be enough to buy the parts to fix it. Glad no one got hurt .

[warndogg]

I recently had to fix my truck after a hit and run. I have a 70 short bed with full coverage. Originally the insurance company said they were only going to give me about $700 to total it out. I took it to a local body shop that works on classic cars. The body shop was willing to prove to my insurance the value of my truck. After doing some research they showed examples of similar trucks selling for between 15-25 k. Long story short they got the insurance payout over 4000 dollars to fix my truck back to new. Hope this helps and good luck! You gotta fight the man! LOL

[Steve Cole]

Look at NADAguides.com, they show values from 6-36K. Sorry about your truck, keep us posted on what happens with the insurance company.

I agree with the others regarding agreed upon value coverage.

[engineer_gregh]

I insure my trucks with Hagerty for stated amounts of $20K each for two 71's and $10K for a 72. Total yearly cost is $385 per year for full coverage. Please heed the advice and go with collectors insurance. We invest too much time, money, blood and energy to lose something we care this much about. My .02 cents. Sorry about your truck. I would fix it, no way would I let the insurance company beat me out of it.

[roughedup72]

look at NADA under classic vehicles for a value of your truck. you will be pleasantly surprised. It may actually help you out also.

[Tinkermc]

Like others here have said if you had some type of Classic Truck Ins. you would be fine. If they total it ask about buying the salvage back and keep your truck.

[54belair]

Be careful hitting your ins. co. for a high value on your truck. Be sure and get what you think its really worth--but dont necessarily try to get top money out of it (if if isnt worth it). Your ins. company may pay you if you hold out-----but when premium time comes around--they will remember!

If they insist on totaling it, you will have the option (or insist on it) that you will take a reduced settlement and take the truck back. I have done this and kept the vehicle with a clear title. Its all in how its worded.

[magicoolbus]

I have USAA insurance on my newer cars and my house. They do not offer a collector car insurance rate. You will get referred to American Collectors Insurance. Their rates are outstanding and are better than the others out there due to the relationship with USAA. I just received a 5% rebate due to no claims over the last year. I know this won't help you with this accident, but definitely think about it for the future.
All collector insurance policies will place significant restrictions on what you can do with your vehicle and how you store it. Good Luck! And thanks for your service.

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by magicoolbus

All collector insurance policies will place significant restrictions on what you can do with your vehicle and how you store it.

I did not see this posted anywhere else in this thread, and was hoping someone would mention it...thank you!

[Z10]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

I did not see this posted anywhere else in this thread, and was hoping someone would mention it...thank you!

The restrictions usually are the amount of milage you can put on the vehicle on an annual basis and you'll need to park in a locked garage. I have Grundy and I don't have any milage restrictions.

Most will also want you to have another car as your daily driver and will restrict your use of the vehicle to parades, car events, etc.

If you use your truck as your daily driver, you'll probably need to work with your "normal" insurance company.

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by Z10

If you use your truck as your daily driver, you'll probably need to work with your "normal" insurance company.

...Which is exactly what I did.

[gonnuts]

Originally Posted by Z10

The restrictions usually are the amount of milage you can put on the vehicle on an annual basis and you'll need to park in a locked garage. I have Grundy and I don't have any milage restrictions.

Most will also want you to have another car as your daily driver and will restrict your use of the vehicle to parades, car events, etc.

If you use your truck as your daily driver, you'll probably need to work with your "normal" insurance company.

I know it's a lot different in Canada, but it' sour plates(tags) that have severe restrictions on them. If I put antique plates on my truck it's only for driving to car shows and that's it, if I remember correctly. Which is stupid, if you drive your car to car shows you probably go for a cruise now & then. Mine isn't a daily driver by any means but drive it quite a bit and I have classic insurance on it and I'll have to check but I don't think I have a lot of restrictions on it.

[jcd9730]

Well, USAA has appraised it at about 12k, and I feel that's pretty fair. I'm going to show them receipts for the BTO 2004r and maybe that will boost it some more and maybe keep them from totaling it out. Right now the initial repair estimate was about 4k, and they want to total it anyways. I got them to agree to send the truck to one of their shops and do a full estimate and determine the actual repair cost.

Collectors insurance is the way to go, but I just don't see the point in having an awesome truck and being limited in how often I can drive it. I wanna drive it everywhere! Haha. So now I'm stuck hassling with these guys, although USAA is pretty decent.

