anyone have auto claims adjustor experience/history...possible total loss

[djais1801]

we hit a buck last night on a major roadway...have some questions on value if they total it.

 

[gdrill]

Oh oh, this doesn't sound good. I really hope you mean in a different vehicle than the runner. But as long as you and whoever was with you are OK then I guess it's only steel and plastic after that.

 

[djais1801]

yes...the wife's daily driver

Oh oh, this doesn't sound good. I really hope you mean in a different vehicle than the runner. But as long as you and whoever was with you are OK then I guess it's only steel and plastic after that.

 

[Brandy]

Wow, glad everyone's ok, they are right? I had Progressive when I totaled the Ford truck in 1999. Was not my fault and they arrived a couple of hours afterwards and he walked around the truck twice and said it's totaled. He said hang on a minute. He went the back of his SUV and did some computer work and spit out a check. It was very generous and I took it. I guess it depends on several things though, like the age and condition of the vehicle, your payment status, IE: do you own it or not, and probably what part of the country you live in as well. Also what options the vehicle has, like is it a GLE or a top level executive luxury sedan.

 

[Pops1967GTX]

I hope all is well ....
When you hit an animal it is paid under the comprehensive coverage of your auto policy, subject to the deductible.

Unfortunately the adjuster does not consider your wishes when determining if the claim is a repair or a total loss. It's all about what will be cheaper for the insurance company

 

[flypaper]

whew..
had me thinking the worst for a minute..
on value they go by the book around here.
you can look yours up online.
repairs add up quick so you will be suprised what they will total it out for.
my old truck with a half a million miles was hit while parked
scratch down the side, broken mirror
totalled for 1.9 k lol
i bought a mirror,buffed out most of the scratches and rolled on

 

[djais1801]

I have USAA and they are an awesome company.
I talked to a friend that works as a state farm adjustor and he told me the threshold for them to consider a total loss is 75-80% of the retail value is the repair cost. So example, my NADA retail value of my car is $13,500, and 75% is $10,000+. I have damage to front fender, hood, bumper, and xenon headlight assembly. I drove the car home, no vibration or any fluids leaking. I honestly don't see 10k in damage...more like 5-6k

 

[Riverdawg]

First, hopefully everyone is ok. Do some homework, check KBB.com or other sources for an estimated value. I agree with ghostrider about condition, age etc, etc. I have a 2002 Ford Explorer that someone hit me a couple years ago, actually I believe 3 this Jan. I really didn't think it was too bad. Hit in the second door and rear wheel on the drivers side. I thought I could just change the flat and drive away. But then discovered the cast aluminum rear control arm was broken. Insurance wanted to total it. I'd had the truck 9 years at that point and I've tried very hard to maintain it. It was in very good shape for being a MI truck. v8, 4x4, leather. Only weak link is the trans, I had it rebuilt several years before the accident. I don't remember what the settlement was but it was much higher than I expected. But after thinking a bit, I knew I couldn't replace it for that money, so I talked them into fixing it. Other than having to rebuild the tranny again it's been a great truck still. The insurance company even made a couple other repairs a couple months after it was fixed because the body shop said it was from the accident. Good luck with it.

 

[Brandy]

My wife spun out and hit a tree with our 2010 Hyundai Elantra and they repaired everything, much like your damage sounds. The front bumper is all of a piece and costs $ 1200 bucks just to buy it. Let alone fenders, hood, radiator frame, headlights, fog lights, alignment, tires, etc....it adds up fast. We have USAA as well.

 

[djais1801]

My wife spun out and hit a tree with our 2010 Hyundai Elantra and they repaired everything, much like your damage sounds. The front bumper is all of a piece and costs $ 1200 bucks just to buy it. Let alone fenders, hood, radiator frame, headlights, fog lights, alignment, tires, etc....it adds up fast. We have USAA as well.

I agree...this is a 2010 Infiniti G37X we bought with 65k on it for 17.5k a few yrs ago...now it's retail is 13.5k. I agree that it all adds up...but I can't see it reaching the 10k mark for damage.

 

[Brandy]

I agree...this is a 2010 Infiniti G37X we bought with 65k on it for 17.5k a few yrs ago...now it's retail is 13.5k. I agree that it all adds up...but I can't see it reaching the 10k mark for damage.

I'll bet that they have a break even point on every vehicle that they wont go beyond. Some formula maybe. Plus I think they are required to not just make it drivable but to make it exactly like factory repaired in every way. That means every nitpicking little thing needs repaired and that is a lot of labor.

