Fender Bender = CA Salvage Title

hotlady, didn't think i was making an argument out of someone elses misfortune with an insurance company. i as a shop owner have found it is cheaper to buy policies on individual vehicles rather than a blanket shop policy. i also don't want to take chances on anybody elses shop policies as (you have first hand knowledge) this can be inadequate coverage. when a car comes to my shop in pieces and i put in x number hours labor and x dollars materials i need to insure this will be paid for in case of accident. if a customer has regular insurance on a '40 ford pickup paying $12 a month the policy is basically worthless after i put 20,000 dollars into it.(trust me i've seen insurance companies tie **** up for ever if they think they have a way out) bottom line insurance should be updated with increase in value of vehicle. in my shop that can be done by the owner or me. again not trying to argue with anyone. i think stated value and agreed value are two names for the same thing. i've never known an insurance company to insure something that they did not agree with the value.
p.s. sorry for taking liberties with your screen name but when i saw your sig. Your ******* cruzn buddy, Denise i skipped a few beats.

 

try talking with a public adjuster they are in bussiness to side with you against the insurance companies and generally work on a commission

 

Ive seen worse, we dont live in a perfect world.

 

Ok know it all, then who is Mitch Crawford?

 

She tried, they dont want to compromsie unfortunately..

 

Read post #65

 

I've been in the car business all my life and my father as well. Truthfully, I don't think it make any difference if it had a Mexican ***le. As long as you can get the license and registration, drive it. You may have to get it repaired and then have it inspected. If everything looks ok they will probably issue a "reconditioned" ***le. This is how it works in Texas.

Get whatever money you can get from insurance, do***ent everything and drive it. When it's time to sell, sell it to someone who is familiar with the car and doesn't care about the past.

If I found a car I was in love with I could care less what kind of ***le it had. Wish I had a 32 Ford with salvage ***le.

 

I'm glad it was the mopar and not the Chev!!!!!!

 

i just had something like this happen to me... it wasnt my fault though... some girl pulled out inf ront of me on a highway i avoided her... my enclosed trailer with 50,000 worth of mowing equipment did not the equipment wasnt harmed but the trailer was...i went and got est to get it fixed came out to 4000 to put it back to how it was before the girl hit me... i sent that off they had some dip **** come out and look at it and he told me we are ready to give you 3500 and we take the trailer 8000 dollar trailer that was one year old mind you... i told him to leave and that wasnt happening...then 3 days later he said ok 2100 and you keep the trailer but it cant be put back on the road...i told him nope cant do it and hung up with him.... they called one more time and said ok 1500 you keep it and it can stay on the road...i came back and said thats not good enough im going to talk to a lawyer if i dont hear something better than that by 12 o clock.... i got a phone call one hour later...... YOU CAN KEEP THE TRAILER ON THE ROAD AND WE WILL BE SENDING YOU A CHECK FOR 3588!!!! its all a game just stand your ground and dont give into them....

 

He has the answer. The insurance company has no claim, or rights with your car, only with you. And until you are satisfied, they are under the gun to settle from the insurance commission. Until you sign off the settlement, they can make no claim to the car. So fix it yourself, and let them settle with you then. Remember they can only make you do what you are willing to do.

I was hit twice in an off topic car, both times they tried to total it. Both times they paid more than twice the first offer, and I kept the car.

Remember you can complain to the insurance commission about them, but they can't complain about you.

 

I think my neck and back are starting to hurt ?

 

Hey don't cave into the insurance company, your car is fixable...when it was new these were common ordinary accidents and they weren't written off. Start searching around to locate a fender or other parts. A lots of what you need is just sitting waiting to get used. Find the stuff do***ent the costs and get an old car appraiser to look the vehicle over, not one of them new plastic nob's. If that fails get people here to bombarded your company they will fold. I had a acquaintance on a non HAMB board get plowed by a Mercedes. He had a 70 Dodge...it was fixed and painted after a 3/4 rear was located in Washington State.

http://www.valiant.org/aparts.html

http://www.wildcatmopars.com/

Try Wildcat tell them a Mopar C-body guy sent you....they know us.

 

Yes there will be a ***le change. The ins. co. is obligated to brand the ***le, but you should be able to get the ins. money and have them brand the ***le " Insurance claim paid ". Then you're OK.

 

I agree with brewsir, keep on them tell em you don,t want to total it. Tell em to find another one like it . they will settle, my son had the same song and dance. Dave vista ca.

 

as a shop owner i go through this problem quite often with customers cars, especially older cl***ics that dont have and agreed value policy( wich they should)

some points and tips

yes farmers ins are jack offs in so-cal, but you can get a fair deal from them , but its gonna be some work. they wont bend over, but you can push them over

you need comps on your car's current value by searching ads and guides.
have reciepts for current repairs, but you cant expect $ for $ on these. an independent appraisal helps, but thats gonna be based on adds as well, so you dont really have to spend any $$ if you dont want to on an appraisal, save that for a last resort, though its not a bad idea

usually with a couple ads in the paper and perhaps the internet, they will increase the worth of your car. i almost always winout over the adjuster in these cases, and always do with an older car that truely has worth.

as for the salvage ***le , in ca, for those who say just dont give them the ***le... that dont work. the ***le is marked electronically at the dmv as salvage, and when tranfsered will be printed accordingly. now the new owner has a fraud case against ya for not discloseing the ***le as salvage.

you then need a brake and light inspection to get it re-reg'd. most insurance will only give you liability, or discounted colliosion coverage.

