Insurance claim

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schwinger

schwinger

1972 Dodge Dart Swinger
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
532
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177
Location
Fresno, California
Need some advice on going through an insurance claim deal with allstate for my wife. My wife got in an accident last friday in a 2004 Trailblazer. She got hit on the side, drivers side wheel/rear axle taking most of the hit making a left turn on a busy residential street. She was already half way on the other street but a guy in an older toyota corolla hit her, and it did smash little bit of the rear quarter area also . I had the car towed to my own home since Allstate wanted to send it too (copart) for inspection which I’ve hear bad reviews about that. Talked to allstate and they said i can take pictures and send it to them if i didnt want to send it to their inspection place or get estimates from a shop which I haven’t done yet. I inspected it myself and the pan hard bar was destroyed, control arms were bent to the passenger side, dented the drivers side wheel and cracked or chipped off the passenger side wheel as well as unseating the tire and little damage on the rear quarter bumper part. i didnt see no frame damage even measured the frame and it was good. Allstate called me again and they said it was on the borderline of being a total loss from looking at the pics I sent and were evaluating it more and get back to me on that. Today they msgd my wife saying it’s a total loss and would offer 2800 for it but they would have to brand it a salvage title if I were to keep it.I haven’t went to a shop yet to get estimates but the offer from Allstate seems low. The car for it’s age is in pretty good shape, mileage is on the high side at 184k. New ac system installed as well as new tires. Allstate asked if any repairs were made within 12 months so we sent receipts on the repairs for the Ac and tires but I think there just lowballing us to where how do you guys go about asking or negotiating for more to cover costs for repairs?
 
Hears pics of the car

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schwinger said:
Need some advice on going through an insurance claim deal with allstate for my wife. My wife got in an accident last friday in a 2004 Trailblazer. She got hit on the side, drivers side wheel/rear axle taking most of the hit making a left turn on a busy residential street. She was already half way on the other street but a guy in an older toyota corolla hit her, and it did smash little bit of the rear quarter area also . I had the car towed to my own home since Allstate wanted to send it too (copart) for inspection which I’ve hear bad reviews about that. Talked to allstate and they said i can take pictures and send it to them if i didnt want to send it to their inspection place or get estimates from a shop which I haven’t done yet. I inspected it myself and the pan hard bar was destroyed, control arms were bent to the passenger side, dented the drivers side wheel and cracked or chipped off the passenger side wheel as well as unseating the tire and little damage on the rear quarter bumper part. i didnt see no frame damage even measured the frame and it was good. Allstate called me again and they said it was on the borderline of being a total loss from looking at the pics I sent and were evaluating it more and get back to me on that. Today they msgd my wife saying it’s a total loss and would offer 2800 for it but they would have to brand it a salvage title if I were to keep it.I haven’t went to a shop yet to get estimates but the offer from Allstate seems low. The car for it’s age is in pretty good shape, mileage is on the high side at 184k. New ac system installed as well as new tires. Allstate asked if any repairs were made within 12 months so we sent receipts on the repairs for the Ac and tires but I think there just lowballing us to where how do you guys go about asking or negotiating for more to cover costs for repairs?
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Let me ask my brother...
 
Is Allstate your insurance or the other guys insurance?

I might take the money, fix the structural stuff and leave the cosmetic stuff alone.
 
schwinger said:
Need some advice on going through an insurance claim deal with allstate for my wife. My wife got in an accident last friday in a 2004 Trailblazer. She got hit on the side, drivers side wheel/rear axle taking most of the hit making a left turn on a busy residential street. She was already half way on the other street but a guy in an older toyota corolla hit her, and it did smash little bit of the rear quarter area also . I had the car towed to my own home since Allstate wanted to send it too (copart) for inspection which I’ve hear bad reviews about that. Talked to allstate and they said i can take pictures and send it to them if i didnt want to send it to their inspection place or get estimates from a shop which I haven’t done yet. I inspected it myself and the pan hard bar was destroyed, control arms were bent to the passenger side, dented the drivers side wheel and cracked or chipped off the passenger side wheel as well as unseating the tire and little damage on the rear quarter bumper part. i didnt see no frame damage even measured the frame and it was good. Allstate called me again and they said it was on the borderline of being a total loss from looking at the pics I sent and were evaluating it more and get back to me on that. Today they msgd my wife saying it’s a total loss and would offer 2800 for it but they would have to brand it a salvage title if I were to keep it.I haven’t went to a shop yet to get estimates but the offer from Allstate seems low. The car for it’s age is in pretty good shape, mileage is on the high side at 184k. New ac system installed as well as new tires. Allstate asked if any repairs were made within 12 months so we sent receipts on the repairs for the Ac and tires but I think there just lowballing us to where how do you guys go about asking or negotiating for more to cover costs for repairs?
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My brother says to check the value on here...

www.nada.org

Consumer Vehicle Values

Research new and used car book values, trade-in values, ratings, specs and photos.
www.nada.org www.nada.org

He is an adjuster himself...
 
