A car is considered a total loss when the overall cost of damages approaches or exceeds the value of the car. Appraisers estimate the cost of repairs, considering factors such as the car’s make and year. Insurance companies determine if a car is totaled based on its salvage value and whether it’s uneconomical to repair.
The formula for determining whether a car is totaled varies by state, with two common methods: Total loss threshold and salvage value. If a car has been damaged and the potential repair costs exceed the value of the car, it is considered a total loss. In some states, insurance companies can decide if a car is totaled based on its salvage value and whether it’s uneconomical to repair.
When an insurer classifies a car totaled, not at fault, there are several options available. The accident may have been your fault, and if you totaled your car after hitting a vehicle, tree, guardrail, or another object, your insurer will determine if your car is totaled. Adjusters use each state’s laws for automobile total loss thresholds to identify when a car repair would cost more than paying for a replacement vehicle.
The first step in determining if a car is totaled is to calculate its actual cash value (ACV) at the time of the loss. Insurers use the car’s make and year to help determine its ACV. If it’s going to cost more to repair your vehicle than its ACV amount (ACV), your insurance company will declare it a total loss.
There are four things that determine the total loss of a car: market value, cost of repairs, salvage value, and diminished value. The value of your car before it was damaged in an accident will help determine whether or not an insurance company will decide to total your vehicle. When your car is totaled in an accident, the recipient of the insurance check depends on the ownership and financial status of the vehicle at the time of loss.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| What Happens When a Car is Totaled? | A car is considered a total loss when the overall cost of damages approaches or exceeds the value of the car. Appraisers will estimate the cost of repairs. | amfam.com |
| What determines if a car is totaled after an accident? | There are 4 things that determine the total loss of a car. The market value, cost of repairs, salvage value, and diminished value. | quora.com |
| ELI5 what does it mean when a car is totaled? | If the cost to repair is more than the value of the car, the car is totaled because it is cheaper for them to give you the value of the car … | reddit.com |
📹 Totaled Vehicle? Tips on How to Negotiate the Insurance Payout
A guide to the total loss process with examples of two completely different vehicles.
How To Find The Actual Cash Value Of A Vehicle?
The Actual Cash Value (ACV) of your car is determined by subtracting depreciation from its replacement cost, considering factors such as age, mileage, and wear and tear. This value reflects what your vehicle is worth in its current condition, or what you might reasonably sell it for today. To calculate ACV, you should first research your vehicle online to find its replacement cost. The process involves four key steps: determining the car’s original purchase price, estimating its expected lifespan, calculating its current life, and then applying the ACV formula.
Additionally, depreciation factors include wear and tear, the vehicle’s age and mileage, and specific deductions for conditions like smoking or pet damage. Insurers use this method to evaluate your car's worth at the time of an accident. To estimate ACV, subtract depreciation from the replacement cost, or list the vehicle for sale to gauge value based on market interest. Understanding ACV helps in negotiations with insurance companies regarding a vehicle's value.
What Makes A Car Unrepairable?
A Total Loss/Non-Repairable Vehicle is defined by specific criteria: it may be declared solely for parts, completely stripped, or be a burn shell with no repairable parts. Following an accident, around 25% of car crashes lead to total loss situations. Common indicators of a totaled vehicle include fluid leaks or damages that compromise structural integrity. Certain areas, like the bead and shoulder of a tire, are often deemed non-repairable, which can add to frustrations for owners.
Severe damage to a car’s monocoque or unibody structure is typically unrepairable economically. Insurers evaluate vehicles to determine if repairs or replacements are necessary based on factors like vehicle age, mileage, and the extent of damage. If a car is deemed totaled, owners might need to consider personal loans to bridge the gap between what is owed and its salvage value. Definitions of "irreparable" and "unrepairable" overlap, indicating something cannot be fixed.
Car ownership can lead to challenges, particularly with "problem" cars that resist proper diagnosis. Ultimately, while the concept of a completely unrepairable vehicle exists, financial feasibility often dictates the repairs undertaken, emphasizing the importance of assessing both damage and repair costs. The California DMV can issue a Salvage Certificate for totaled vehicles.
What Happens If My Car Is Declared A Total Loss?
If your car is declared a total loss, it's crucial to understand your responsibilities and options. A vehicle is considered totaled when repair costs exceed its book value or if the car is deemed unsafe post-repair. If your auto insurance doesn't cover the loss or if your car's value is less than your loan balance, you will have to pay off the remaining loan amount, even without the vehicle.
Insurers use the Total Loss Formula (TLF) to determine a total loss, which involves calculating the actual cash value (ACV) of the car at the time of loss and comparing it to the repair costs plus the salvage value. If the cost of repairs surpasses the vehicle's ACV, the insurer will reimburse you the fair market value before the incident, minus any salvage value if you choose to keep the car.
Filing a claim with your insurer is necessary if your vehicle is damaged in a manner covered by collision or comprehensive insurance. Additionally, if your vehicle is totaled, you may qualify for a casualty loss deduction on your taxes for unreimbursed amounts. Always consult your insurance policy and state regulations to navigate the complexities after your vehicle is determined a total loss.
What Happens If A Car Is Totaled After An Accident?
When your vehicle is deemed totaled after an accident, it indicates that the insurance company has assessed the repair costs to be excessively high, making repairs not worthwhile. An insurance adjuster assesses the car to determine if it is a total loss based on the repair costs compared to the car's value prior to the accident. If totaled, you'll receive compensation for the car’s pre-accident value, minus your deductible; however, this compensation doesn’t guarantee sufficient funds to purchase a replacement car. In most cases, you cannot keep the wreckage for resale or parts unless you agree to a reduced payout, which will be calculated as the car's cash value minus the salvage amount.
For leased cars, insurers will cover the vehicle’s value, but you must continue payments on the lease. A car is typically declared totaled when repair costs exceed its book value; this decision can also take into account the safety condition of the vehicle post-repair.
When you’re at fault for the accident, your collision coverage will help compensate you for the losses. If the accident wasn’t your fault, the at-fault driver's insurance may cover damages.
Once you report the accident to your insurance company and receive medical attention if necessary, understand your rights and options regarding the totaled vehicle. After a total loss determination, the car’s title will change to a salvage title, and the vehicle may be sent to a salvage yard, pending state regulations.
What Is Considered A Totaled Car?
A car is considered "totaled" when the cost to repair it exceeds its actual cash value (ACV) at the time of the accident. Insurance companies assess whether a car is totaled by comparing repair costs against the vehicle's book value. If repair expenses are higher than this value, it's deemed a total loss. Typical items that may influence this decision include components like tires, seats, doors, engines, and electronics, which must have resale value. Generally, approximately 25% of car accidents result in a total loss.
