Fender Bender = CA Salvage Title

My 63 ford country sedan was hit in Hanford on lacy st by a drunk driver at 6 in the morning. the country sedan was f*cked up pretty bad the drunk snaped the rear axle in half!! this happened before i bought it. it now has a salvage ***le and when i went to insure it they never questioned me when i had full coverage put on it

 

I was in this spot once over a V8 S-10 I had. They wanted to total it out for a $1200 check. I disagreed and provided them all my construction receipts totaling almost $10k. They became more agreeable after realizing that I could sue for more and settled at the actual repair cost of $3500.
Stand up and make them treat you right. Good luck!

 

Two words no adjuster wants to hear: insurance comissioner. You may try a polite concise letter to the office of whatever bureaucrats oversee insurance activities in your state.

Best of luck!

Bill

 

I went thru this last year with my 72 Chevy truck because of a hail storm. Factory BBC, A/C, P/S and PDB with 99k on the ticker and when the hail storm came thru and did 6k worth of damage, they wanted to total it. They tried telling me my vehicle was worth $1400.00, so they were going to give me $1150.00 even though I had a stated value policy of $7500.00. The insurance adjuster guy I dealt with was a real piece of work, so I ended up dealing with his boss in another state. I sent him detailed pics of the engine (just rebuilt) and the custom interior along with some reciepts. Long story short, I took their check for $5750.00, pulled my motor and ****** and then sold the body to a body shop owner for $700.00. Do NOT let them tell you what to do, it's your vehicle and you paid for the insurance, so you should be compensated if there is an accident. I've had insurance with this company, one of the BIG ONES, for 18 years and never had a problem till this weinie hugger adjuster, so I'm just chocking it up to him being an idiot.
Good Luck,
Nik

 

I for one would like to know how this turns out and what you end up doing. Your bad experience may help others deal with similar problems.

 

tell them you are NOT going to total it. you need receipts even if it's just for parts (they won't give you labor unless you have a receipt from a repair shop) and show them how much simillar cars are worth. you DO NOT need to bring your car up to "new" codes if you get a salvage ***le. you need to get the car certified by a offical california brake/lamp adjuster shop, they will check the lights and brakes for defects and all needs to be in good condition for the year of the car. they'll check specs for brake thickness (drums/shoes, pad/rotors in your case), the only stuff that needs to p*** is the stuff that came on the car from the factory....it's all spelled out the vehicle code book. you'll get the new ***le with the word "salvaged" on the top and all is good from there. i've had 2 "newer" cars for my girlfriend over the years with no problems, of course the cars were used up (really high mileage) when she got rid of them so re-sale wasn't an issue.

if you have to go the salvage ***le way and have problems with the brake/lamp part pm me. i have a brake/lamp adjuster license but i'm not at a place that's licensed to do it........i MIGHT be able to work something out with my previous job.

 

they have no problem getting re-insured, but (i'm not sure on this) i hear if it gets totaled again you only get half the value or something like that......i ***ume it's to keep people from wrecking the same car over and over again for the insurance money.

 

If they decide to settle with you they should offer you 2 options. 1st is to take the car and give you amount "A". Second is to let you keep the car and give you amount "B". If you keep the car the ***le should stay "clear". It's only salvage if it goes through licensed salvage companies. The wifes 94 Formula was totalled a couple years back and they gave me $450 less if I kept the car. The ***le stays clear that way and the "salvage" that I had was worth that much more to an ambitious rebuilder. I sold the remains for $1000, was way ahaead of the deal, and when the buyer heard clear ***le, didn't hesitate a second. I your case you get to keep the car and do with it as you wish. The other option in your favor is to tell them to simply replace the car for you. That's why it's insured. What some of these dumb ****s never realize with old stuff is that unless it's burned to the ground they're almost never a total loss.

 

Thats what happened to my 47 chevy coupe. The ins company never even looked at it, We made the deal over the phone and had a check in two or three days. I sold parts off the car and kept some. There wasnt much left after the hit by the tractor trailer. Jay

 

Why do you even bother with "standard" collision coverage on what insurace companies consider just an old piece of **** anyway?
According to the other thread you already KNOW what a front panel costs and that and a fender and bumper is all it needs you should have said "I have no claim" in the first place!

I don't know if they can tell DMV the car's a total now that you started a claim or not but you should locate those three parts and tell them that's all you want to claim if you can claim anything at all (probably less than your deductible anyway, my deductible on the '06 Civic is $500.00) and leave it at that.

Insurance is a racket.
The concept of it and concrete was invented by the Mafia, or Italians, I get them confused some times...
Play their game only what the government/gang requires and you'll come out best.
On an old POS, (and most of our cars are just that as far as the insurance companies are concerned,) only carry PL & PD.
Your just wasting money on "regular" fire & Theft and collision coverage.
When I bought a $1500 Sportster years ago my Agent asked me if I wanted theft insurance.
I said how much?
He said $600 a year.
Isaid; "If I pay that, in three years you ****in' stole it!"

