Now Insurance co. Wants To Fix Car They said Was Totalled

[SYNFULL]

Finally after 2 months of waiting my insurance company has gotten back to me and they are asking me if I would consider fixing my gts that they said was totaled. I posted the accident here http://forums.viperclub.org/threads/648746-Just-Wrecked-My-Dream-Car?highlight=dream+car.

I need your guys input on what do here. They said that when they found out the car was reconstructed they resent out the adjuster that originally said they car was totaled, and did a new estimate. They sent me a copy and it totals like 27k and he told me that it could go over that figure. I know the engine and drive train are not damaged and I put a lot of money into this car (foolishly perhaps), but I don't know if I really want to repair it. I was thinking of saving for a gen 3 or 4.

Someone at work stated that the 27k is what they are willing to give you if you keep the car. See what they will give you if they keep the car and just give you the money. I'm thinking the engine and drive train is worth maybe 15 - 20?? The supercharger I'm sure is worth around 6k by itself. What are your guys thoughts on this?

Thanks!

 

[EllowViper]

I'm confused. If you have a choice of getting $27K and keeping the car, DO IT. Are you saying your insurance company is willing to put $27k into repairs in a previously rebuilt car? I find that unlikely.

 

[TowDawg]

I agree that it seems a little backwards. That, or I'm reading it wrong.

I don't see why they total a clean title car because of the repair cost, but then decide to repair a salvage history car. Usually the repair or total decision is based on the value / price to fix ratio. Since a salvage history car is worth less, why would they decide to fix it instead of total it? Your cost to repair vs value of the car is now even higher.

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

I really think you need to call your insurance company and clarify everything.
Otherwise you really can not make an informed decision.

 

[Red Snake]

If they are going to repair it, I would do it. You were already driving it with a reconstructed title. That's not going to change.

 

[slysnake]

I don't see how a previous salvage title should matter to the insurance company.

1. You paid the same amount to them. Did they give you a discount because of the title? Your entitled to the same coverage.

2. It costs the same to fix a previous salvage car as it does a clean title car.

3. If they go to sell it at a salvage auction it's going to have a salvage title either way.

I think they're trying to pull something on you.

 

[SYNFULL]

I don't see how a previous salvage title should matter to the insurance company.

1. You paid the same amount to them. Did they give you a discount because of the title? Your entitled to the same coverage.

2. It costs the same to fix a previous salvage car as it does a clean title car.

3. If they go to sell it at a salvage auction it's going to have a salvage title either way.

I think they're trying to pull something on you.

I agree with you slysnake. I don't know what the difference is to them that the car was reconstructed. I put 12k into the car before any performance mods, just to make the car right. I have been harping on them about the 48k stated value that I have, so maybe they are thinking that if they can get by spending 27k on repairing the car and be done with it.

 

[SYNFULL]

I'm confused. If you have a choice of getting $27K and keeping the car, DO IT. Are you saying your insurance company is willing to put $27k into repairs in a previously rebuilt car? I find that unlikely.

That is what the adjuster told me today. He faxed me the repair estimate that they worked up.

 

[plumcrazy]

im guessing you are better off if you like the car and wanna keep it.

 

[EllowViper]

$48k agreed upon value CASH or they fix it for an estimated $27k in repairs and give you the car back. If you can make that cash deal work...or really anything above $27k in cash, I think you should take it and run. If they want to spend ~$27k to try and make the car right, oh well. Kinda their call.

 

[ZYellow01RT]

$48k agreed upon value CASH or they fix it for an estimated $27k in repairs and give you the car back. If you can make that cash deal work...or really anything above $27k in cash, I think you should take it and run. If they want to spend ~$27k to try and make the car right, oh well. Kinda their call.

Agreed...especially since the OP was toying with the idea of getting a Gen 3 or 4 anyway. $48K would help out quite nicely there.

I would personally take the cash. There's no guarantee that 27K would repair it completely...lots of question marks there.

 

[SYNFULL]

Agreed...especially since the OP was toying with the idea of getting a Gen 3 or 4 anyway. $48K would help out quite nicely there.

I would personally take the cash. There's no guarantee that 27K would repair it completely...lots of question marks there.

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my previous posts, but they haven't offered me a cash payout- at this point anyhow. I would be very happy with 48k but they aren't offering that. Right now they are just offering to fix the car.

 

[Fatboy 18]

So if they are offering to fix the car, what garage are they recommending to perform the work? If its the same over where you are, the insurance companies have a list of approved garages they like to use, But...Its your choice where you get the work done. I would send the car to Chuck Tator and get him to rebuild the car for you Are there any Viper specialists in your area? Would be interesting to see what they say. I would also contact JonB to get his thoughts on this?