Common indicators that a car may be totaled include severe fluid leaks, significant front-end damage, a severely bent frame, and engine failure. Each state has its own regulations and thresholds for declaring a car total loss, often set at a percentage of the car's market value.
When a vehicle is declared totaled, the owner can file a claim with their insurance provider to recover its value, typically minus any deductibles. Without proper insurance coverage, compensation might be affected. The process involves the insurance adjuster inspecting the car to verify that repair costs are impractical compared to its value. Key signals of totaling include extensive body damage, airbag deployment, or obstructions to visibility. Ultimately, determining a totaled car relies on evaluating repair costs relative to the pre-accident market value.
Can A Car Be Totaled Out?
When a car is determined to be a total loss, it means that the cost to repair it exceeds its actual cash value (ACV) at the time of the accident. Insurance companies are responsible for this decision, using a combination of the vehicle's worth and the extent of damage. A vehicle is typically considered "totaled" if repair costs surpass a predetermined percentage of its value or if safety concerns arise from mechanical failures. After an accident, insurers review the damage and declare a car totaled, offering compensation based on its pre-accident value.
In 2024, approximately 25% of car crashes result in a total loss. Common signs indicating your car may be totaled include significant fluid leaks or major system failures. Upon declaring a car totaled, the insurance company takes possession to sell it as salvage, while providing the owner with a payment for the ACV.
Being involved in a car accident is challenging enough, but learning your vehicle is totaled can be overwhelming. If your car is deemed a total loss, you’ll need to file a claim and gather documentation swiftly to recoup losses, particularly if you’re still financing the vehicle. Understanding the process and options available, including appeal rights, can help alleviate some stress. Ultimately, a totaled car is one where repair costs outweigh its value, necessitating a payout from the insurer, enabling you to move forward post-accident.
What Makes A Car Automatically Totaled?
When an insurance company declares a vehicle as totaled, it means the cost to repair the car surpasses its book value at the time of the accident. This determination is based on calculations and specific state regulations. If damage from a collision leads to a fire or submersion in water, it's highly probable the vehicle will be declared a total loss. Upon totaling, the owner receives the actual cash value of the car but can choose to keep it.
Insurers assess various factors, including the car's condition and state laws, to decide if it's a total loss. In certain states, a vehicle is automatically totaled if repair costs exceed a specific percentage of its value, commonly around 70%.
Key indicators of a totaled car include severe front-end damage, significant fluid leaks, a bent frame, or total engine failure. The term "total loss" refers to situations where the expense to fix the vehicle outweighs its pre-accident worth, which is calculated by considering market value, repair costs, salvage value, and diminished value. To determine if a car is totaled, insurers evaluate damages against the vehicle's value.
Each state has its own rules regarding total loss, but generally, if repair costs equal or exceed the car’s value, it’s deemed a total loss, influencing the insurance payout and further actions needed by the owner.
How Does Insurance Decide The Value Of Your Car?
Your insurance company calculates the Actual Cash Value (ACV) of your vehicle by considering various factors such as make, model, mileage, overall condition, and ZIP code. This ACV represents the worth of your car in its current state, taking depreciation into account, and reflects what you could reasonably expect to sell it for today. Since cars start depreciating once driven off the lot, understanding ACV is essential for negotiations surrounding insurance settlements.
Insurance valuations differ significantly from the cost of a replacement vehicle. The assessment process often includes determining if repair costs exceed a certain percentage—typically 70 to 75%—of the ACV. In the unfortunate event that your car is stolen or totaled, the ACV is what your insurer will pay after subtracting your deductible.
To establish ACV, insurers look at the car's age, mileage, condition, and any accident history. If you disagree with the provided value, you can negotiate with your insurer. Overall, knowing your vehicle’s ACV is crucial when buying, selling, refinancing, or filing a claim in the insurance market. This information empowers you to understand how insurance companies determine the value of your car accurately.
What Factors Determine If A Car Is Totaled?
A car is deemed a total loss when the combined costs of repairs and salvage value surpass its actual cash value (ACV). Specifically, if the equation "Cost of Repairs + Salvage Value ≥ Actual Cash Value" holds true, the vehicle is classified as totaled. Insurance companies assess the damage and may declare a total loss when repair costs exceed the car’s book value post-accident, adhering to state regulations and formulas. Approximately 25% of car crashes result in total losses, and common indicators include fluid leaks, significant body damage, and airbag deployment.
Each state has specific thresholds to determine total loss, with various factors influencing the assessment, like the condition of the vehicle, mileage, and market value. An adjuster evaluates these aspects alongside comparable vehicle sales to ascertain a vehicle's worth. They consider the severity of the damage; if repairs exceed the vehicle's percentage of ACV, it is typically deemed a total loss. Factors that contribute to this determination include repair costs, salvage value, and diminished value.
Ultimately, if a vehicle is worth $4, 000, but repairs would cost $6, 000, it's classified as totaled. Understanding the criteria and implications of total loss can aid in navigating insurance claims effectively.
How Does State Farm Determine If A Car Is Totaled?
If your car has suffered damage and the repair costs surpass its value, it is classified as a total loss. To establish this status, insurance companies, like State Farm, assess the vehicle's actual cash value (ACV) prior to the damage and estimate repair costs. A vehicle is considered totaled when the repair expenses exceed the ACV or if it is deemed irreparable. State regulations influence the total loss determination, often utilizing the total loss formula, which incorporates both repair costs and salvage value.
There are two prevalent methods for calculating total loss: a simple percentage threshold and the total loss formula. Key factors in this assessment include the severity of the damage, safety concerns regarding repairs, and state-specific damage thresholds. When a vehicle is declared a total loss, the owner receives compensation equal to the determined ACV, minus any applicable deductibles and state taxes.
It's advisable to recover personal belongings and erase any personal data from the vehicle before contacting the insurance company. Adjusters play a crucial role in this process by evaluating the extent of the damage, estimating repair costs, and determining the pre-accident cash value based on the vehicle's make and model.
Can You Ask For More Money When Your Car Is Totaled?
When an insurer declares a vehicle a total loss due to repair costs exceeding its actual cash value (ACV), they typically provide an initial settlement based on their ACV calculation. However, policyholders have the ability to negotiate for a higher payout. Understanding the total loss settlement process can help simplify negotiations. If a vehicle is totaled, it’s common for insurance companies to offer less than its perceived value. Policyholders may wonder if they can request more money, and the answer is yes.
