Another totalled car thread

[Captain Blood]

Update:

They (progessive aka their rep Ricardo) sent the comp on 4 local cars.
1st, the didn't seem to realize we have a leather interior, as they list our interior equipment as cloth.
2nd, they're listing 3 of the 4 cars as $18,500 or above, but then putting an "adjusted" value next to it, for $15,500 (on average). What the hell is this "adjusted" value, on which they are claiming that is the value they are attaching to our car? In order to replace my car, I'm obviously going to need the $18,500 value.

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by Joe240

Haha my wife is the same way. Just explain that the offer will still stand regardless of you disputing it or not. They offered 17.5, they won’t counter with less or remove the offer all together. Worst case they stick to the price. Best case they offer you more.

You want me to sanely discuss this? I forwarded Sea-Tacs attachment to her, and another total freak out occurred. I gotta survive this dude. Why is she angrier with me than the texting bitch who totaled her car?!?!?

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

Why do women freak out and enter conflict mode in these situations, three guys in this thread, add me for four, unbelievable.

Because our gender makeup is different and I believe we each have different (but equally important) skill sets. Ours as guys tends to lean more to negotiation and sticking up for ourselves and fixing stuff...along with others. Women tend to be more empathetic, better organizers, etc.

My wife realizes she hates to negotiate, so she leaves it to me and is quite happy to stay out of it. And I quite like negotiating, so it works for both of us. She'll shop around for a car, visit a bunch of dealers, and then select the one she likes and send me in at that point with the sheet of exactly the model and options she wants and the dealer gets to deal with me. She isn't there, not even out in the parking lot...I make a separate appointment so the dealer knows its only me.

But basically, most don't want to negotiate, they will accept the offer and move on. They might be bitter and complain about it later, but they don't seem to want to negotiate it up front. So I'm not surprised when people tell me there is a gender pay gap....I have a pretty good idea of why, and its not because employers think a woman is worth less. A lot more to do with women accept the starting offer and men don't.

I look for almost exclusively women for my hires, though if an awesome guy came along, I'd definitely hire him. But I realize I need someone who is very organized (and will keep me organized therefore, because I am not) and able to work fairly independently. Women I find tend to be stronger in these areas.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

You want me to sanely discuss this? I forwarded Sea-Tacs attachment to her, and another total freak out occurred. I gotta survive this dude. Why is she angrier with me than the texting bitch who totaled her car?!?!?

Why are you forwarding anything to her then? Why not just say "Hey hun - we need to find another car - can you start looking at what you would want if not same model...or if same model, start looking for ones for sale so we can visit them? I'll have insurance sorted by X date."

That way, she has something else to focus on, and she knows that insurance will be handled by a certain date so it takes her mind of it, gives her a date in mind so it sort of closes things off for her. Even if it isn't done by that date, it buys you a few weeks. Important part is to give her some other task to focus on.

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by Joekerr

Why are you forwarding anything to her then? Why not just say "Hey hun - we need to find another car - can you start looking at what you would want if not same model...or if same model, start looking for ones for sale so we can visit them? I'll have insurance sorted by X date."

That way, she has something else to focus on, and she knows that insurance will be handled by a certain date so it takes her mind of it, gives her a date in mind so it sort of closes things off for her. Even if it isn't done by that date, it buys you a few weeks. Important part is to give her some other task to focus on.

The insurance companies only give you 5 days in the rental till you have to pay for it yourself. Which makes my 16 year olds "close encounter" with a brick mailbox even more untimely. The Camry is ok to drive (slightly bent left strut, makes the car pull slightly) to the local high school, but not the 22 mile daily commute my wife has to make (22 miles each way). And no, she's not touching my 135. I already have slightly elevated blood pressure, plus my commute is even longer than hers.

[Joekerr]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

The insurance companies only give you 5 days in the rental till you have to pay for it yourself. Which makes my 16 year olds "close encounter" with a brick mailbox even more untimely. The Camry is ok to drive (slightly bent left strut, makes the car pull slightly) to the local high school, but not the 22 mile daily commute my wife has to make (22 miles each way). And no, she's not touching my 135. I already have slightly elevated blood pressure, plus my commute is even longer than hers.

Ah well, get on it then. But if you have to pay for another day or two in a rental yourself, to extract another $750 from them, surely that would be worth it.

[JohnnyCanuck]

I think there's a missing point. I read the OP as the at fault driver being the Progressive client, not you. Progressive may be generous under its own damage coverage, but you're not their customer and their sole obligation is to pay what their insured is legally liable for: that is the AVC of the totalled vehicle plus reasonable loss of use. Nothing more.

"Adjustments" are:

Mileage: do you have more or less miles than the average comp ... either adds value or reduces value.
Condition: interior and exterior condition better or worse than the comps ... either adds value or reduces value.
OEM Equipment: purchased options that can adjust value up or down (but these have minimal real impact).
Asking price: no one sells for what they advertise. It's the obo factor.

A good formula for ACV is 5 to 10 cars within a reasonable distance with adjustments for avg mileage (up or down), condition (up or down), OEM equipment (up or down) less 10% off asking price.

Do your homework on the comps, that is your only argument.

[tcphoto]

Do you have receipts for maintenance, upgrades and pictures of it's condition? Sooner or later they have to close the claim. I would show them links to similar vehicles at dealerships with retail prices. As far as your wife goes, I'd ask her if she leave it up to you and relaxes, she may get a new purse, pair of shoes or whatever she's been eyeing lately.

