Insurance advice and help, 80 took a wallop

[FMF]

I need help and or advice. My wife was driving home last night from work and a deer jumped out at her. She swerved to miss it and hit a power pole.

She is ok and at home now!

i got it home and put it th the garage. Most of the right side is crushed with the back quarter panel taking the worst of it. The front corner of the bumper hit the pole and the brush bars deflected it down the side of the truck. So the front fender is the only pice on the right side that looks ok.

The passenger side window is broke both passenger doors will not open. The drip rail above the doors is dented in. Rear quarter panel is pushed in close to a foot. Rear bumper is tweaked with the interior panels pooped out. I drove it home but it's got a wobble in the rear end.

I called USAA and went over the damage on the truck and they said most likely it is totaled. It's a 1997 collectors edition with about 209k miles on it. We have not had it very long and have put quite a bit of money into it. They said a agent would come to the house next week to asses the damage.

What should I do or say? We have full coverage but as we all know these things don't go for KBB and that's what I am afraid they could offer me. I have never had a vehicle totaled.

 

[Stumpalama]

Yikes! That sucks! Glad everyone is OK. Next time, just hit the deer (only partly joking). I just got my tundra fixed from barely hitting a deer last month... I swerved as well, its hard not to.

Yes, there is some serious damage there...If it were me, I would begin pulling all the parts you recently added and start looking for a new 80.

 

[Von Hayek]

Ouch.

 

[Explorer4Hire]

Yea. One issue with pooling money into an 80 or similar is exactly this. Not to be an opportunist, but what kind of front bumper do you have? How bad is it? Glad everyone is ok.

 

[Explorer4Hire]

Pictures look like ARB, you might be able to get a few buck for it if it isn't too bad.

 

[Stumpalama]

It is an ARB with the side protectors. He also installed an OME suspension a month or so ago. It is probably fine. I would pull the goodies off it, then let the insurance total it and find a new one to put them back on.

 

[Stumpalama]

Although, after looking at it, since the damage didn't go up the rear pillar, you might be able to replace the lower rear 1/4 and find 2 replacement doors. It all depends on the infrastructure of the rear wheel well. You also might be able to see if anything was tweaked as far as running gear. It doesn't seem like the frame should be bent but the axle could have been shoved a little.

 

[iptman]

My guess is they'll total it. I had my DS rear quarter panel rub from Coal Miner checked out at a body shop and they estimated ~$2000 to get it fixed. And unless you gave the insurance company an assumed value of the truck then you're staring down book value for it which isn't going to be much. Did you save the stock suspension to swap back in? I'd take off the ARB goodies prior to the adjuster looking at it too. They might not let you pull it off after they total it.

 

[Explorer4Hire]

This raises the question of if its wiser to total an 80 or part it out from a $$ perspective

 

[Stumpalama]

Depends on what year and what amenities.

 

[bkfj40]

no one likes to pay more for insurance then they have to. I would assume that you didn't have a stated value policy.

When I had an employee total my 80, I discussed the value with the insurance company and they totaled it...I ended up getting it for 20% of the value so in the end, I felt like I got a fair deal.

sorry for the hassle you will be dealing with. with that bumper on there, you should've told your wife to square it up and hit it.

If you end up wanting to sell it, let me know as I would be willing to buy it as it.

 

[Jakes40]

I'm glad your wife is OK!
I tell everyone hit the deer!! I had a buddy die swerving to miss a stupid deer.
But it is hard not to.

2x square up!

 

[FMF]

After looking at it in the sun today it's not as bad as I thought. It should buff out... :-(

Other Side was just fine

 

[iptman]

Man that's a real shame. Can I get your black chrome grill and embelems if it's totaled?

 

[FMF]

It's nothing fancy, it was just very clean bone stock and I got it with the last 8 years of dealer maintained receipts when we got it in August. Dropped a good chunk of cash in it with all the ARB stuffs inside and out, new tires and the body work we had done on it.

Right now we are trying to find comparable 80's and what they are selling for. So we at least have something to fight back with. The insurance folks will be sending an agent to the house some time next week to check it out.

We are going to hold onto it and not settle for to little. Good thing is it's a third vehicle for us so we don't have to settle right away. We aperently have up to 3 years to settle.... But I hope we can come to an agreement sooner than later. Depending on this how this plays out we will defenetly be making sure that all the mods to the Tacoma are covered!

 

[FMF]

I will be getting a head gun to remove them and stashing them away if it comes down to it. Those things are black gold haha

 

[76FJ40]

Looks like somebody has a new trail rig. If it's totaled, buy it back like BK suggests and wheel the piss out of it.

 

[bkfj40]

Mine didn't break any glass just the roof damage and a spot where the spare tire hit the body and it was totaled. Get your comps together and see what you can come up with. Good luck!

 

[John Smith]

After looking at it in the sun today it's not as bad as I thought. It should buff out... :-(
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Other Side was just fine
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If that is not totaled by your insurance, I would be shocked. Best of luck settling with them.

 

[BlackPanzer]

I'm thankful and glad there were no injuries. I think it will be totaled. The reason I state this is because I had to fight to have my insurance company cover the damage on my 60. Look for the post titled "Bad day: Be careful out there." The damage to my vehicle was under $2000 but I still had to fight to not have my insurance company not total it. I use Liberty Mutual, which is rated high but the fact remains that parts are getting scarce on the 80's let alone the 60s and that was one By the way my 60 is in great condition and worth much more than the Kelly Blue Book value, which is what most insurance companies use to determine value. Antique plates and collectors insurance like Haggertys helps. Not sure where you live, but under Virginia law, I understand that the insurance company only has to cover a fair market value and often insurance companies use Kelly Blue Book as a baseline. The loop hole is if you can prove or classify it as a collector vehicle. I'm not a lawyer but this is advice given to me by a friend who is an adjuster licensed in MD and VA. Any your damage would require a donor vehicle in good condition to cut out and weld in the pieces on the body that are damaged to avoid becoming a "Bondo Bandit."

It is difficult to look at those pictures, but again it's great no one was hurt. In the end the truck is only a thing it can't replace a life.
It sucks especially given the amount of work you put into it. Good luck I hope it works out.