By conducting independent research on the vehicle's value, documenting its condition, and providing supporting evidence, individuals can argue for an increased settlement. It's also vital to gather comparable valuations to support claims. Engaging directly with claims adjusters is key, as they are trained to minimize payouts, but with the right preparation, policyholders can present compelling cases for higher compensation.
Familiarizing oneself with the insurer’s valuation report and understanding comparable vehicles can further strengthen one’s position during negotiations. Ultimately, while negotiating a total loss settlement may be challenging, it is possible to achieve better compensation by being informed and proactive.
📹 Totaled Vehicle? Total Loss Car? Negotiating Insurance Payout. Insurance Low Balls Total Loss
Totaled Vehicle? Total Loss Car? Negotiating Insurance Payout. Insurance Low Balls Total Loss, New for “Real Client …
Wanna personally thank you for your article. Gave me the confidence to get a 3K gain on my total loss settlement on my wrecked car. Based on ur vid I went to various used car websites and pretended I wanted to buy the same car with the first low settlement amount and realized that I couldn’t without haggling price with seller. So I made an excel sheet showing 5 different sellers of similar cars and showing the asking prices and asked for a 3K increase and I got it. I think the coolest and most important u said is, always start by saying no to the first offer. Thumbs up to putting ur article out there for others.
Thank you so much for making this article! Watched it about a year ago after an accident and your encouragement helped me to see it to completion. They offered $4000, so I hired an appraiser and then I got $6800. The appraiser thought the insurance company had acted in “bad faith” and gave me the number of an attorney. The insurance company ended up settling out of court for $25,000 more! You just gotta be really patient.
Thank you for this article. I had a total loss, I watched this article and did some research on similar vehicles around. I was first given an offer of $5000 and my car is worth 6500-8000. I asked them that there were vehicles online for that range or more and that I will not accept 5000. Without any negotiation they called me back and offered me $8000 and I took that offer. I’m sure I could’ve gotten maybe 8500 but I was really happy I used some of your tips thank you !!
Bro, you literally saved me $3,000. I got an initial total loss estimate and then saw your article. I declined the initial estimate and made some good points about how my car was going to be hard to replace and the aftermarket parts that were on my car. They came back to me a day later with an offer $3,000 more. Crazy. Thank you for your article!
I’m very grateful for this article. I recently lost my car due to a distracted driver, and although I walked away without a scratch, I am suffering mental and emotional trauma. I’ve never done this before in my life, and your advice is helping me understand what I need to do. I appreciate it very much.
So glad I’m doing my research I just brought my first car two months ago! Was the victim of a hit and run so if they don’t give me what I paid I can always take the guy to court. I haven’t yet talked to my adjuster… I wanted to research on the situation being this is my first time in this situation and I’m so glad I found this article!
Thanks for the info. I was going to accept their first offer (which wasn’t too far off), but kindly asked if I could submit some comps I had found in my area. They were happy to look at them and then responded the next day with an offer that was $1100 more than the initial. Easiest money I’ve ever made.
Thanks for the tips. They wanted to give me $1200 for my car that was worth $4,800. I said no and they came back at $2300. I said no again. I contemplated on sueing the at fault party, but I held out. A solid month goes by of negotiations and I ended up getting $4,600. I’m happy with that. It was super stressful during this time and I don’t ever want to be in this type of situation again.
Good tips! As someone who worked in insurance industry I agree with your sentiment. FYI — the payout should consist of tax, license and registration on top of the vehicle value, at least it is the case in California, could be different in other states, know the law and read your policy. Also, when it comes to bodily injury never give a recorded statement without consulting an attorney or few (initial consultation is always free) if you chose not to hire one have a printed statement describing all your injuries and losses, for you can forget.
An independent appraisal is key if your car is older like a Supra, or any car you restored or modified. If the accident wasn’t your fault you need to be made whole again. I know someone who received 108k for his Subaru that was extensively modded. The first offer was 30k insurance thought they didn’t have to pay for mods. Keep those receipts everyone.
Personally want to thank you for helping people like me who don’t have any knowledge about this kind of situation. On 5th of August my car had and accident 2016 Honda Accord almost 200000k miles on it. The insurance company make the car total and offer me $8000. After listening that I got mad and don’t know what to do. Then I found your article and did according to you. First I say no to that offer and start bargaining. Then they came up with the offer $ 11000 but I say no. Finally today after one month of negotiating I got offer $22000 😃😃😃. I like the offer and finally I settled it. Really appreciate for your article. Thanks
I have Progressive, they did a great job paying what my 12 yr old truck was worth. One thing to keep in mind when financing a car, get gap ins. Alot of ppl forget to get gap ins. You won’t get any money if totaled, but least you walk away not owning any money on the car ( this is for when ins say here’s what it is worth but you still owe the bank remaining balance, no problem, gap ins will cover it)
Interesting approach. My 2012 Prius was a total loss this year, 2024. State Farm offered me 10,579. Long story short, I took it. To me, it seemed quite fair. I had had it since 2016, purchased for 14,900. Now I have a 2024 hybrid Rav 4 LE. Love it. My first new vehicle, and I am 64. The out-the-door was 34,700. I am happy for you that your negotiating was favorable.
Hey man so glad I came across your article. I need some help like yesterday! I’ve been dealing w/ such a pain these past 2 months. Quick summary my wife was in an accident where a driver reversed into our 2006 Infiniti G35. The damage to the hood and grilled appeared to be minor. We filed a claim against the other drivers insurance. The adjuster reached out next day and asked for pictures of the area of impact to assess the damage. Not too long after the adjuster issued us a check for about $1800 for repairs so we took it to our local collision shop and Got a rental car set up by the insurance company. Took them well over a week to determine that apparently there was more damage than it appeared on the outside. Supposedly there was minor damage to the radiator, mind you the car was still operable and we drove it for days before finally dropping it off at the collision shop. That being said the collision center said the total cost of the repairs will exceed to the total value of the vehicle which according to them was supposedly roughly close to 4K. Fast forward we decided to do a settlement, now the insurance company is threatening us to hurry and return the rental Bc we’ve apparently had it to long and late return fees are incurring (2-3 weeks) yet the collision center had our vehicle. Eventually they had a tow truck driver move it to a storage free facility and told us we are responsible for towing it out of the facility once we return the rental!?! Which makes no sense to me!
