Insurance adjust, need your help

[Cornpatch MO]

I had hail damage to my 1968 Plymouth Sport Sattelite . Estimate was a little over $4000. No sweat, I had agreed value from a big farm insurance company - valued at $12,000--WRONG. I find now that it got written up as stated value. I protested . It has been going on near two months since the claim. Even with stated value, they should cover the repairs, less my deductible. WRONG
Their value shows my car is totaled out and they want me to settle for a rediculas low amount. They couldn't show me what a like car is worth, only two 1969 S. Sat. and no details on what those cars were like. I knew that would happen as it is very hard to find one similar to mine. The adjuster says that is all they will do unless I can prove to them that my car is worth more than they say. Mine was in storage in Oklahoma for about 30 years . Body excellent except for a little rust in rear quarter wheel arches. I have new AMD quarter skins . NO rust in usual places such as floors, trunk, around rear and front windows, and engine compartment. Very little surface rust , paint buffed out good. Windows all good A/C tinted. except cracked front window which was not in the estimate. Dash excellent , drivers bucket seat has some tears , all other interior is excellent original. Air cond. power steering. Get this--COMPLETE new brakes- everything. complete front suspension new and aligned. 4 new Cooper tires. all 4 road wheels, new gas tank and sender. excellent bumpers. No dents or scrapes other than hail. I also have all new parts to turn this into a Roadrunner clone . The 318 engine has been removed, cleaned and painted, all new seals and gaskets, all new belts and hoses, radiator has a new core. engine reinstalled and has new associated parts. Car starts, runs, drives, excellent--gets 19 MPG
I am not going to leade you on , as I will show this to the adjuster. I am having trouble finding a car similar to mine to determine its value. If you have a car similar to mine, what is it worth to you? If you have an opinion as to what it should sell for, compared to like cars, please post it here. I do not want to sell the car as it is exactly what I have been looking for , for several years. Questions are welcome ....Thank you...................Steve M. ..............MO

 

[5.7 hemi]

Check ebay and see what they are going for. This would give you a ballpark figure.

 

[GetX'd]

Doesn't Haggerty have an online valuation guide that is geared toward vintage cars? You could never replace that car for under $4k. You need to bring your agent into the picture. You are getting screwed.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Check ebay and see what they are going for. This would give you a ballpark figure.

Thanks, but nothing there..............................MO

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Doesn't Haggerty have an online valuation guide that is geared toward vintage cars? You could never replace that car for under $4k. You need to bring your agent into the picture. You are getting screwed.

what would you say it should be worth? I will check with Haggarty, but as with all price quides it probably depends on what number condition it is in. And that is always debatable....Thank you.......................MO

 

[GetX'd]

what would you say it should be worth? I will check with Haggarty, but as with all price quides it probably depends on what number condition it is in. And that is always debatable....Thank you.......................MO

I think from what you've described the car is worth what you have it insured for. Mo you need to get your agent involved! They can/should fight for you.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I think from what you've described the car is worth what you have it insured for. Mo you need to get your agent involved! They can/should fight for you.

I talked to him today. he said he would try to help me out. He also said he talked to a couple of classic car insurance companys, and they told him I should get a reliable appraisals done on my two cars. Problem is, none in this area.
The Insurance company asks your value on the car being insured , and I would bet , that is what your premium is based on. Thanks for your input...............................MO

 

[Dako]

I had a situation years ago with a 1970 Duster 340. State Farm wanted to total the car and I wanted it repaired. I told them I planned to contact the state's insurance commissioner(every state has one), and have my claim investigated...that if the state insurance commissioner agreed with their evaluation I would agree to their findings. State Farm called me within the hour of making the statement, asking me to let them know where I planned to take it to get repairs made. Seems the insurance companies don't like big government nosing around their business.

This tactic was suggested to me by a lawyer I had contacted.

 

[68gtxman]

Here is a video of my 1968 Sport Satellite:

It has a 440 engine, 727 and Sure Grip 3.55 rear. AC, power steering and AM radio with bucket seats. I have $25K agreed value insurance and I wouldn't even think of letting it go for less than $22K.

How about checking with a paintless dent removal guy? They can work miracles with hail damage.