 

[LifeIsGood]

Yep...JonB is the guy to call on this topic. I've read a number of threads where he's helped many owners with wrecked vipers.

 

[SYNFULL]

So if they are offering to fix the car, what garage are they recommending to perform the work? If its the same over where you are, the insurance companies have a list of approved garages they like to use, But...Its your choice where you get the work done. I would send the car to Chuck Tator and get him to rebuild the car for you Are there any Viper specialists in your area? Would be interesting to see what they say. I would also contact JonB to get his thoughts on this?

That would be nice to have tator do it. Don't know how complicated it would be though, accepting their damage estimate without actually seeing the car. I would then have to have the car towed to him and if things didn't work out between him & the ins. co estimate it might be a problem.
The car is currently being stored at a shop called Knights Collision in Bensalem. The guy has done some work for me before and does decent work. He painted the stripes on the car and straightened out a lot of stuff when I first bought it.

 

[Jeebs]

This is just my 2 cents from what i've seen friends go through around where i live. If the Ins company says it shound only take 27K to fix, but once it gets to a shop and it turns out to be 35k. The shop notifies the Ins Company that their quote was off and it is still going to take another 8K to fix. The Ins Company desides if they are willing to spend more on it to fix it or cut their losses. You as the owner are NOT left with at half rebuilt car, cause you have not signed off on any papers yet. So they either pay you what the car was originaly worth as of your policy or they **** it up and pay the total amount to fix it. My guess is they will fix it because if they pay you out, they will also have 27K ******* in a car thats not complete, and thats money they will never recover.
Good Luck

 

[ViperTony]

That would be nice to have tator do it. Don't know how complicated it would be though, accepting their damage estimate without actually seeing the car. I would then have to have the car towed to him and if things didn't work out between him & the ins. co estimate it might be a problem.
The car is currently being stored at a shop called Knights Collision in Bensalem. The guy has done some work for me before and does decent work. He painted the stripes on the car and straightened out a lot of stuff when I first bought it.

Tator would need to assess what it would cost to fix as well. May be worthwhile to do if you really want to keep the Viper. Call Chuck and see what he recommends.

 

[SYNFULL]

The thing is i don't know if I want to keep it. Obviously it has a reconstructed title and now it has been in another pretty bad accident. With the cars history it will never have any decent value. What do you think about me asking them for 42k and keeping the car?

 

[Camfab]

If you can get 42K and they kept the car, they would be giving you a gift. Good Luck, something tells me your in for a battle.

 

[viperscott]

Insurances always play with owners when they find out that car was rebuilt. Especially if it is not some common, big insurance but collectors or so. They are unfortunatelly worst ones.
I have few friends who had exactly the same problems. Reason for it - depending on insurance - they pay 10-35% less than KBB price for rebuilt car if total loss. All of us are right noticing that they not giving this 10-35% discount when we pay for insurance, and they are not informing about those rules.
Second reason - and it is why they made another estimate - depending on state - rebuilt vehicles can be fixed by insurances with used or even scrap parts. Estimate for fixing clean title car with new parts could be like 45k - so total loss, but estimate for rebuilt car and fixing it with used parts was 27k - and they play you now...
You still can and should play with them and it is chance that you will get closer to your expectations, but it never is easy nor fast.

I agree with Camfab. If they offer you more than 35k and they will keep a car it still will be like Christmas gift for you. Sorry for bad news...

 

[Fatboy 18]

This is just my 2 cents from what i've seen friends go through around where i live. If the Ins company says it shound only take 27K to fix, but once it gets to a shop and it turns out to be 35k. The shop notifies the Ins Company that their quote was off and it is still going to take another 8K to fix. The Ins Company desides if they are willing to spend more on it to fix it or cut their losses. You as the owner are NOT left with at half rebuilt car, cause you have not signed off on any papers yet. So they either pay you what the car was originaly worth as of your policy or they **** it up and pay the total amount to fix it. My guess is they will fix it because if they pay you out, they will also have 27K ******* in a car thats not complete, and thats money they will never recover.
Good Luck

Good post, this is what I was thinking

 

[SYNFULL]

Thanks people for all your info. This is the kind of knowledge I was looking for. I guess the next step would be to show the estimate to my shop and see what they think. Of course they are going to be biased to fixing the car as opposed to totaling it because of the work they will get.

 

[VenomSteve]

If it was me, I would have it flatbed to a reputable shop that your insurance company approves and that you have a personal relationship with. Personally, I am not a fan of fixing a totaled car and given the fact that this is a stated value of $48k, then I would make sure the shop will give you a maximum all inclusive quote, example $5k for paint and $3k for stripe, etc. If the value is close to the stated value, then the insurance company will total the car and typically they will offer to sell you back the totalled vehicle first before going to a scrap yard. Then you will just have to decide if it is worth it to take the car back as is with a net payout or take the whole stated value and get yourself another ride. Good luck.