Thank you for this article my friend. I got hit by a speeding distracted driver that went past a stop sign. She hit me so hard my car smashed in to another truck. I have no recollection of this because I was immediately knocked out and just remember a few seconds of the aftermath and the ambulance ride. I’m very scared about the insurance not giving me enough money to buy the same car I originally had because of the car market right now. But you’ve helped me gain some confidence to deal with this situation. Thank you.
You are awesome/ Our 2012 Prius was totaled as a result of a hit and run accident. My wife was lucky to survive it relatively unhurt. Then the insurance company made matters worse by undervaluing our loss. We were shocked at the repair estimate by our body shop. What a racket. Our insurance company sent us multiple emails, texts and phone calls trying to get us to accept their adjusted value payoff and threatened to charge storage costs. They reported comparable sales but then gave them a 20% haircut when stating actual value. We naively thought our insurance was there to protect us. I contacted the adjuster and stated that we had the top end rebuilt, the water pump and EGR system replaced and new plugs and the Hybrid system evaluated and components updated and she said that was normal maintenance. We said that rear brakes were literally replaced (rotors too) 2 dys before and she said that was normal maintenance. Mind blown……. She said send her receipts and 3 comps for replacements vehicles and she might ….repeat might be able to get us some additional $$ Has the world gone mad?
Recently was in an accident where my car was totaled and the other party was at fault. His insurance accepted 100% liability and I was ready to be lowballed. I paid $2500 for my car a few years ago, but with how the market is everything is expensive. I was shocked when they offered me $5500. I was ready to deny the first offer and negotiate from there, but I was more than happy with that amount. Maybe I could of gotten more if I had haggled, but I would of been happy with 4k lol
Thanks so much for this. It has been very helpful. Question, what should I say if my insurance adjuster emails me with the following question?: “Do you have any information you could forward to me that you have been researchign to support an increase in the settlement? Is there an amount you were anticipating?”
This is very helpful and potentially encouraging advice. In my situation my son was driving a 2017 car purchased new with an MSRP of nearly $24k and then discounted heavily. The car had only 4012 miles on it when it was totaled this month. I’m not thrilled with the settlement offer – even though it was within $1k to $1.5k of what I had expected – and haven’t signed anything with a monetary figure on it yet. However, I have signed over a power of attorney and release of interest in the vehicle that the insurance company insisted on to move ahead. I hope that doesn’t equate to agreeing to their settlement valuation.
Going through this right now in Oregon. I was heading down 6 near the Tillamook area and hit a patch of black ice around 5 am. Lost my truck on Monday as it is a total loss. First time of having to go through this and the the truck was a 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor in an amazing condition. Just hope i can get something to help pay for a new truck later on.
Omggggg! I just want to say how much this article has helped me, my 2017 Nissan Murano was totaled about a month ago and the insurance offered me $21,000 I declined and because of this article I was able to speak up and they came back with a better offer of $24,014.18. This is much better then the first offer. Thank you so much. Btw if anyone needs help feel free to email me
Great information! My 2008 Saab was recently hit “while parked” and was a total loss. My insurance company wanted to settle at $4, 334. After listening to you, I asked for more and they came back with $5, 473. I know you said to not settle, but I did n’t want to push my luck. That being said, I should have because I felt like they were not working on my behalf, but simply trying to low ball me. I hope this never happens again but if so I will not and agree no one should settle on the first and second dollar amount.
I wish I had seen this sooner. My car didn’t get totaled but finding got after receiving the check and my car back not fixed that it was considered a total loss. Because I didn’t have a lawyer sooner I was unable to get it fixed and get more. Smh You live and you learn through growing pains! I don’t know to do now as I have a car that still needs to get fixed and the check for the damages. How do I go to a mechanic and make sure that they fix my car truly and for the price that I want?
Thank you so much for this article. Some stupid be-atch ran a red light and totaled my beautiful 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab that I absolutely loved and worked my butt off to buy. The appraiser is coming today. I am going to follow your advice and reject every offer until they give up and say we’ll have to go to court to settle it or whatever. At that point, I will say “Yes.” At least I have a plan now where before I was clueless even though I had researched the trade-in value. I’m not real confident I will get enough to replace the truck. It only had 112K miles on it.
Hate to hear people having issues with total loss claims. I’ve had two, neither my fault, and I came out very well with zero negotiations. Could I have gotten more, maybe, but it would have required more work for maybe a few hundred dollars more. First one paid me $400 more than I paid for the car 2-1/2 years and 36k miles prior. Second time i did give them a list of all the mods and accessories on the car and they came within $25 of my payoff on a year old Mustang GT that I financed 100% including tt&l. Didn’t have to use gap on it. IMO it pays to have decent insurance, (State Farm) even if I pay a little bit more for it than the cut rate companies. Never had any hassles on any of our 6 claims in 30 yrs, always got more than I expected out of them. Oh, and btw, I kept the GT for $8,350, spent $4,500 on parts and $6,800 on paint and labor, and I have the exact same $37k car for under $20k. So that made it a total win in my book since I don’t ever plan to trade it in. Plus it has a clean title too!
I just wrecked my 2014 Ford F150 and the damage is $21k. I have yet to talk to anyone yet, but your article is just what I needed to see for sure! The truck market is smoking hot price wise at the moment and I bought the truck in August in mint condition with 85k miles and it and now they are selling here in Texas for almost $30k for the same truck. I don`t know yet if they will try to total it.
My initial offer was 10,100, I declined, I negotiated for a month, end up getting $12,003.95. Could of received more . Look at CCC car report they send. The insurance company will sell your car for parts on back end . Factor in taxes, tags and title, plus inflation. Look online for like vehicles and conduct a cost analysis of the same year, make and model, if it doesn’t match you’re getting low balled. Use Rental Reimbursement, hope this help. I repeat don’t accept first offer.
This is awesome advice mentioned in the article, thank you. I was just in my very first accident today, I was just around the corner in my neighborhood and this girl that was driving straight in the other lane managed to perform a left turn right in front of me with no blinker signaling the turn so I thought she was going straight but then as I was too close she didn’t wait for me to go by and smashed into me and my car completely totaled and now I have an idea how to manage this.