 

about 8 years ago i had a car that was a ca salvaged ***le, waited about 5 years did not regis it (fell out of the computer) and then told them i had no paperwork and they gave me new pink, not salvage. i think they ony keep them on the computer 4 years.........but that was awhile ago and things change...........

 

Ok im bringing this ancient thread back up because my g/f is going through the same BS with her slightly O/T early 70's Dart. She got rear ended by some **** on a cell phone early last November. His Camry was done for, they had to tow it away.. Her Dart just suffered a bent rear valance / quarter panel and broken tailpipe. Long story short as possible. The cops showed up, made a report and not only (obviously) declared the other driver at fault, but, also cited him! Its been over two months now and just two weeks ago the worthless (farmers) adjuster shows up only to say
"Sorry, I cant help you because due to the age of the vehicle I cant input it in the system"??? I told him to his face he was full of it.. next day they send out an "appraiser" who supposedly knew "cl***ic cars". He pulls up in his SUV in the morning (with his family) in front of the house and calls on his cell and wants to re-schedule because it was sprinkling, (NOT raining, SPRINKLING) outside, so she told the wuss fine! He calls later that day still trying to flake due to weather, but we told him we were tired of waiting.. So he shows up with a bad at***ude, looks the car over trying to find anything wrong with it obviously favoring the insurance company... that was over a week ago, we havent heard anything.. She calls today and the guy handling the claim (about the third person now) says he JUST got the info and hasnt had time to look over it yet, but its looks as if theyre going to declare the car a total loss at $1,400 of damages even though the current NADA says the low value is $2,700...
So... can anyone give us some advise... she obviously wants to keep the car and avoid giving them the ***le...
Any advice would be appreciated...

 

All you have to do is threaten your Insurance Company (Ask to talk to a Claims Supervisor) with filing a report with the California State Insurance Commission. Usually this will light a fire under their *** and they will handle your claim right away. The reason is this, if a company gets too many claims filed against them, the State denies their license renewal to operate in that state....and they don't want to lose their thousands of customers over a Dart.

I filed a claim once with the State (it's a lot of paperwork and you have to show a paper trail) because they wouldn't pay my bodyshop to release the car. After I filed the claim, I got the car back immediately.

Just some advice, I hope it helps.

 

Thanks HotRods... Will let her know, do you think it would be worth complaing to the vice president as well?

 

omg !!! you have a girl friend? and, and,and, she has a dart??? wtf?

 

If it's something that is simple to fix, see if you can keep the ***le the way it is if you just walk away and cancel your claim. You spend a couple of hundred bucks and an couple of sundays and you are back in business.

It's not worth it.

 

" She got rear ended by some **** on a cell phone early last November"


there are kids on this forum....watch the adult themed post!!!! harrrrrrrr

 

Man, you'd better work on your negotiating skills. How about " give me two grand and I'll fix it myself " This has ALWAYS worked for me and I dont end up with a useless salvage ***le.

 

If she was rear ended at a stop light and the other driver was at fault his insurance should cover everything. Tell his insurance company you want the car fixed back to how it was at the time of the accident. You dont have to release your ***le to an insurance company unless you accept their offer to total the car. Most of the time they will low ball you and try to get it cheap.

 

I doubt if Mr. Biden would be interested in your girlfriend's case....

 

First thing that you should do is get your own appraisal, so you have a good idea what the car is really worth. There are some old car buy guides available that will give you a ballpark guesstimate what it is worth, and maybe the insurance companies appraiser is in the ballpark.

After you have this done, tell the insurance adjuster that you don't want the car totaled. Tell them that you will agree to a fixed price for the repair; which might be a little less than what they were trying to give you before. Look around for the parts and try to find someone that might fix it for you.

Like what was mentioned, you don't have to accept their offer; but do your homework and know what the car is really worth.

What the salvage ***le means is that the ***le and license will be void after the insurance company notifies the DMV. Then you will have to fix the car if it is unsafe, and have it inspected. Then a new ***le will be issued and you can buy plates again. I don't think that a salvage ***le on an old car has that much impact on the value.

 

Here is the million dollar question. Is a car worth what you've put into it? For example, what if I gold plated the entire suspension system on a Corvair that was rotted with a barely running engine and rusty rockers/quarters. What is the liability of the insurance company? If the gold plating cost $15,000 to do, is the insurance company required to compensate for that? I know it's a weird question, but the point is, you could put tens of thousands of dollars into a vehicle, but does that actually make it worth more?

 

I had this happen to me a few years ago. I had just finished a 49 ford pu on saturday was headed to work monday and a woman t boned me at a stop sign. the ins co wanted to give me 100 dollars for the pu. I took it to court and ended up with the ins co fixing my truck paying for a rental and all my medical bills. As far as salvage ***les thats all I drive as my daily drivers. I'm in the state of mo. and the laws may be different. Fight em to the end.