If they still decide to total it, the salvage title will only be $800. I don't know if I want to drive a salvage title everywhere, because if another wreck happens I will be truly screwed then. I'm considering buying it as salvage and parting it out. I just don't have the time anymore to start a new project and there's some good parts I can sell at least.

Find out by Wednesday, hopefully. Meanwhile I continue to drive my all too quiet rental Altima. Miss that V8 rumble in the mornings.....

[jcd9730]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I may also try and get a third party mechanic to do an estimate as well, though I'm not sure how to go about that yet.

[jcd9730]

Also, I'm fairly certain that I can't just fix it myself now that the insurance has the truck, as easy as that would be. I believe that California law prohibits that, although I could be wrong. I'm sure I could, I just may have problems bending the center support back.

[jcd9730]

Another thing, its not in the pictures, but the cab is slightly off from the bed. Its not pushed backward, but pushed over towards the drivers' side and up a bit. Like the cab is just tilted towards the drivers' side a little. I'm not sure what that means for the frame?

[OARNGESI]

sounds like they are being fair 12k and get it back for 800. personally I would be pushing for them to total it. not sure in cali but here in az some insurance companies wont bother branding the title salvage if you get historic plates.

[Lees68GMC]

In my opinion, it's Never really wrecked. Yours looks like a moderate challenge if you really want to save it. Couldn't remember if I'd posted these before but my youngest son wrecked my previous GMC a 67 GMC (borrowed without permission while I was away on business) and as a lesson I made HIM completely rebuild it with parts from 5 different trucks Chevy & GMC. The insurance company totaled it, I bought it back and my son restored it. I drove it for years and the guy that bought it later was perfectly happy, even with a salvage title.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Man, I hate to say this... but for 12K... I'd let them total it and part it out like you said. If you have no desire to fix it, there's easily a few K in parts on that truck, especially with the OD, etc.

I would buy it back. Find a truck I really wanted, but that, put the cool stuff off the old truck on it (like OD trans) then part it. You'll be ahead $ -wise.

I have a 65 Mustang coupe with haggerty for 25K. It is an extremely nice car, but if it ever gets in a bad wreck (and hopefully with my safety upgrades all will walk away!) I hope they total it. I can buy 2 coupes just as nice as mine for that (but I won't )

[jcd9730]

I'm sure it would be easy to repair myself, and the parts aren't much at all, but isn't driving a salvage title a pretty big liability? If I got in another wreck, the truck wouldn't get appraised at anywhere near 12k and more like closer to the 800 they want for a salvage title, right? That's what I'm worried about

[leddzepp]

If you are being offered 12K for your truck take the money and run. Buy it back and part it out. You can buy a really nice truck for that kind of coin.

[67chevemall]

Hide it in the garage or friends house and tell them criminals to buzz off.

[1969_CM2590D]

Originally Posted by terry b

I only run with pl& pd no full coverage. I do not want ANYBODY to have a say in my trucks but me. If i hurt someone i am covered. I would rather repair my stuf my way than have some --- ---- tell me how it is going to go. The newer junk that i drive every i could not care less about so i run full coverage. If thay they total it they can have it. Took three years to put my 72 back on the road after it got hit but the titles clean with no record.

I'm pretty much with Terry. All of the consumer advocates will tell you the first thing to do once a vehicle gets aged is to go to liability only (or if you must have comprehensive- boost the deductible). You're legally protected and you save a chunk of money. If it's the other guy's fault, his insurance will fix/pay anyway.

So now you may be saying, "OK, but what if it's my fault, or he has no insurance?". Get the quotes for comprehensive vs. liability (If there isn't much difference, then question the value in the comprehensive policy). Then you bank the difference. That way you keep the money and get 0.5% interest. If nothing happens, then there is the cash for another truck

[jcd9730]

Well, I want to keep this title clean, not salvage preferably. I shoulda never let the insurance take it, but it's a bit late for that. Right now they're saying if the cost to repair is more than around 9k, they are going to total it no matter what. They are going to do a full estimate Tuesday, but they are insisting there is frame damage and no shop will repair that.

So do any of yall know a good shop that can work with the insurance and possibly bend the frame back a bit? I don't care at all about paint since it got keyed, so that would keep costs down a lot, but I am afraid the insurance will make me paint it