Hi, many thanks for your article. My 06 Lexus RX 400H, with many new parts and well maintained, was hit by someone on my left tried to cut into my lane to exit on the highway–Praise the Lord! I braked hard and avoided a side impact onto that at-fault car with 3 people inside (which would have been a major potentially fatal accident though not my fault); but that car scratched on my left doors and eventually stopped in front of me. The insurance want to have my SUV totaled because they think the cost of repair at $7K was more than the cost of SUV at $6-8K minus salvage cost they can get from auctioning my SUV as a salvage. But I love my Lexus as a business SUV. They offered me either 1) a total of $6K if they take the Lexus, or 2) if I keep and repair the SUV, only $3.6K. I can accept neither! Now they (Traveller’s Insurance) are back and forthon me and even threatening to suspend. Any suggestions? Also, during the past 2 months since the accident, I have used a backup car, 1) do I still qualify for an equivalent of rental reimbursement? 2) do I qualify for compensation for the missed business opportunity since I was ready to drive for a business meeting and even booked the hotel, but those arrangements were all canceled. Anything else I may qualify for compensation? Many thanks.
Good article, one key thing to remember that I didn’t hear mentioned: know what the governing law aka statutes say in regards to vehicle valuations for insurance company usage. In my home state, there are two defined sources in state statute for vehicle valuations, and there is no provision in statute for negotiation or haggling on the asset’s actual cash value per se. Attorney’s can’t even get fees for representing for property damage here, only for medical claims. The 4 surrounding states to mine all have vasty different total loss statutes…it all depends on what the governing guidelines and statutes say.
Hi there! Your article was very useful and informative. I have a question… if the adjuster wants to just repair my car instead of going for the salvage, can I ask for more compensation on top of the repairs? Such as pain and suffering? Especially since the car would now be devalued/damaged due to the accident. Thank you.
I was in a total loss accident last Sunday (8 days ago), I had the green light and was going strait and some guy rams my Toyota Tacoma from the left side going 70+ mph (I didnt even have time to react) before I knew it all my airbags deployed and my glasses flew off. I believe that the guy ran the red light but im still waiting for the police report, luckily they had traffic cameras where the accident occurred.
after two weeks of back and forth they finally raised my payout. The initial offer was good, based on the condition of my car it was not exactly a low ball but I cannot find a car online with the exact milage as mine to replace it fair and square. If i were to buy a replacement car today, same model year and all, I will be forced to buy something with less miles on it. I feel as if I were to say no again to this new offer they’ll leave me with nothing lol should I play it safe or still push it like you say to do??
my car was in an accident and the hood, grille, radiator, airbag, headlights, and mirror has to be fixed according to the insurance estimate and the total cost is $4600 for repair. the car is valued at $3700 so insurance wants to call it a total loss but the engine and frame are fine so i asked a mechanic who says it would cost less than $3000 to fix so should it be fixed? i live in md so legally above 75 percent of it’s value is a total loss
before hurricane irma hit florida i took some money out of my home safe to have cash in hand plus i was about to go over seas to help family in haiti. 8700 dollars was in my jym bag with a bunch of clothes. on my way to help a friend after the storm, truck starts smoking and catches fire while driving. don’t know how. got out but it went up quickly. everything is gone. ham radio, cb radio, antenaes, and jym bag with money. insurance says they don’t cover the loss of the money only home owner or renters insurance does. i’m with progressive. what can i do in your opinion? i know you are not a lawyer but you seem very wise.
Thank you for your article. It’s very helpful. In my first email, rejecting the first offer, to the adjuster should I just state that I researched information on my vehicle and ask how much more can they offer and then if it’s still not enough, then should I send what I researched. Hope that make sense.
Thank you for the informative article, I certainly learned a lot. I recently purchased a 2017 Honda Civic with 14k miles and it is a salvage car but it has a rebuilt title that I created when I bought it out. I got rear ended recently and I am in the beginning process of talking to my insurance. I believe the car is totaled but not sure yet still waiting to hear back. In this case, will my insurance look at the actual value of the car as if it wasn’t salvaged or will they lower its value since it is salvaged with a rebuilt title? How can I get a fair settlement? Please help!
Typically the first initial “offer should be done after all options an conditioning for the vehicle are completed that way it is the very most accurate settlement. It’s unfortunate that there is a lot of adjusters who know nothing about anything automotive. It’s not so much that Adjsuter’s are there to protect assets it’s just that person lacks the knowledge of what a car or truck is actually worth. As an adjuster I always find myself going back and issuing out what was owed on the back end because of these mistakes made by someone who lacks the know. So the best thing anyone can do is find the proper comparable(s) that represent your vehicle the best in the instance of this problem should a rise. Just make sure it’s what the vehicle is worth not asking price. Options that are missed and conditions that are not documented properly can be the difference of a couple thousand dollars in some case. All in all if you have questions ask it’s what you pay for not to be screwed over but to be helped.
Thank you for the article. Can someone answer this question. When communicating with the adjuster, will it be one conversation? Or will they hang up and call back? I am nervous they will hang up after I say no to the original offer and come up with something saying I wouldn’t cooperate and just pay out what they want. If someone could let me know how that conversation goes I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks PNWreckage. You gave me hope if I am not getting screwed by the at-fault insurance company. It’s almost a month since my Van was totaled. The TL adjustor called me after 3 weeks past the crash with the value and threw low-ball ($3917) to tell that this is your current market value, he has been very rude in trashing KBB value (over $600, current market value) I provided of the equivalent vehicle and said “KBB number is not the true value on the market, give me the MARKET REPORT of your vehicle instead?”. I am not sure if to wait for them to come up with the appropriate value and if they ever going to offer?
I wonder if my insurance will total or repair my 2012 Toyota Yaris LE automatic with 140,000 miles. The current repair bill at the body shop is $5,600! The adjuster estimated $1,200 of damage, but my body shop looked and saw there was even more damage. The only thing is I still ower $3,500 on it. I’m still waiting on what my insurance will say. It shouldn’t be too long now. I should know in a day or two. What should I do if it’s totaled? I don’t think they’ll wanna pay $5,600 of parts, and labor on a 6 year old car.
Who decides if you far is totaled tho? I just got a challenger 5 months ago, I got into an accident 2 weeks ago, the other person at fault, my fender bent, the hood did a bit, my right front wheel came off, the suspension snapped, they said the cost to fix it is $9,000. But I feel like the car won’t be the same after it gets fixed and I want it to be totaled because I got gap insurance too, so I’m curios what are my options
Hi Christian, I had a blowout on my way home from work last week. It was quite violent to say the least. The blowout caused pretty extensive damage to my 2008 Ford Explorer. Long story short, I contacted my insurance company (Progressive) immediately and received a claim number. I was given options to take my vehicle to a local shop in their network, which I did. The Shop Rep inspected the vehicle and determined that there was roughly $3500 damage. the next day I receive a call from an adjuster stating that my vehicle is a “Total Lose.” And, I will have to come remove all my personal items from the vehicle. The adjuster also stated that he is turning the claim over to another adjuster for the Total Lose claim. Can you give me any suggestions? It seems like they are going to salvage my vehicle and pay me off $3500. I’ve searched around for the same make/model/yr of my vehicle, and it is way more than $3500. It seems like I will be stuck with a low payout and still making payments on my totaled vehicle.