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by tcphoto

Do you have receipts for maintenance, upgrades and pictures of it's condition? Sooner or later they have to close the claim. I would show them links to similar vehicles at dealerships with retail prices. As far as your wife goes, I'd ask her if she leave it up to you and relaxes, she may get a new purse, pair of shoes or whatever she's been eyeing lately.

Dealing with a severe type A personality is not that easy.

[jgoens]

I dealt with a similar situation a couple years ago. The insurance will give "comps" but they aren't necessarily in your favor. What you need to do, is find almost matching comps and it doesn't have to be close local. Find one or two in your state and even one outside...just get all options, condition and mileage really close.

If you can find better matches that give you a higher price then your gold and present your case--they want to close the case and they will not spend months and months going in circles if you have viable evidence.

I spent about an hour searching and sent my adjuster links and whatever docs they wanted and was able to improve my settlement by $3000 from what they originally offered.

[xander_g]

1. go online and find the same type of vehicle/year/trim/mileage
2. pick the top 3 most expensive examples (allowing to negotiate from a higher point)
3. negotiate

[BayE30]

my last e90m3 was totalled about 2 months ago. they offered me an initial settlement, and said there is no way they will budge. final settlement was $10k more than the first offer. I achieved this by making damn sure they had all my options listed, went 1 by 1 over the options on the phone with the total loss adjuster. Then i showed them my own comps across the country, and showed that there was not a single model with the same options as mine for sale by dealer at the moment. I still didnt get what i wanted, but we got close.

[JohnnyCanuck]

I need to say this again: people need to be very careful about total losses against their own coverage and their insurer (which is contractual) and the situation here where the OP is dealing with the third party's insurer where the settlement rests in tort.

Progressive has no contractual duty to the OP and has zero legal obligation to him until he has a judgement in hand. They are settling because it makes business sense to get the matter settled and off their books ("the only good file is a closed file").

When you're offering advice about your own experience dealing with your insurer on a contractual claim, it is of limited value. The one common thread, however, is dead on: he needs to his homework on value. He should actually view the listed vehicles himself, take pictures, record the mileage, pay for Carfax, and be able to distinguish them from his car to his betterment.

[xander_g]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCanuck

I need to say this again: people need to be very careful about total losses against their own coverage and their insurer (which is contractual) and 1. the situation here where the OP is dealing with the third party's insurer where the settlement rests in tort.

Progressive has no contractual duty to the OP and has zero legal obligation to him until he has a judgement in hand. They are settling because it makes business sense to get the matter settled and off their books ("the only good file is a closed file").

When you're offering advice about your own experience dealing with your insurer on a contractual claim, it is of limited value. The one common thread, however, is dead on: he needs to his homework on value. 2. He should actually view the listed vehicles himself, take pictures, record the mileage, pay for Carfax, and be able to distinguish them from his car to his betterment.

1. That's true, the rules of property damage north of the border are a little different with direct compensation property damage being covered by the policyholder's own insurer instead of the tortfeasor.

2. I think going to look at vehicles and taking pictures is a little overboard, the matter can be resolved without going that far, but nothing wrong with pulling the carfaxes

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

2014
EX
79k miles
No recent work or improvements

What's the KBB?

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by jmg

What's the KBB?

private party - excellent condition - standard features is 16-18k

https://www.kbb.com/honda/pilot/2014...tion=excellent

[jmg]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

private party - excellent condition - standard features is 16-18k

https://www.kbb.com/honda/pilot/2014...tion=excellent

If $17,500 is their first offer, I think you can push for $18,500. This sounds just about right.

[Sea-Tac]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

Update:

They (progessive aka their rep Ricardo) sent the comp on 4 local cars.
1st, the didn't seem to realize we have a leather interior, as they list our interior equipment as cloth.
2nd, they're listing 3 of the 4 cars as $18,500 or above, but then putting an "adjusted" value next to it, for $15,500 (on average). What the hell is this "adjusted" value, on which they are claiming that is the value they are attaching to our car? In order to replace my car, I'm obviously going to need the $18,500 value.

Hey Dodger...

They are f'ing you...

there is only one way to deal with insurance companies...

some day, I will tell you how an $1800.00 damage claim on my car ended up costing the defendant's insurance company $67,000.00.

F*** all insurance companies.

[Sea-Tac]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

You want me to sanely discuss this? I forwarded Sea-Tacs attachment to her, and another total freak out occurred. I gotta survive this dude. Why is she angrier with me than the texting bitch who totaled her car?!?!?

Hear this...you need a lawyer!

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by Sea-Tac

Hey Dodger...

They are f'ing you...

there is only one way to deal with insurance companies...

some day, I will tell you how an $1800.00 damage claim on my car ended up costing the defendant's insurance company $67,000.00.

F*** all insurance companies.

Not all of them! On the life side, that's how I make my living

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by Real Dodger

You want me to sanely discuss this? I forwarded Sea-Tacs attachment to her, and another total freak out occurred. I gotta survive this dude. Why is she angrier with me than the texting bitch who totaled her car?!?!?

Update:
All is serene here . I think we will get a decent pay out

[Captain Blood]

Originally Posted by Sea-Tac

Hear this...you need a lawyer!

For the wife or the car insurance company?