What are other used 2008s going for? 2800 seams like a low ball offer considering what the used market is now.
 
I went through this a few years ago (though i had no desire of buying the car back) but i challenged their "comparables"

(That would be the cars for sale in your area with similar options and mileage)

And found several comparables that were a little farther away but closer in options

Once i submitted those, they agreed with me
(I cant find the numbers now, but they adjusted it up several thousand dollars, and that was on an 08 charger, awd 160k)
If you are a good receipt keeper you may be able to prove a higher value based on that too


The one thing to keep in mind is, this is not a final offer, you are not obliged to take it
 
Newbomb Turk said:
Is Allstate your insurance or the other guys insurance?

I might take the money, fix the structural stuff and leave the cosmetic stuff alone.
Click to expand...
Allstate is our insurance. The other guy he didn’t have insurance which he got cited for. Our coverage was liability plus comprehensive collision.
 
SIX225 said:
What are other used 2008s going for? 2800 seams like a low ball offer considering what the used market is now.
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diymirage said:
I went through this a few years ago (though i had no desire of buying the car back) but i challenged their "comparables"

(That would be the cars for sale in your area with similar options and mileage)

And found several comparables that were a little farther away but closer in options

Once i submitted those, they agreed with me
(I cant find the numbers now, but they adjusted it up several thousand dollars, and that was on an 08 charger, awd 160k)
If you are a good receipt keeper you may be able to prove a higher value based on that too


The one thing to keep in mind is, this is not a final offer, you are not obliged to take it
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It’s a 2004 six225 and looking at the dealerships in my area they are going for 6 to 8k even for higher mileage trailblazers than mine
 
I’d prefer to keep the car but getting it branded a salvage since it’s considered a “total loss” im wondering if it’s gonna be more of a hassle to keep the car.
 
schwinger said:
It’s a 2004 six225 and looking at the dealerships in my area they are going for 6 to 8k even for higher mileage trailblazers than mine
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Well, theres your problem...they think its a slant six car


Seriously though, find out who your claims adjuster is and send him half a dozen comps that are more in your favor (and include notes on the comp, regarding mileage and what not)

Even though the insurance company has a contract with you, doesnt mean they work for you
In the end, they are a business and if they can make more money (or in this case, keep more) they will

Just don't go crazy or they may value it so high, they'll have it fixed



As for keeping it, not a big deal
They total it, pay out the insurance and you buy it back

Instead of a green title, you get an orange one (at least here in Michigan) and your resale value dissappears

You know what and where the damage is, so you know if it can be safely and cost effectively fixed


And bonus, insurance will be way lower on a rebuild title because of the lower value

But if you want to go that route or not depends on your skill level, available time, emotional attachment to the car and, let's be honest, if your wife thinks it's a good idea or not
 
Dont forget since it is thru your insurance, you will most likely have a deductible also.
 
Lol just caught that which I was replying to SIX225!!! But yea I’ll take that into consideration and talk to the wife about it. Here in comifornia they brand the title salvage untill either a shop fixes it or I fix it, take it in to get it inspected and if all passes they rebrand it rebuilt.
 
You can always negotiate a higher settlement if you can find comparable vehicles. They need to be the same make, model and trim level with the same mileage. AllState is one of top ten worst insurance companies to have, they find the cheapest parts possible to minimize the claim severity. Don't forget they get to take that vehicle and sell it to a yard. They are walking away pretty clean at that price. When you buy a branded title vehicle you have to have it registered again, and inspected by the D.O.T. along with spending time and money to fix a car that isn't worth fixing. You might also have issues insuring a vehicle with a branded title. Settle the claim as high as you can and take the money.
 
67Dart440GT said:
You can always negotiate a higher settlement if you can find comparable vehicles. They need to be the same make, model and trim level with the same mileage. AllState is one of top ten worst insurance companies to have, they find the cheapest parts possible to minimize the claim severity. Don't forget they get to take that vehicle and sell it to a yard. They are walking away pretty clean at that price.
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We looked that up and it is definitely higher around my area for the same style trailblazer we have. And we are realizing that about it being a shitty company as well as we are paying up the ying yang to have insurance through them which i let my wife choose them and we are regretting it especially with the price hike they just put on us recently which is a joke. They are also pressuring us to pick up the car to which my wife keeps on getting calls from Allstate, “we’re ready to pick up the car at your home” which I already told the claim agent we don’t want to send it to them.
 
you've got your head on straight. 100% do not release the car to them for anything. they want to gripe and moan, tell 'em to send a field adjuster out to take pics and write up an estimate.

if you want to keep the car, try not to have it totaled out. if it goes salvage you'll need to jump thru all the hoops to get the title cleared-- brake and light inspection, vin inspection and they may also insist on a 2nd party safety check and evaluation. all of which you guessed it, you have to pay for.

then, at the end of that, allstate will probably bounce you from coverage or up your rates considerably. some companies won't insure salvage titles, others will only do PLPD

if you DO want it totaled, find the absolute closest and best comps to what you have. i'm not sure what allstate's radius is, but some companies only will allow for comps within a specific range or geographical area.

no matter how you decide, do not release the car until you have a check in your hand.
 