...so my advice is to avoid the salvage ***le altogether. also laundering through another state will no longer work, as there is always a record that the car was a cal salvage and will be on n.c.i.c. for the other states to see. used to work but no more

you can file a dept of insur complaint right on line, and all of them must be investigated. ins co's would rather not go through the h***el, but will if you are blatently in the wrong, but if its even close , you are likely to get results.

i had a recent allstate clain where the customer was in the same boat as you, and they hired the independent adjuster to look at an elcamino, and he agreed the car was worth much more than the adjuster from allstate claimed. they imeadiately paid.

bottom line as hotrod lady says, you need a collector policy on your car, it will remove the headaches, and save ya coin in the process. i also deal with those co's and the h***el factor is much lower, to non existant


skull

 

technicaly when a car is a total loss the insur co pays you off, and recieves ***le, you then re-purchase it from them, and get the salvage receipt. a brake and lamp inspection is neccessary to get the tilte back, and in cal its gonna be clearlymarked

i have never heard of a brand on a ***le " Insurance claim paid ". they are either salvage, or not. unless there is a new one out there

i reccomend avoiding a salvage ***le when you can.

 

WRONG! they notify the DMV and they pull the reg and make you redo it, brake and light and salvaged ***le. just happened to a friend 6 months ago. tell the ins co to pound sand and find like cars that are for sale and get the highest ones to base the price on, that guys value is off by at least 2000 or more. i have the parts for it if you need them, but that fender is easily fixable.

 

tell them you will take the money and get it fixed yourself. If not then tell em you will get an appraised value..

 

appraiser Bob "I don't know nutin about old cars" ***wipe says)




HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA .....AHHHHHHHHHH.......HA HA HA HA....(let me catch my breath).......AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA.

Man, that made my day !

 

i had the same **** happin to me. they wanted to give me 2500$ and i told them id see um in court. they called me back 20 minuts later and uped it to 6000$ and sold me my car back for 500.

 

After hearing all these stories I'm so glad I have Grundy and know EXACTLY the dollar amount I will get if a total loss. I also have the option of them cutting the check to me personally for repairs, if not a total loss, and fixing the car myself.

 

Having looked back at the pictures of the damage, to refresh my memory, I have to say stand your ground and don't let them total it. That is VERY fixable. Screw the salvage ***le.

It is YOUR car, not the insurance companies car. Don't sign anything you are not satisfied with! They can't just come take it.

Makes me want to school up on being an flat-fee independent appraiser, for the hot rod community.

 

now, thats true, they cant take your car away if you wanna keep it. but they can give ya the salvage ***le.

i would agree though, dont sign if ya dont like the deal

skull

 

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Re your hypothetical "rotted out Corvair with a barely running engine with rusty rockers/quarters and a $15,000 gold plated suspension" - you'd need to get the car appraised, and then show your insurance the appraisal and tell them you want the car insured for that amount. Then, they'll charge you premiums based on a that value. If you don't and car gets totaled, they'll simply pay out on the value of a typical "rotted out Corvair with a barely running engine and rusty rockers/quarters". By the way too, just because someone is stupid and.or crazy enough to spend 15Gs gold plating the suspension on an otherwise worthless piece **** doesn't necessarily mean that for appraisal purposes, that the car is suddenly worth 15Gs either. Remember the old expression "You can polish a turd, but it's still a turd"? It's the same with appraisals.. Appraisers appraise cars as to what they would probably sell for in the current market, which may or may not be related to what someone spent building or restoring it

Mart3406
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from the pics of the damage im not sure I would deal with insurance and get it slavaged - though their basis and valuation for a 63 valiant is fair - and I love mopars. Remember, just cuz you invest a ton o coin into your hobby/love affair doesnt mean the car is actually worth that to anyone else - no offense, remember I love mopars. i had a similar situation long ago with my 66 plymouth on the 78 cuz Caltrans didnt maintain their road signs correctly - in my mind the state of california owed me big - they took one look at my car (it lacked all side windows, and no interior but the drivers seat) and questioned if the car was even roadworthy - point being my car was priceless in my eyes, almost irreplaceable, to htem it was a pile of junk that woldnt generate cash to junk it. That said - it looks like you dont have that much damage - swee****er wrecking probably has a the fender and front bumper for around 500 Id guess - then take the douchbebag to small claims and get it paid for - then your insurance wont be affected either
and remember - i <3 mopars - and glad your ok and the car faired as well.

 

I think thats the difference in different states. In Wisc.you can haggle with the ins. co. ( within reason ) about the amount of damage in dollars as compared to the agreed value. In Wisc. if the damage is 70% of the value or less you can request a check for the damage amount minus your deductable and the ins. co. will brand the ***le Ins. claim paid to cover their future liability against any claims on that VIN. I can't speak about Calif. because I'm not familiar with the MVD laws on ***le branding there. In Wisc. there are three types of ***le brands for damaged vehicles, Salvage, Rebuilt Salvage, & Insurance claim paid. I agree with avoiding a salvage ***le. I have been a general manager at an auto dealership for 30 years and am now retired, but I have seen all three of the ***le brands on vehicles over the years. I will add that the Salvage ***le brands are like the plague, there is no cure, so you want to avoid it.

 

my knowledge is limited to calif, im sure you are correct for your state.

it is amazing how the dmv rules vary so much from state to state.



skull