Got into a minor accident with my truck and insurance says it’s a total loss. (2 Viewers)

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1. Calm down a skosh. This won't get resolved anytime soon.
2. Keep in your back pocket that you can potentially accuse the adjuster of anything, including wanting to total your vehicle so he can get his hands on it. Be careful, be wise. He's done his/her job rather poorly thusfar.
3. Repair estimates are free from major collision repair centers. For starters, get your truck home ASAP. Keep it in your possession at all costs until you decide a course of action. If you have the time, drive it to a major collision repair center and get an accurate estimate for cost to fix using OEM parts. Beg the shop to verify that all OEM parts are available and stated on the estimate.
4. Have your OWN insurance company give you a current replacement cost of your vehicle pre-accident. With any luck, this number will be more than that from #3.

At that point, you've got the other insurance company dead to rights and armed with good data. Alternative facts are unacceptable going forward.
 
I had a good experience with an old car being hit and declared a total loss. The ins company offered me "book value" less a $300 fee to buy back the car.

I took the money and kept the car.

Since the title didn't change hands, no salvage title was issued. Since it didn't to go to a body shop, no dings on CarFax.

I could have kept the car but I didn't. I swapped out the new tires and sold the car for a decent price with the damage. The new owner drove the car for 7 years.

I made out like a bandit.
 
Bulls***! Fight the insurance company tooth and nail on this. I smoked an elk a couple of months ago and had much more extensive and worse damage than you, and my insurance did not total it. 100s are tough, but elk hurt

holy crap! That wasn’t totaled? Mine is no where near that bad.

I just checked Kelly Blue Book, and my truck shows $10,100 - $13,749 private sale. There is no way there is that much damage to my truck.

I now have my insurance agent also fighting for me with the adjuster and insurance company. I have sent over receipts for my MetalTech 4x4 Sliders and other upgrades I’ve done over the past few years which should increase the value further.
 
1. Calm down a skosh. This won't get resolved anytime soon.
2. Keep in your back pocket that you can potentially accuse the adjuster of anything, including wanting to total your vehicle so he can get his hands on it. Be careful, be wise. He's done his/her job rather poorly thusfar.
3. Repair estimates are free from major collision repair centers. For starters, get your truck home ASAP. Keep it in your possession at all costs until you decide a course of action. If you have the time, drive it to a major collision repair center and get an accurate estimate for cost to fix using OEM parts. Beg the shop to verify that all OEM parts are available and stated on the estimate.
4. Have your OWN insurance company give you a current replacement cost of your vehicle pre-accident. With any luck, this number will be more than that from #3.

At that point, you've got the other insurance company dead to rights and armed with good data. Alternative facts are unacceptable going forward.

Thanks. It’s just down the street. I plan to take it home tonight and park it in my driveway.

I realize this is going to take some time. I’m just frustrated at the adjuster and venting.

update: I’m walking over to my mechanic to pick it up now. He said the adjuster was already trying to let him tow it off the lot to “their storage facility” today... Jesus.

My mechanic is going to provide a list of most of the parts he thinks he will need so I can order them. Basically, front bumper (likely going to finally upgrade to a custom bumper,) driver’s side fender, upper control arm, etc.
 
Last edited:
Massachusetts

Well that's a bummer. Was hoping to have good news to share by telling you your state uses a specific percentage in their total-loss underwriting, but in MA you're one of a few states that does not use a percentage, they use a TLF (total loss formula). This basically leaves the formula up to the discretion of the provider paying out.

 
Well that's a bummer. Was hoping to have good news to share by telling you your state uses a specific percentage in their total-loss underwriting, but in MA you're one of a few states that does not use a percentage, they use a TLF (total loss formula). This basically leaves the formula up to the discretion of the provider paying out.


darn... thanks for the link. Just read it.
 
Also, look on the bright side. If they value your truck so low, then it should be peanuts to buy it back
 
Also, look on the bright side. If they value your truck so low, then it should be peanuts to buy it back



FYI - I walked over to the mechanic and drove the truck home. Other than the steering wheel being off by about 20-25° to the right, it drives fine.

The mechanic is going to give me a list of parts and I will probably start searching and ordering them soon.

Once I hopefully work everything out with the insurance, etc, I will likely upgrade the front and rear bumpers to custom ones while I am at it since the front one is gone, and I dented the rear one a while back.

Hopefully I don’t have to go the salvage title route and get it passed by a state trooper inspection to get it back on the road.
 
holy crap! That wasn’t totaled? Mine is no where near that bad.