I am actually an insurance adjuster. The best thing you can do is find comparable vehicles. And dont be afraid to negotiate. Just stay calm. You get cranky you will get nowhere. I literally do this all day every day. Also understand that retail at a dealership is not the same as ACV. Actual cash value. Everyone acts like insurance is always looking to be cheap when paying out. There is a legal obligation involved. People think i spend 1k a year for 10 years w the insurance company ive paid them 10k. Get in a wreck. The money is gone quickly especially if injuries happen. Insurance companies make money by bulk investing and diversifying it. Plus most insurance companies have reinsurance
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Long time Californian with a salvage title 93 Chevy K-1500 Silverado here. In my experience a salvage title, at least in the Golden State, is no sweat. I've bought several cars and a truck from junkyards. My Silverado, very clean with 125k miles, had been donated to a charitable organization and from there it ended up at the local CoPart at auction and was bought by a local auto wrecker. I happened to walk in their yard looking for parts for my 88 Jeep Cherokee but also in the market for something newer. Took a look and saw that it was well taken care of it. Interior was clean with no wear and it had an expensive set of mildly worn Michelin tires. It ran well and they only wanted $1500. Under the seat I found some service records and the receipt for the tow from the owner's driveway on behalf of the charitable organization. I paid the man and got a small wad of documents to take with me to the DMV also a pretty nice, new to me truck with no license plates. The plates are destroyed and the original title and registration along with a junk slip is turned into the DMV. The vehicles past is wiped away. The only way to properly register the vehicle and get new plates is to file for a Salvage Title. To do this you have to meet a few very modest conditions. You need to get a lamp inspection, a brake inspection and it needs to pass a smog test. You may need to perform some repairs to achieve compliance. That's on you. Finally you must have the vehicle identification number verified. This can be done by a friendly, local California Highway Patrolman (only CHP is authorized) or by visiting your local Department of Motor Vehicles and ask for an inspector to perform the verification. If your acquisition was a simple purchase like mine was this is nothing to worry about. If you have managed to cobble together a vehicle from the parts of two or more the inspection can take a little time as the inspector determines if your assembly is on the level or if you are trying to pull a fast one by laundering stolen components into a legitimate title. It can get complicated at times. Once you collect all of your required certificates take them inside the DMV office. You're already there getting the VIN verified. Take a number and wait. When your number is called present yourself at the appointed window, smile and suppress your feelings of dread and push your sheaf of documents across the counter. Tell the clerk why you are there and what you want. Don't worry, they've seen it all before. You're not the first to submit paperwork stained orange by your finger tips covered in Cheeto-cheadle. Pay the new registration fee and receive a new temporary title and registration, new license plates and registration stickers. The official title will be mailed to you and it will clearly state that it is a salvage title. Someone before me claimed that the shameful Scarlet letter S can be removed by the simple correction of any issues that took the vehicle off the road. I do not believe this to be so. When the plates are destroyed and the junk slip filed the vehicle starts a second legal life. This new title and registration disconnects the vehicle from the encumbrance of previous owners. In reality you won't know who they are although Carfax still has the anonymous service information. In my case the service documents and tow receipt I found identified the original and only other owner to me. I got a one owner truck and the service records confirmed the mileage at 125K. Legally I wasn't supposed to see that information but **** happens. The Salvage Title is the way the state accounts for the fact that the vehicles plates and title had been turned in to the State for any reason whatsoever. Mine was used as a tax deduction. Whatever trouble the previous owner got into I assume no legal responsibility or liability and he has been alleviated of any concern over what I might do with the truck. There was no trouble. Truck was owned by an older adult couple who may have had a camper shell on it. The service has been routine and the truck has been reliable. The Chevy 350 delivers horrendous gas mileage, between 10 and 12mpg no matter how I drive it.It's the only thing I really dislike about it. Suggestions for improvement are welcome.
Happy story with a Happy ending. My other happy salvage title story involved a 1986 Plymouth Horizon, red with red velour interior, with 40K one owner miles from Missouri that had an unhappy ending when it and I became car number 6 in a 25 car pile up in the Caldecott tunnel one wet winter evening. My insurance company CSAA informed me that they determined I was 51% at fault and rejected my claim. Evidently most of the participants were found 51% at fault by their insurance companies.
So my experiences in the Land of the Lotus Eaters with the Salvage Title situation has been good and I say do not fear the experience. There are as many reasons for good vehicles to end up being retitled as there are types of vehicle owners, it takes all kinds. Hope this screed helped clarify Salvage Titles ala Californian while not being too long winded and self serving which I will agree that it was, somewhat. I'm not an expert or a lawyer. This is not legal advice. YMMV.
I don't care how they do it where you come from. It honestly sounds like a clusterfuck in some parts of the country. California has a massive state government with a massive bureaucracy run by millions of ambitious energetic state employees who have worked hard to improve how things get done here. Sometimes they succeed. It's not a total failure. Also let me know if I've left out anything important. I've been known to do that