 

rgaller, yes the insurance has to pay what you have in the vehicle, BUT only if you have "stated value" insurance. meaning you take your reciepts (gold plating and bald eagle feather interior) to the insurance company and change coverage to x number dollars. now this is going to cost you out the wazoo, but you have to protect your investment. if you only pay premiums based on what they say the car is worth you have to be willing to take in return what they say the car is worth. good luck and always remember you can fight an insurance company and get some satisfaction, but most of the time it is only some.

 

Aha, that makes sense. So basically, if you do not have "stated value" insurance, you can't complain when they say your car is only worth $1000 even though you have $9000 into it?

 

I don't think that this is true. The best place to find out is talk to your insurance agent. Usually "stated value insurance" has a appraisal to back up the value of the vehicle. I have always had a regular insurance policy on my cars, the downside to this, if the vehicle is damaged, I'll have to prove what the value is; like with photo's, receipts, lots of do***entation and comparable cars and their value. If the car is stolen, then it presents a bigger problem, because the car isn't available to help make the ***essment.

 

talked to someone within an insurance provider company, not a field agent. said that without full coverage, and especially an agreed value you are at the mercy (?) of your insurance company. take the repair offer and buy the car back with the salvage ***le. salvage ***le really of a concern to future buyers, and your next insurance company. But, if you have receipts, photos, etc helping to support your claims of value will definitely support you case. after repairs, spend the bucks and get an official appraisal and use that when you look for a new company. get full coverage, expensive . but, help save you in a deal like this. none of us wants to pay more for anything if we can get it cheaper. but, sometimes it pays off in the long run to buy the best. there are lots of ****py insurance agents and companies out there, so do your homework. know that insurance companies to use have been covered here in depth. good luck

 

Some of you are confusing a "Stated Value" policy with an "Agreed Value" policy. A stated value policy is what daily drivers have and if/when there is an accident the insurnace company decides what the value of the car is taking into account depreciation on tires, etc.

An Agreed Value policy is what the cl***ic car insurnace companies like Grundy and Hagerty provide. You and the insurance company "agreed" at the time of writing the policy what the value of the car is and your premiums are based on this figure. No depreciation, no deductable. If you have a loss, no matter who is at fault, YOUR insurance company pays for repairs or the full vaule of the car, period. No h***les. In this day in age, with the costs being so low for this type of insurance, I have no clue why someone wouldn't have it on a car they love so much.

For instance a '70 Dodge Dart worth $5,000 would cost $87.48 PER YEAR for full coverage with Grundy! That's if you live in Livonia, Michigan. Each state might be alittle different but you all get the idea. Protect yourself BEFORE **** happens.

 

i don't know what you don't think is true, i clearly stated you must prove with your reciepts the value of the car. you can't just "state" it and they have to take it. i'm not going to argue "agreed value" over "stated value" because in OK they only offer a choice between "stated value" and "regular" insurance. "regular" is at the companies discretion as far as value. for "stated value", again all value has to be proven with reciepts, and the vehicle present for approval, and it is up to your insurance company to agree or not. if they don't agree your car is worth as much as you think, then find another insurance company. i too use haggerty for the cl***ics i have, but when a customer car leaves my shop before it is finished (to get interior work done) i take out a "stated value" policy. which is backed by reciepts and work orders or repair invoices. never had an arguement from the agent. just took a '32 over with 42,000 dollars in reciepts and invoices and got a 45,000 dollar policy. done. also, please do talk to your insurance agent because things are evidently very different everywhere you go. my point is only to investigate all options before getting the policy, and choose what is best for you. this should get people to be a little more pro-active with their insurance policies, don't just buy insurance that is cheap because it will most likely bite you in the ...!

 

Hard for me to believe you insure a customers car without being the ***le holder. If something happens to the car in the other shop THAT shop has insurnace to cover themselves and the cars that are in the shop. It doesn't cover each individual car but it a dollar value for "blanket" coverage. I don't see where you and your shop come into play when the car is not in your possession.

When my car burned in a shop fire, I am the one that owned the car, NOT the shop. I was the one that owned the insurnace policy, not the shop. I was the one that got paid in full for my cars loss, not the shop. At that point I had to turn the ***le that I signed over to Hagerty for them to release the check for the full agreed value to me, the owner of the car. Hagerty then subrogrates with the shop's insurance company. In the case of my shop's insurance there was $90,000 worth of vehicle insurance to cover 11 cars inside. Hardley enough BUT I didn't have to wait years for the court case cuz I had my own insurance and didn't have to settle for pennies on the dollar like the couple of guys that had uninsured cars inside the shop. The courts slipt the money between the folks with no insurance and the insurance companies of the ones that got paid off.

Again, it's hard for me to believe you are taking out a policy on someone elses car.

Not true, Grundy offers an Agreed Value policies in the state of OK. If your agent has not filled you in on Grundy or Hagerty then perhaps you need a new agent.