Thanks for this article it was really helpful. Question: My 2017 Hyundai Elantra has TLC plates and am considering claiming a loss on the vehicle. My insurance is saying that because I was paying the low amount on my full insurance they can only cover the lowest amount which is around $8,000. I have gap insurance and my car balance is currently $19,000 I am hoping that they can cover a majority of my remaining balance. I am still confuse as to what to do because on one hand I feel like what my insurance is giving me is really low and on the other hand I don’t know how much my gap insurance really is going to cover. Please any suggestion?
My question is you think it’s a good idea when your insurance company is wanting to total your vehicle to ask for a second opinion from a different shop because the first shop kind of inflated the price of the repair, which is wanting the insurance company to total the vehicle when I feel it should be fixed?
Appreciate the pointers. My 2016 Ram 1500 was totaled a couple months ago. Tried all this and more with USAA — said ‘no’ over and over, made a dozen truly valid arguments, they were absolutely dead wrong at every turn. And in the end they came up on their initial offer exactly not one cent. Never been so angry in my life.
One thing to keep in mind is that when they pay you off, they own the damaged vehicle. It might well have significant salvage value for parts or at least some small value as scrap. They assume that you don’t realize this. You might want to ask what they believe the salvage value to be; and if they are willing to sell it to you for that amount.
Two resources you can use are Kelly Blue Book or kbb.com they give values for used vehicles. I would shoot for the top price listed in KBB. The other is the your banker uses for loan value, they will never loan more than that amount that is listed in what they call black book. Never except less than the max for the black book. So get to know your banker as they are a good resource for this kind of info. Also when buying a vehicle never get what is called “Upside Down” or owe more than the vehicle is worth as it takes a long time to pay off and cost you a lot of money. Non-bankers (or the finance person at the dealership) will do this as they can make lots of money this way. How would you know check KBB.
My wife’s 2008 honda accord was hit on passenger side, and was other drivers fault. According to Kelly bluebook the total loss value of the car is $7800, which is what statefarm offered. M question is, should I take the fair offer? Should I contact the at fault drivers insurance company and ask to be compensated for more money? How do you maximize the payout when the accident was not hyour fault?
Thank you for your advice. Wife’s car got hit and car was damaged in the bumper and subframe. I don’t know if the insurance company will total the car as it’s a 2012 model with 65000 miles, hope I can get a reasonable settlement. BTW, how many times can I reject the offer before they take me to court
Hi there! I am dealing with other party’s insurance for total loss for my vehicle. I won’t be able to get same car with which the insurance going to pay me with this difficult times when the prices of cars are sky high. Please advise me how can I find out my car’s real value as if I were to sell an individual before accident so I can convince insurance to get what I deserve. Thank you so much!
This was very helpful but i have a question can you still negociate the value of your truck if you claiming the accident through your personal insurance(statefarm) ?? Bc my truck was totaled today by the other guys insurance(Geico) but the guy who inspected the damage of the truck told me to contact my insurance and put the claim trough my insurance bc the guy only had a 25k insurance coverage and the truck was worth more
I am so sad my husband had an accident the front part on the left side is damaged a bit but they shop told my insurance its a total loss. How??? I called a friend of mine who is a mechanic and he said the damages are less than 2,000 $. Well now they want to offer me 7,618 for my 2012 Mitsubishi lancer 4 sedan and I still owe in total 8,500 so I would end up still owing money. I want to keep my car but they said I cant because the car is not paid I live in Delaware so that sucks. So they said I have to pay off my lease to get the money from insurance idk what to do.
How does it work when your dealing with the other parties insurance? My daughters car is 85% damage to value but to get her into another vehicle and deal with her current loan as well which shouldn’t be a big deal as we took options but I want a down payment for her to get another vehicle as she is a student.
I have a vehicle with 184K miles declared total loss due a rear end accident (I was hit). Luckily the car only has cosmetic damage and is still driveable but because its 13 years old and has high milage, the person who hit me, their insurance deemed it a total loss and willing to pay me 4K for it. In NJ (where I am) if the vehicle is declared total loss, my title would be flagged as a salvage title and I wont be able to drive the cR. With what car prices are right now, I dont think I would really get good value. Can the insurance company report my cars title as total loss or salvage if I walk away from the settlement. The law is confusing and Im wondering if I can continue to drive the car? Pleasese Help as the DMV are no help!
Hey there my name is Krystal, I was hoping I could get some advice from you before my adjuster calls me about my car getting totaled out. A few bits of information about the accident. I was hit from behind and the person who hit me was driving a stolen vehicle and did not have insurance. She was caught and arrested, now my insurance is totaling out my car and I am about to speak to the total loss adjuster and I am not sure what to ask. I would appreciate any advice given.
My car was totaled and I was offered a settlement. I said no. The adjuster told me 1- this was not a negotiation 2- if I did not take it then I could go to claim the car then they would pay 3/4 of the initial offer 3- if I did not like it then I could go to find a comp and submit to them. They would consider and have the right to reject my comp 4- or I and they can go to arbitrary but I have to pay fir those cost What should I do
Hey, I have a few questions about what could me and my wife do about a insurance claim thats going on at the moment. She got her car hit with our son in it but it was not her fault. They say the car was totalled, so far they just now today gave us the totalled car back today exchanging it for the rental car we had from their insurance company. My wife just need advice on what’s the best thing to do? Now we driven on a spare tire which we had to put on because of the cause of the accident in the snow, sharing the car going back and forth to work and taking our son to daycare which is not too close, driven in snowy weather with our son. Looking forward to hearing from you, thank you.
So today my insurance company sent me an offer that’s not horrible but also not great. It’s about $1-2k less than the quotes I received from car dealers selling similar cars in the area. I told my insurance company to send over the offer so I can look over the details. How should I proceed? If similar Nissan Altimas are being sold for a higher price in my area, does that give me leverage in negotiations?