 

[WileE]

PM sent

 

[FU64RY]

Here is a video of my 1968 Sport Satellite:

It has a 440 engine, 727 and Sure Grip 3.55 rear. AC, power steering and AM radio with bucket seats. I have $25K agreed value insurance and I wouldn't even think of letting it go for less than $22K.

How about checking with a paintless dent removal guy? They can work miracles with hail damage.

Paintless dent guys can't do vintage cars well, the metal is too thick. They prefer newer cars.

 

[Ratroaster]

Cornpatch ( and others ). Sorry to hear of your problem. It is a perfect example of
why a certified appraisal of the cars is a must. Particularly if your dealing with a
" big box insurance company ". If you present them with an appraisal from certified
appraiser, and they accept it, they have no wiggle room. Even if you go with Hagerty's, Grundy's etc. you're still better off having an appraisal than just sending them a bunch of pictures. A couple of hundred dollars initially can save a LOT of
headaches down the road.

 

[WileE]

Two lessons: DO NOT TRUST your big, major insurance companies with your classic vehicles. Get an appraisal by a legitimate appraisal company.

 

[WileE]

Cornpatch ( and others ). Sorry to hear of your problem. It is a perfect example of
why a certified appraisal of the cars is a must. Particularly if your dealing with a
" big box insurance company ". If you present them with an appraisal from certified
appraiser, and they accept it, they have no wiggle room. Even if you go with Hagerty's, Grundy's etc. you're still better off having an appraisal than just sending them a bunch of pictures. A couple of hundred dollars initially can save a LOT of
headaches down the road.

Could not agree more.

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Here is a video of my 1968 Sport Satellite:

It has a 440 engine, 727 and Sure Grip 3.55 rear. AC, power steering and AM radio with bucket seats. I have $25K agreed value insurance and I wouldn't even think of letting it go for less than $22K.

How about checking with a paintless dent removal guy? They can work miracles with hail damage.

Thank you for your input

Paintless dent guys can't do vintage cars well, the metal is too thick. They prefer newer cars.

I did look into paintless dent, and was told the same thing. Thank you............................MO

 

[Cornpatch MO]

Two lessons: DO NOT TRUST your big, major insurance companies with your classic vehicles. Get an appraisal by a legitimate appraisal company.

I have to agree, otherwise you can expect a hassle with Insurance adjusters. My son , not being experienced, got taken advantage of by an adjuster. When I stepped in , because it was actually my car, and they found I was going to take them to court, They eventually did the right thing. ...................................MO

 

[GetX'd]

For our kind of cars it's best to employ a specialty carrier like Hagerty, Grundy, Condon & Skelly etc. their policies are geared toward agreed value. They don't quibble with you on claims either. Might cost you a little more but it's worth it in the event something happens. The big box carriers have a variety of policies and it you aren't familiar you may make the wrong choice based on premium. Those companies are not used to settling claims on vintage cars. Good luck Mo - I hope you get what your car is worth.

 

[NJRR]

I had agreed value from a big farm insurance company - valued at $12,000--WRONG. I find now that it got written up as stated value.

Here is an example of why you have to read the details of your policy and not just trust your agent that you are getting what you thought you paid for.

 

[68gtxman]

Check out this Sport Satellite for sale: https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/19154511

 

[CudaChick1968]

Some of you may know I went through Hurricane Katrina about 11 years ago. Now thankfully my car suffered no damage, but everything ELSE sure did. We're still involved in a class action lawsuit with AIG to the tune of about thirty grand in personal property.
Your "before" and "after" pictures of the car (and/or sub-assemblies) will be instrumental in proving your restoration efforts, as well as all of your receipts for any upgrades, parts, windshield installation, etc. DO NOT give your insurance company the originals but only copies (and put your photos on a separate disc or thumb drive they can keep). Going through an Advanced Search on eBay using only "completed auctions" will give you a ballpark on other cars which may be similar to yours; if there are substantial differences in your car versus those shown on the auction sales, highlight / point out for the adjuster what those differences actually are. As has been said repeatedly above, insurance adjusters are just doing a job ... they aren't restorers or hot rodders and most couldn't care less about what you and your car have gone through together.