Photos taken the day I found my truck in the junk yard and one week later

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I have to deal with this almost every day. If All-State never takes possession of title it will remain a clear title. Tell them just to send you the money for repairs, if a quality shop finds more damage then on the insurance company wrote they will negotiate it out with them. Do it almost every day My shop andysautobodyil.com
 
when did you get this truck and/or go thru the process?

a lot has changed in recent years. especially IRT back fees and VIN checks/verification

AFAIK once it goes salvage it never comes back to regular title. and it's always been this way to my knowledge (30-ish years).

this pertains to CA, i don't know **** about other states process.
 
I bought it in 2015. AFAIK there hasn't been much change in the process since then. This was the last vehicle I bought from a junk yard but I've considered doing it a couple of times since and saw nothing that gave me pause. Or flippers, or tentacles or a large muscular foot like an abalone.
And it is my understanding that once you go Salvage the die is cast. You might try bribing a low paid government worker to switch-A-Roo the documents. Someone at our local DMV was selling blank official driver's license forms so that the fake IDs on official paper were very very hard to detect allowing teenagers to buy beer. So I know that they can be bought. Again I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice. California does things how they want usually different than other states. Often more encumbered by laws and regulations. It's a a big state with a big population and enough opportunities for imaginative citizens to try any new fad or shortcut. Many states haven't had to face the volume and variety of novel approaches to automobile registration. I'm speculating but I've briefly examined titling criteria for many states and some are downright quaint. Some states don't issue titles. How do you verify ownership and exert regulation and taxation. Some states are know as being friendly to anyone wanting to retitle a car. Vermont. I am somewhat aware that many of these loophole are being closed at this very moment. I've only brought one car from Michigan to California. That was a loophole in the opposite direction. In 1992 brought a 1986 Olds Delta 88 to California and had to shell out $336 for emissions compliance penalty. There was California standards and there was the other 49 states. This detail was noted by the worst kind of petty bureaucrat, the fink. She actually smiled when she informed me I was going to have to pay the $336 fee. Except that it was a massive screwup on the part of the DMV. By 1986 all cars were meeting the same standard for emissions in all states.California illegally charged everyone registering a car from out of state. There was a big lawsuit about it and refunds. Except that they were still charging this fee long after the lawsuit was settled. When I learned about it I figured $336 refund, where do I sign? But scam upon scam, there was no existing mechanism in place for me to apply for a refund and everyone from CSAA to the State insurance commissioner to my state assemblyman was not interested in revisiting the issue. Sorry pal. You are SOL. The state scammed people out of multiple millions of dollars, lost a lawsuit and continued the scam. How much disappeared into the black void of slush funds? Who knows? No one who could do anything about it did anything. They are as culpable as those who fed at the trough.
Insurance-wise it has little or no effect. It doesn't even raise an eyebrow. My rate seems reasonable. If I'm this complacent I better go shop around, yes?
 
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I'm in Illinois if it says salvage on the title you can fix it you can get it inspected by the state and get a rebuilt title, if the title say junk only games over
 
andysauto1 said:
I'm in Illinois if it says salvage on the title you can fix it you can get it inspected by the state and get a rebuilt title, if the title say junk only games over
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California attempts to exert some control through the verification process. If you have assembled a collection of scraps and garbage into a vehicle shaped tetanus outbreak with conflicting vin numbers stamped where you can't see they probably won't issue a salvage title. I've heard of it happening. One was a single salvaged part from a classic Lancia or Alfa that had been incinerated in a garage fire and had a stamped vin on it. The owner then assembled a recreation of the original car from a collection of odd parts he swept up all in an attempt to claim this was the original car or just as good as. Meanwhile someone else had bought the rest of the melted pile and was attempting to build their own version using the stamped number on maybe the iron engine block. Meanwhile the insurance company was losing their mind. because I think they had made a payout to the original owner.This was probably 30 years ago.
 
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