If i want to keep my car that was totaled by an insured driver I also got insurance I financed the car but i do have Gap coverage will i have 2 pay anything to keep my car the adjuster said that they are going to take it out the settlement by me having Gap im trying 2 figure out once they take it out will Gap pay the remainder or will i hve to kum outta pocket
Okay, I know I’m 3 years late but I need some help. My car got deemed a total lost and they are only offering me 11,300. I owe 11,900 on my loan. They gave me a valuation report and all of the vehicles they found in my area the miles aren’t close to mine. It’s about 20,000 miles off. So I went to search for my car with the miles that was on it when it was totaled with my zip code and I found it for 13,500, 14,500 and one for 13,000. So I denied the first offer like you said and when they called me I told them the offer they gave me I can’t even go and buy my car back on the market right now and the adjuster immediately changed her tone and told me I can’t negotiate the price of my car. Is that true ? And the adjuster asked me what I think my car is worth and I said it’s worth more than what you’re offering. I said I did my research ( which I did ) so I was told to upload the vehicles that I found but do I upload all 3 cars that I found or just the one with the highest price ? I’m stuck what do I do know, please help me.
What if a drunk driver totaled my truck while parked out front of my home while I was sleeping. The girl was driving on a learners permit and she’s 29 yrs old & I don’t know how to find out who her insurance carrier is. It’s not on the copy of the police report that I picked up but I do have her state ID & learners permit number Vin number tag number D.O.B her address etc. But my insurance adjustor will not give me the insurance info. My insurance company gave me an offer but it was a low ball offer so I’m so confused on what to do. I’ve never been in an accident, I’ve never got any tickets but my insurance adjustor low balls me?? Do you have any recommendations on what I should do? Thank you!
Need some help here.I recently got rear ended and my car has been in the shop and the other person at fault insurance is supposed to pay for damages, then I get a call from the insurer that my car was deemed a complete total loss.My car has a rebuilt title but is street reliable.Can anybody tell me where should I go from here since I feel like they’ve kept my car for too long and now updating me that it has been deemed a total loss.
I’m in the process as I wright my truck was totaled it was hit while it was parked so not my fault I’ve talked to the adjuster before perusal your article and kept telling them no it’s not enough to find another truck in my condition in my area they asked me to send them similar listing in my area and they still don’t want to give me more and same the list they sent me were all cars nowhere near my area i live in SoCal and I still haven’t accepted there offer what should I do ?
I just had a total loss. I am perusal your article because the insurance adjuster will be calling me soon to give me a settlement offer. The insurance company of the other driver has accepted liability in writing. I would like my vehicle’s maximum value. I am not sure how to get that??? So I am looking for advice. I received injuries from the accident. I have a 1st degree burn and I was banged up pretty bad. My car was not paid off and I do not have gap coverage. However, I had the car 3 years and I paid down my principle enough that its within the range of the vehicles resell value. If the insurance company does not give me the maximum then I could find myself in more trouble with my current Lienholder. I really need to get a new car as well. So of I get into trouble with not receiving maximum value for my vehicle, it will ultimately prevent me from getting another car. And my situation will be even worse. If I say “no” to the initial offer, and say I’ve done my research, what creditable sources can I use and tell them I’ve used so they will know that I’m serious?
i havnt watched the full article yet but i have a 1 million mile warranty threw dodge on my 2013 dart i bought new my car is worth 5,200 now but repairs are 5,300, hit a deer left diver side bumper and fender with no structural damage and i can still remotely start my car due to no mechanical issues. there claiming its a total loss on 100$ lol hope this article helps me… it will help me thank you!
I’ve had two totally losses in Wisconsin and I said no on the first one because it was such a low number. I absolutely did my due diligence and finding the model and the year and the mileage with comparable vehicles in my area and they still turned me down. I sent them 5 whole listings that were at least 1,000 to 3,000 dollars and I still got declined. My second wreck I was down to that one vehicle and had to just take what they gave me. It’s a tough process if you go up hill and fight that. I have USAA. They are good don’t get me wrong but I felt like they raw dogged me on that first one because the other driver didn’t have insurance. The second wreck was with a deer on the highway. Pro tip: if you hit a deer get a police report so their is no he said she said with the insurance
My 2019 accord was totaled a week ago, I was told the settlement amount of $17,300 minus $500 deductible. I searched the market and none with the same specs and usage go for less than $20,800. I’ve just spoken to my adjuster today and stated that I would like a higher offer, It was definitely uncomfortable. Is it okay for me to try and push for at least $20,000 and would it even be possible?
I have a claim with my insurance and the other party/insurance has accepted liability. Today I was told insurance will be considering this a total lost claim. I need to submit a receipt for the towing of my car from accident scene back to my home. Adjuster says they will lump that reimbursement into my final payout, is that the way it’s usually handled?
I was offered close to $22k on my car which in my market is worth 15k-18k. I will probably be reimbursed 1.5k if I accept. I wish I could get more back to help with getting a new vehicle, but I don’t want them to do more digging because I feel like the lord is bless me to not get a lower offer. Should I take the offer, this was their first offer and if I don’t take the offer what should I say? I don’t want to be greedy, but as you said don’t take the first offer right?
thanks, bro! 2006 Cadillac STS AWD V8 that I bought 2 years ago with EVERY available option; had 44K miles on it. Was owned since new by an auto fanatic whose hobby was cleaning and preening this car. When I say mint, I mean – MINT. I took the car to have the oil changed at 3k miles, the oil change dude asked if I had been driving it. I was like, crap. here we go, water in the oil, etc. He said the oil was so clean it looked like it had just been put in. He (and he was the general manager) told me he would suggest waiting till 5k. Drank ZERO oil, ran perfectly, looked perfectly, not a scratch, dent anywhere. Opened the door and you were greeted by the welcoming scent of leather. Was like brand friggin new. It now had 56k miles, so i put on 12K in 2 years. i drive 7 miles to work, 7 miles home. That car would have lasted forever! Until an effing deer superman’d in front of me in the snow going 45…..
Hey, I have a question that has been keeping me awake lately. My car was affected by hurricane harvey here in houston. I think its a total lost but i havent heard anything from the insurance company yet. I had the car about one or two days short of 5 months. Within those 5 months, I put on a little over 10,000 miles because I commuted to work. I bought it brand new for about $20,000. Before buying it, I did tons of research on it. That car (2016 Dodge challenger sxt) with 20,000-26,000 miles went for an avg. asking price of $21,000-$27,000. With the mileage on my car, the avg price now is between $17,900-$19,000 via kelly blue book and other sights. But if i go to a dealership looking for the same car, same miles. The dealerships are asking for an avg starting price $22,000. Will I get somewhere between the kbb value $17,900 and $19,000 from my insurance company? The car overall is in excellent shape. It has no scratches nor dents
My question is why I took the insurance adjuster 30days to the day to call me about my 2014 kia optima ex to total my car out they offered me $13988.88 for car that had only 51,779 miles on it. I did my research as well the same model and newer has more miles than my kia optima. So what would do about. Also I’m looking into a 2nd opinion. Thanks
Hello! I was just recently in a car accident and they crash me. The aadjuster told me that she does not know whether they will fix it or consider it total loss. However, she told me that most likely if they consider it lost they will give me the value of my car. I personally know that the value of my car wont cover everything that own. I had a Hyundai 2015 accent. What do u suggest ?