 

[metalman]

Plain and simple. It's all about the dollar, how much to repair compared to a pay off minus what they figure they will get back for salvage. Generally 75 to 85% repair and they will total it, sometimes less if they are worried about supplemental damage not apparent upon the first inspection. Most the time if they total it they work off of the retail price guides, my experience is you would be hard press to sell your car for more then they offer. My boy totaled his POS car, the insurance offered about twice what I thought it was worth and they apologized because they had to deduct so much for previous damage. Same thing when I got my Dodge 1500 stolen/ recovered wrecked. I had been trying to sell it (No, I didn't "arrange" the theft), I would of taken 17 K for it. Insurance gave me 15K for it but let me keep it, they will give you that option. I sold it as is wrecked for 7K, ended up with 5k more then if I had sold it before it was wrecked.
Not the end of the world unless you owe more on it then it's worth and you don't have gap insurance, then it can be a real problem.

 

[Riverdawg]

I have USAA and they are an awesome company.
I talked to a friend that works as a state farm adjustor and he told me the threshold for them to consider a total loss is 75-80% of the retail value is the repair cost. So example, my NADA retail value of my car is $13,500, and 75% is $10,000+. I have damage to front fender, hood, bumper, and xenon headlight assembly. I drove the car home, no vibration or any fluids leaking. I honestly don't see 10k in damage...more like 5-6k

Man I hear that. 7 or 8 years ago, my son hit a tree at low speed in our old Olds Intrigue, fell asleep a block from home. I got an estimate at a local body shop about $2100. Finally 8 months later I talked to my friend at the insurance company. He said as long as the estimate was under $2800 I wouldn't be charged other than the deductible. So I decided to turn it in. Insurance adjuster estimated it at $3800 and it was totalled. Bought it back for salvage price of $500 and kept driving it. Kept my eye of for a year for a front fender and bumper cover in white and finally came across them for $200. My son drove it through most of college. I've been driving it and the Explore for a couple years now. But going to put the Olds on craiglist. The 3800 motor has 150,000 on it and purrs like a kitten still. It needs a too $$ to keep it on the road any longer.

 

[moparnation74]

Glad everyone is OK

 

[djais1801]

yes. we are very lucky that I was able to avoid a direct hit...could've come thru the windshield...had my kids in the back and wife was asleep when the buck darted out.

 

[Riverdawg]

I have USAA and they are an awesome company.
I talked to a friend that works as a state farm adjustor and he told me the threshold for them to consider a total loss is 75-80% of the retail value is the repair cost. So example, my NADA retail value of my car is $13,500, and 75% is $10,000+. I have damage to front fender, hood, bumper, and xenon headlight assembly. I drove the car home, no vibration or any fluids leaking. I honestly don't see 10k in damage...more like 5-6k

Sounds like my Olds. See what the adjustor says and go from there. If you really like the car get it fixed or do what I did if possible. If you can find salvaged parts and put in together yourself and it looks and drive good, just do that. But it sounds like it's worth more that my olds was so that isn't probably not financial viable.

 

[Moparsmitty]

Damn deer. They are everywhere out here. I've been lucky and not hit any, but I've come close a couple of times. Good to hear that nobody was hurt except the deer.

 

[Bladecutter]

I agree...this is a 2010 Infiniti G37X we bought with 65k on it for 17.5k a few yrs ago...now it's retail is 13.5k. I agree that it all adds up...but I can't see it reaching the 10k mark for damage.

If it got into core support, i'd rethink......just those headlight boxes are probably around 500 a pop unless You go aftermarket. Refinishing of hood, two fenders, bumper cover will take a chunk, hopefully a blend onto doors is not neccessary....thats two more panels considered complete refinish.(have to clear complete both). I've seen a lot of cars get totaled that the damage was not severe on.

 

[Pops1967GTX]

From a insurance underwriter..
Typically cars are totaled when damage exceeds 65 or 70 percent of the vehicle's market value.

Is repairing a totaled car worth the effort?
Only you can decide whether repairing your totaled car is worthwhile.Once a car is declared a total loss by an insurance company, its title receives a brand indicating a prior condition, such as "flood," "salvage" or "reconstructed." This is a red flag that might prevent you getting the car insured or create difficulty trading it in or reselling it.

Keeping a vehicle that your car insurance company has totaled. If you decide to accept the insurer's decision to total your car but you still want to keep it, your insurer will pay you the cash value of the vehicle, minus any deductible that is due and the amount your car could have been sold for at a salvage yard.

 

[Brandy]

While I was stationed in SC I would hit on average, 4 deer a year. I drove a 1998 Buick Century and it looked like a Taxi from Rio or some third world country. But it ran well and SC has no inspections so I just repaired it and kept hitting deer.