BTW do you really know if the drivetrain is still perfectly intact (don't answer that), all I am saying is that you never know, and thus should make sure the repair shop give you a quote that is assuming the worst.

 

[Moundir]

Fight them for the agreed value, or a little less as 27k is already more than 50% of that! If all else fails get a higher estimate from a different shop and keep the money and scrap out the car! That car will never bring you more than 20k with a history like that! Unfortunately that car is now worth more dead than alive

 

[SYNFULL]

If it was me, I would have it flatbed to a reputable shop that your insurance company approves and that you have a personal relationship with. Personally, I am not a fan of fixing a totaled car and given the fact that this is a stated value of $48k, then I would make sure the shop will give you a maximum all inclusive quote, example $5k for paint and $3k for stripe, etc. If the value is close to the stated value, then the insurance company will total the car and typically they will offer to sell you back the totalled vehicle first before going to a scrap yard. Then you will just have to decide if it is worth it to take the car back as is with a net payout or take the whole stated value and get yourself another ride. Good luck.

BTW do you really know if the drivetrain is still perfectly intact (don't answer that), all I am saying is that you never know, and thus should make sure the repair shop give you a quote that is assuming the worst.

Good info, Thanks!

 

[slysnake]

The Insurance company will always do whats cheaper for them.

Pay off to you minus the Value car will is expected to get at salvage auction = X dollars
Cost to have the car repaired = Y dollars

Which ever of those is less money out for them, that's what they'll do.

If you want it to be declared a total then insist that it go to the most expensive shop you can find.

 

[malcoll]

They are not always going to just do it cheaper.........there is a policy with language in it that dictates what they do.

Typically the total loss threshold is 80% of current market value, or the agreed value in this case. So if you have agreed value at $48K.... anything less than $38,400 it is a repairable vehicle.......bottom line. Obviously you know it can be repaired back to perfection...you did it before, so why would you care if it was repaired as long as it does not cost you but your deductible?

I am very surprised you could get any insurance company to write agreed value at $48K on a previously rebuilt vehicle...........but unless you did not share that information with them when they wrote the policy they have to honor the agreed value......

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

IMHO, I would try to total it and get as close to agreed value as possible in cash. The insurance company could sell it back to you for scrap and you could use parts of it and/or sell it part for part on ebay. You mentioned interest in a Gen III or IV and that is another important point I got from you that adds meat to my opinion to total the wreck for as much cash as possible. Good luck in dealing with insurance.

 

[SYNFULL]

They are not always going to just do it cheaper.........there is a policy with language in it that dictates what they do.

Typically the total loss threshold is 80% of current market value, or the agreed value in this case. So if you have agreed value at $48K.... anything less than $38,400 it is a repairable vehicle.......bottom line. Obviously you know it can be repaired back to perfection...you did it before, so why would you care if it was repaired as long as it does not cost you but your deductible?

I am very surprised you could get any insurance company to write agreed value at $48K on a previously rebuilt vehicle...........but unless you did not share that information with them when they wrote the policy they have to honor the agreed value......

Honestly when I got the policy I didn't know it mattered (reconstructed title). I didn't try to hide anything, but they never questioned about the title. Obviously they had the vin number so could have checked it out in 2 seconds. Plus my premium was based on the stated value that I gave them of 48k.

 

[SYNFULL]

If it was me, I would have it flatbed to a reputable shop that your insurance company approves and that you have a personal relationship with. Personally, I am not a fan of fixing a totaled car and given the fact that this is a stated value of $48k, then I would make sure the shop will give you a maximum all inclusive quote, example $5k for paint and $3k for stripe, etc. If the value is close to the stated value, then the insurance company will total the car and typically they will offer to sell you back the totalled vehicle first before going to a scrap yard. Then you will just have to decide if it is worth it to take the car back as is with a net payout or take the whole stated value and get yourself another ride. Good luck.

BTW do you really know if the drivetrain is still perfectly intact (don't answer that), all I am saying is that you never know, and thus should make sure the repair shop give you a quote that is assuming the worst.

Don't know for sure bout the drivetrain. I will make sure that is checked out. My question about the insurance is this if you know or anyone else can answer-

If the insurance co. gives me an estimate to fix the car for 26k (they stated it could go higher) and my body shop say's it's going to take 35k to fix it right- and I get another estimate form another body shop that say's it's going to take 35k to fix it right- do they have to honor these estimates. Or can they say too bad we only come up with 26k. Also in their estimate they are using "quality aftermarket parts". Do I have to accept these?

Thanks