Hello PNWreckage…hoping you can give me some advice. I have a Yellow 2000 Ford Ranger xlt supercab that was hit in the front left quarter panel…effecting frame are and wheel. The other driver’s insurance (he was at fault) told me they would have it towed from the tow yard to the body shop. That didn’t happen…so, an adjuster went to tow yard and automatically tries to total the truck. Unless he can shrink himself to 2″ there is no way he could have seen underneath the truck(which is slightly ben bent downwards) to assess any damage…unless it was lifted at a shop. How are assessors allowed to make up blatant lies like this? We need our truck and used ones are hard to come by…why should we be PUNISHED when it was someone else’s fault? I refused the first offer for totaling it…I was hoping to just have it fixed.
My car is also a total loss but I don’t have the confidence to ask for more because the door on my driver side is replaced and it’s not the same color it also is a little rusty from the hood and has scratches in the bumper so how do I go about that to try to get more for my car they are wanting to give me 4500 for a 1998 Honda Accord
I got rear ended i live in cali i was not at fault and i dont have insurrance so i called the other party’s insurrance and they sent me to a body shop turns out my car is total and the estimate to repair is 5800 i got the car for 2.6k its a chevy cobalt lt with 102k miles really low for its year a 2007 around how much will they offer me also if i dont have insurrance it wont be a problem right since i was not at fault?
My car was totalled out this month and i did not have the information to negotiate. They worked with me on the email and sent the money directly. I have not agreed totally. Is there a way i can still say them that my car is worth more ? I signed the title and sent in email. Is that a considered a consent?
Just happened to me. 2005 Saturn Vue. Some old lady driving in reverse down the highway destroys my front end. Car totalled (@ least by Geico standards). I’m not a wealthy man. Hell, I’m barely making ends meet with a wife & 3 daughters. The adjuster offered me $2,000 for my vehicle. I’ve used the Kelley Blue Book & it shows my vehicle for as high as $3,450. My Vue was beautiful. Not a scratch. No rust. Zero damage. And a minor soda stain on the rear seat (3 daughters). Even my mechanic always says how nice it is. Runs beautifully. Always had the oil changed on time. Just put tires on in March (it’s now July). Now, even IF it can only be valued at $2,000 it’s worth FAR MORE than that to us. It’s our only vehicle. And $2,000 is NOT going to buy us anything near its equivalent…. Even as a down payment I’m still now going to have to take on a new bill just to get back to square one. What I thought of as a minor accident & just tried to remain calm & accepting as to not endure any bad karma…. Well, it’s turned, literally, into a life changing experience. I’m going to try what this vid said; say no. Fingers crossed!
Lady ran into my 2008 toyda solara. Got a estimate of 3,700. Her insurance company said just get estimate and they would send me a check. Today her insurance company calls and say they are going to come out and see if my vehicle is a total loss. What does that mean? Are they wanting to take my car and give me 3700? Or give me 3700 to have it fixed? What does this mean? Help. I don’t want to lose my car. It is a great running car and I just need to get repair to back of it.
Does it make a difference if you were at fault ? I was at fault, my car is repairable but insurance may claim total loss. I need it repaired because I have an irreplaceable feature, free supercharging for life. Over 20 years and fact I use car for biz that requires a lot of driving it is irreplaceable. Does any of this matter in 2024 ?
My car was stolen then found the same day with scratches and dents all over the car. Crack windshield. Messed up alignment. So the adjuster said they’ll only paint the messed up parts. I want the whole car painted. So they might be like your cars only worth this much but I wanna negotiate it cause I know I’ll get lowballed
My BMW 2011 335i convertible was total and KKB third party value around 15000-18000, but it very hard to buy it, And buy a car like this repair cost more than 2300 dollars. So what the price I should except? I except 23000 dollars. And the strategy is that called them it’s hard to buy, and the dealer offers a higher price and refused to low it. Second, tell them it’s cost a lot to repair. When I refused their offer twice, they will give a reasonable offer. Right?
Hi Christian, after talking to the adjuster this morning, I was informed that my insurance company (Progressive) is paying off the remainder of my car loan via the Gap Insurance that I purchased when I bought the Explorer. The end result is that I am left without a car (They are keeping my Explorer as salvage), and I am left with nothing. It feels like I rented my Explorer for the past 3 years with all the monthly payments I have made as well as the insurance and maintenance cost. What is the purpose of having insurance if the policy holder is left with nothing in this situation. Any suggestions? I feel like I was just Robbed.
Thanks! I was hot from behind by a car driving too fast in the rain on the interstate yesterday. I was in the slow lane going 60 on cruise control in a 70, which is reasonable with the rain. My Impala got grazed a little on the back, and a little on the side. The other vehicle had a lot more damage because it went off the road. It is a 2001 3.8 liter V6 Impala with 228,000, but very well taken care of in excellent condition. I’m worried it will be totaled, but not ready to buy anything else until I get more money’s worth. My question is, is there a way of negotiating a totaled status to be able to continue driving?
Some good advice. I’ve been valuing cars for 30 years and dealing with insurance companies. Who you are insured with, which is going to reflect your driving record, plays a big part. I’ve done my job to value vehicles and my insurance company has offered me a fair price every time. If you are dealing with a garbage company expect a garbage offer. Do your homework. And be reasonable. What you put into it does not necessarily increase its value. Know what does and what does not. Don’t look like an idiot negotiating an upward price on your blacked out rims and grille.
Can this work for an accident that happened about 8 months ago. I am 23, had not clue what was going on, badly injured and concussed and the company spoke to my mom. Gave me 1200 on a 2017 Subaru Impreza and said the rest was paying off the vehicle as it was not paid off I was paying on it monthly prior. I barely walked away with anything and still do not have a vehicle.
I’m 23 yr old, This the first time this happened to me, after the accident the adjuster ask for my bill of sale I sensed there’s something fishy about that but I didn’t know so I said no and the adjuster refused to help me until I give him him the bill of sale I didn’t discussed with the elders or a friend so I ended up give it to him he offered me 40% of what I bought for do I still have a chance ?