Car got crunched; insurance company wants to say it's a total loss?

[owlice]

Thanks, all!! I've emailed the insurance company asking for the figures they used in making this decision, and letting them know I'd like to get a second estimate for fixing the damage.

jdubble, oh thank goodness, it's not just me!! Thank you!

[Biciclista]

total loss just means that it would cosst more to repair the car than the car is worth.
You can take the check and find someone to repair your car if you still want it.
It very well could have frame damage.
If you are not happy with what they think your car is worth, find some other cars same make model and year for sale and prove that your car is worth more. photos of your car in its original pristine shape help too.
A few years ago someone rearended my 1991 Honda civic. THey wanted to total it too.
I got my car fixed!!

[7rider]

THey wanted to total it too.
I got my car fixed!!

Apologize in advance for the minor hijack here...but this got me thinking, and I'm curious....
If a car is deemed "totaled" by your insurance company, and you take the check and get the car repaired and back on the road...can you get insurance for it, or will the insurance company(s) deny you?

[OakLeaf]

You can't even put it on the road until you get an inspection and a new title. Once you've done that, you can get insurance.

Different states are different in how they handle salvage titles (which is basically the same as a homemade vehicle). Unsurprisingly, it's easier in states that regulate their vehicles less. I've been told you can't do it at all in California, but don't know whether that's true or not.


BUT... was this accident your fault, or is there another insurance company involved? If you're working off of someone else's liability, rather than your own collision coverage, you should be entitled to replacement value.

[MommyBird]

We had a car totaled in the early 90's. It was purchased and repaired by the owner of a salvage yard. I am not sure how he got it road legal again. I only know he repaired it because he called and asked to purchase the owners manuals.

The insurance company actually paid us 7k more than we paid for the car. It was a 1991 Audi 100, purchased used when Audi was still living under their mid 80's "sudden acceleration" reputation. By the time of the accident they were a reputable car company again and it showed in their value. We had purchased the car less than a year old, with less than 10k miles and for about half it's original sticker price. We were fans and it replaced our 1988 Audi 80.

So glad you were not hurt.
Hope you can get on the road soon in a comparable vehicle without a payment.

[Zen]

Look at the photo again.

I doubt the frame is bent.

[Tuckervill]

I'd say you're lucky it's a Civic, because there are thousands in that age range still on the road, and you'll probably be able to find a door at a salvage yard. The insurance company will know how to tell you to procure the care and title it. If you want to keep the car, your check will be a little less, but you'll still have some funds to buy another door.

Remember, the insurance company's idea of it being "fixed" might be a higher standard than yours. You may be able to find a door with that exact same color.

Karen

[Biciclista]

Apologize in advance for the minor hijack here...but this got me thinking, and I'm curious....
If a car is deemed "totaled" by your insurance company, and you take the check and get the car repaired and back on the road...can you get insurance for it, or will the insurance company(s) deny you?

Yes. The first time my Honda was totaled (someone stole the door off it)
I kept the title and took the money and bought a used door and went on driving it.

Since my car's being totaled didn't actually have structural damage, we didn't have to have it reinspected.

[MM_QFC!]

Yes. The first time my Honda was totaled (someone stole the door off it)
I kept the title and took the money and bought a used door and went on driving it.

Since my car's being totaled didn't actually have structural damage, we didn't have to have it reinspected.

Interesting, as when I reached a property settlement on my destroyed bike, I had to bring it to my attorney's office when I picked up the property check because the insurance company was taking possession of my bike.
I paid a teeny bit to do a salvage buy-back of my wheelset, so that I could exercise the warranty replacement.

[Biciclista]

Considering you and I (MM_QFC) live in the same neighborhood, I would say that it must vary from case to case. However, both times my car was totaled, I only had to deal with my own insurance company because in the first case, the thieves were never found, and in the second, the other driver was uninsured.

[tulip]

Mimi--they stole your door? Like, you walked out to go to work and your car had no door? Wow. Hey, maybe Owlie can go lift a door off a car somewhere

[pumpkinpony]

Apologize in advance for the minor hijack here...but this got me thinking, and I'm curious....
If a car is deemed "totaled" by your insurance company, and you take the check and get the car repaired and back on the road...can you get insurance for it, or will the insurance company(s) deny you?

With USAA - they totaled our vehicle, wrote a check.. We kept said vehicle, had to put a salvage title on it, and dropped the insurance to liability only. They are only going to pay out on a vehicle once.

Oddly enough though, if you switch companies, you can probably put full coverage on it again. I had a truck I switched to USAA with a previous salvage title, and they let me do full coverage on it.

[Biciclista]

With USAA - they totaled our vehicle, wrote a check.. We kept said vehicle, had to put a salvage title on it, and dropped the insurance to liability only. They are only going to pay out on a vehicle once.

Oddly enough though, if you switch companies, you can probably put full coverage on it again. I had a truck I switched to USAA with a previous salvage title, and they let me do full coverage on it.

no, again, it depends. I got full coverage on my car after it was stolen, recovered totaled and repaired from the same company..

[abejita]

I just have to laugh...it is nice to know that other people run their vehicles into the ground too. I am a bit heartbroken that it is time to replace my 1995 acura integra that has 198000 miles on it. The a/c is broken and the radiator needs replacing and I just as soon put the money into a new honda or acura than my old one.

[owlice]

Only 198K miles? Oh, c'mon, abejita! Your car is a pup! A baby! Young! :-D

~~~~~~

I've never been given a door before, but wow, what a GREAT present! My brother showed up yesterday afternoon with the driver's door off his 1996 Honda Civic, which used to be my Honda Civic. I sold it to him when I bought the '98 Civic I can now drive again, because we put the '96 door on my car and I am good to go!!!

Granted, the only window that can be rolled down is the driver's window (electric windows on the other three doors now not operable because the "new" door doesn't have the controls for them), and I need two different keys for the car (but have only one, for the passenger side, because neither one of us realized that hey! the lock is NOT the same! until after the door was on the car and I got ready to lock it [the Doh! moment of the day]), and I now have a smashed car door in my shed, but I can drive the car again, yay!!!