Insurance response to my smoked Viper, outraged!

[YLW DRM2]

This morning insurance adjuster sends me PDF file with the description of the work and all he lists is a good cleaning worth of $500 (which is my deductible), that is it! This is Wawaneesa insurance, who are supposed to be good, but its all comes to this independent adjuster who thinks that cleaning is the only thing that is needed.

Original post: http://forums.viperclub.org/srt10-s...997-viper-got-smoked-literally-need-help.html

 

[dipapa]

Ok, this may take a bit of time and an insurance battle.

You need to go to a couple of good shops that have experience with extensive smoke smell damage & the limitations of cleaning and get it in writing what needs to be done.

Hopefully there recommendation is to change parts (i.e. seat covers, carpeting etc).

Then submitit too insurance.

 

[slysnake]

Yeah, get your own estimates.

 

[russellesq]

This is hardly surprising. I see this all the time as a lawyer. Insurance companies have a typical response of either denying the claim or offering you the least amount of money as possible. The reason is simple, not knowing better, most people take the insurance company's position as the golden rule and do not dispute the claim. Why do people do this? Because the average citizen still believes that the insurance company knows better and is supposedly acting in good faith. Unfortunately, most insurance companies now take advantage of this misconception. As such, the "deny or pay the least" business practice yields a lot of profits since the insurance company gets out of paying some legitimate claims while still collecting all of the premiums.

My suggestion is get a legitimate repair estimates from the top shop in town that works on smoke damage. Do not get multiple estimates because naturally the insurance company will choose the least expensive. We already know they themselves have the least expensive so why do more homework for them? Challenge their position with your estimate and by being forceful and attentive to your claim, the insurance company will eventually cave in. If they do not, seek the help of a lawyer. This in the end is a contract claim as you paid premiums for the specific purpose of being covered in the event of an accident like this. Demand what you bargained for and nothing less!

 

[YLW DRM2]

This is hardly surprising. I see this all the time as a lawyer. Insurance companies have a typical response of either denying the claim or offering you the least amount of money as possible. The reason is simple, not knowing better, most people take the insurance company's position as the golden rule and do not dispute the claim. Why do people do this? Because the average citizen still believes that the insurance company knows better and is supposedly acting in good faith. Unfortunately, most insurance companies now take advantage of this misconception. As such, the "deny or pay the least" business practice yields a lot of profits since the insurance company gets out of paying some legitimate claims while still collecting all of the premiums.

My suggestion is get a legitimate repair estimates from the top shop in town that works on smoke damage. Do not get multiple estimates because naturally the insurance company will choose the least expensive. We already know they themselves have the least expensive so why do more homework for them? Challenge their position with your estimate and by being forceful and attentive to your claim, the insurance company will eventually cave in. If they do not, seek the help of a lawyer. This in the end is a contract claim as you paid premiums for the specific purpose of being covered in the event of an accident like this. Demand what you bargained for and nothing less!

Thank you! I am with you on all the points, the difficult part for me right now is to find "top notch" restoration shop. I've been looking on the internet and could not find anything in San Francisco area. The regular after fire cleaning companies are favor to do the simple cleaning work and don't care if smoke will come back in 3 or 6 months.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Typical insurance BS, after my last claim, I know better.
After Hurricane Wilma, the first check I got from the insurance company was several thousand dollars.
I said BS, after I got done with them, after a lot of effort, and four checks later, it was six figures plus.

 

[TrackAire]

Boy that *****. A neighbors car caught on fire on th 4th of July and the smoked went into the back window of my old Suburban that we use for hunting, etc. Fire only lasted about 8 minutes, but the smoke smell is still in the truck nearly 3 months later.

You might want to give Service Master a call....they advertise fire and smoke repair & cleaning, they might know of a shop that they would take a car to in the Bay Area.

Good luck,
George

 

[Paul Hawker]

Good Ozone treatment will go a long ways towards a sweeter smelling Viper.

Your insurance agent usually should be able to refer you to a shop they work with.

I had some smoke damage in my home. They sent out a cleaning crew, and the smell was totally eliminated. They had specialized techniques, and I was happy with the result. Never saw the bill, but they were very through.

Other than cleaning, what would you expect them to do to remove the smoke smell?

Best of success with your Viper.

 

[RedSrt007]

were are you located? I might be able to help...

 

[YLW DRM2]

Good Ozone treatment will go a long ways towards a sweeter smelling Viper.

Your insurance agent usually should be able to refer you to a shop they work with.

I had some smoke damage in my home. They sent out a cleaning crew, and the smell was totally eliminated. They had specialized techniques, and I was happy with the result. Never saw the bill, but they were very through.

Other than cleaning, what would you expect them to do to remove the smoke smell?

Best of success with your Viper.

Yes, ozone treatment is what I hear necessary, however, there is a possible downside to it, same cleaning companies saying that ozone is not so good on leather. Ozone hardens leather which leads to premature wear and tear in the not so distant future.

 

[PDCjonny]

Well this is off topic but might be of interest as a amusing diversion.
You want to talk about smell?
My son is at college in Philadelphia. Three summers ago, he went food shopping. He inadvertenly left a package of raw chicken in his Subaru Forrester. It had slid under the seat. He only used the car on weekends as he could walk to school from his apartment.
Well....you guessed it. Heat wave all week, windows rolled up tightly and raw chicken percolating for a week. My son said that on the following weekend when he went to get the car, he smelled something bad from ACROSS the parking lot. Approaching the car he noticed a lot of flies in it...and when he opened the door it was like getting hit with a sledge hammer. Maggots, rotting meat...hundreds of flies....and the smell of rotting flesh...

Well we tried everything known to man from the obvious interior shampoo to the renting an ozone machine. We bought bags of this chemical substance they use in morgues...you name it. Three years later there is till a faint smell in the car, kind of a mix of chemicals and bad breathe..

I told him that the car is his forever because it won't be possible to ever sell it.

 

[VIPER GTSR 91]

Sounds familiar and just what USAA would do too.......

 

[Newport Viper]

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[TrackAire]

Well this is off topic but might be of interest as a amusing diversion.
You want to talk about smell?
My son is at college in Philadelphia. Three summers ago, he went food shopping. He inadvertenly left a package of raw chicken in his Subaru Forrester. It had slid under the seat. He only used the car on weekends as he could walk to school from his apartment.
Well....you guessed it. Heat wave all week, windows rolled up tightly and raw chicken percolating for a week. My son said that on the following weekend when he went to get the car, he smelled something bad from ACROSS the parking lot. Approaching the car he noticed a lot of flies in it...and when he opened the door it was like getting hit with a sledge hammer. Maggots, rotting meat...hundreds of flies....and the smell of rotting flesh...

Well we tried everything known to man from the obvious interior shampoo to the renting an ozone machine. We bought bags of this chemical substance they use in morgues...you name it. Three years later there is till a faint smell in the car, kind of a mix of chemicals and bad breathe..

I told him that the car is his forever because it won't be possible to ever sell it.

Great but sad story....similar results to what Mythbusters found out trying to get the dead body smell out of a car.

Cheers,
George

 

[slysnake]

Try the Seinfield method. Park it in a unsavory part of town and "forget" the keys in in.

 

[plumcrazy]

this is why i always say if my car was on fire, id let it burn to the ground. i dont want a partially burnt vehicle. too bad it didnt burn the house fire. i assume it would be easier and better for you that way.