I just checked Kelly Blue Book, and my truck shows $10,100 - $13,749 private sale. There is no way there is that much damage to my truck.

I now have my insurance agent also fighting for me with the adjuster and insurance company. I have sent over receipts for my MetalTech 4x4 Sliders and other upgrades I’ve done over the past few years which should increase the value further.
Nope, not totaled. It’s at a body shop right now being fixed, with insurance covering repair costs. They valued mine at $9,200, and it’s a few years older than yours, so $12-13k seems like an appropriate value for yours. I did have around $8k in receipts for parts that I installed, which I’m sure helped some.
 
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PartMSRP
Fender53802-6A200
336.95​
brace, Front Fender to Apron,LH53835-60040
17.61​
Liner, Front Fender, LH53876-60020
112.03​
Reinforcement Sub-Assy, Front Bumper52021-60120
222.51​
Cover, Front Bumper52119-60918
290.44​
Bracket, Front Bumper, LH52134-60080
28.76​
Protector, Washer Jar85336-60280
99.16​
Lamp Assy, Fog, LH81220-60042
290.25​
LAMP ASSY, FRONT TURN SIGNAL, LH81520-60370
115.5​
ARM ASSY, FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER, LH48640-60010
500.22​
KNUCKLE, STEERING, LH43202-60020
920.07​
Tot.
2933.5​

Scariest part looks to be the possibility of frame/suspension damage. Keep in mind that total is MSRP. Most dealers list at over 25% off of that.
 
Ask the liable carrier about diminished value
 
Also, may as well add in an upper control arm to that list if you are replacing the steer knuckle and lower control arm.
 
Your best cards are time and possible injuries that you didn't notice earlier. (The latter is not a scam, injuries often show up after you have signed off.) Take your time. He has to settle in a reasonable time frame or loose incentives or bonuses. The first 2 offers need to be rejected. Do your homework and show comparable vehicles and the prices they are listed for, better yet if you can show what they actually sold for like you can on Ebay.
 
Don't forget wiring, connectors, washers, bushings, bolts, bulbs, nuts, etc. It adds up quickly.

Sold vehicle prices from BaT always help.
 
Hope it all works out for you and they make it right. My Datsun 620 got hit by a run away horse trailer (yes, what are the chances) and totaled. The guy's insurance wanted to give $700 for it. An attorney got me the $3k I wanted for it with little effort; any mention of injury or pain and suffering and they'll change their tone real quickly.

On a side note about stated value. Hagerty would insure mine for $25k but they require you to have delcaration of another daily driver on a different insurance. If your rig isn't your daily doesn't and racks up a lot of miles, that might be better. The insurance was also about $20 cheaper per month than normal quotes.
 
Considering this was another driver's error, it should be much easier than negotiating with your own provider. "My vehicle was in pristine condition until your customer destroyed my property. It's not my problem to worry about how much it costs to fix, I want my vehicle and you have a responsibility to give my vehicle back in the condition it was in before your customer destroyed it. If you're unwilling to make that happen then I will be happy to contact a local attorney to guide me on the rest of the process."



Who's your provider? I'd love a stated value policy but my provider doesn't offer them. I've got $40K in receipts I could submit in a matter of minutes to start a policy.

I used Kemper. It wasn't an easy thing to set up because they didn't just take receipts, they also wanted valuations from similar trucks in the area but ultimately we got it done.
 
THANK UOU!
PartMSRP
Fender53802-6A200
336.95​
brace, Front Fender to Apron,LH53835-60040
17.61​
Liner, Front Fender, LH53876-60020
112.03​
Reinforcement Sub-Assy, Front Bumper52021-60120
222.51​
Cover, Front Bumper52119-60918
290.44​
Bracket, Front Bumper, LH52134-60080
28.76​
Protector, Washer Jar85336-60280
99.16​
Lamp Assy, Fog, LH81220-60042
290.25​
LAMP ASSY, FRONT TURN SIGNAL, LH81520-60370
115.5​
ARM ASSY, FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER, LH48640-60010
500.22​
KNUCKLE, STEERING, LH43202-60020
920.07​
Tot.
2933.5​

Scariest part looks to be the possibility of frame/suspension damage. Keep in mind that total is MSRP. Most dealers list at over 25% off of that.

You are the real MVP! I was just about to start compiling this list.

My mechanic estimated about 10-12 hours of labor at $100-$120 an hour. So $3000 for parts, $1200 for labor, is what I will take back to the insurance company and tell them they are crazy to total this vehicle.

@Njck22 thank you so much! Would you happen to have the part numbers for the control arms (upper and lower)?
 

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