Insurance is totaling my truck

[yello620]

Well, i got rearended about a month ago, and their insurance is totaling my truck and sending me a check. But i am going to keep the truck. Only got hit in the left rear taillight housing. Bent the housing a little. The bent housing caused the left rear lower quarter panel to look really bad. And the taillight housing mount bent the bed floor up a little from the bottom. Hope the pics worked. It didnt even destroy the taillight lense, small little crack(might have been previous crack too). Its in the pics.

Wait and see how bad they try to screw me on the check now. I already fixed the damage for Free too.

 

Later

Jason

[yello620]

I will replace the straightened tailight housing, cracked lense when i find good ones at the JY. Might spend the money for new lenses though.

 

Jason

[]2eDeYe]

When I first read the title I was a little scared of what the pic's would look like. Glad it wasn't as big a deal as the title implies :eek:

 

I have a straight passenger housing and a crack free lense if you want them.

 

Do you have to go through anything title/registration wise to removed the totaled status from the truck? Good luck on the check, hopefully it will be enough to buy some nice new parts for the truck ::

[Icehouse]

I was worried to :) that's not so bad, how much are you getting?

[datzenmike]

Hope for the best, expect what a 30? odd year old truck made by an obscure japanese maker, that's only important to someone who owns one, is worth. (fuckers!). Obviously the cost of fixing is more than the cheque they are sending. (m-fuckers!)

[datsunaholic]

. Obviously the cost of fixing is more than the cheque they are sending.

 

The cost of fixing it at a SHOP is more than the vehicle value- if they "total" it they give you the value of the truck minus what you buy it back for. Being that a "Shop" will charge upwards $700 to repaint one panel...

 

Here in WA the Insurance companies use "Average sale price" to determine value- they take the average of the identical vehicles sold in the last 3-6 months. The number comes from the title transfer sale prices reported to the State, so you get screwed by everyone who writes down "$100" or "$50" to avoid paying taxes.

 

 

In WA, if the truck is reported totalled by the insurance company then the State will send you a letter revoking your title and registration. Once that happens, it doesn't matter how much time you had on the tabs. The truck is no longer considered a vehicle, and can't be driven. You have to get ALL receipts for repairs (parts if you did the labor) and take it to a State Patrol inspection station, where they check the replaced parts, VIN, required equipment, and the receipts to ensure you didn't use stolen parts to fix it. If it passes you get an affadavit to apply for a new title and re-register it.

 

I have done this. It's not cheap. It'll probably use up most of the money you get from the insurance company just paying the State fees. Last time I did it it was about $300 in inspection and retitle/re-register, and new plate fees, but it DID involve an emissions inspection which of course isn't needed for a 620 in WA.

 

Of course, this is Washington. Other states vary wildly. Nowadays if I get a minor ding and the insurance company wants to total it, I tell them I don't want it totalled. Problem is half the time they won't give you ANYTHING if you don't allow them to declare it totalled. Sometimes they will if you're nice and negotiate.

[mklotz70]

In florida, they were going to total my '65 valiant and give me $300...I told them I was restoring the vehicle so they gave me "classic value" ....$750....for one crunched fender :)

 

They were going to total the Buick here awhile back, but I managed to get a "repair only" deal okay'd with them for $900(paid $650) because it was obvious there was no frame damage. Had I gone the "totaled" route ($1450), I think it was going to be new registration + inspection?...but I don't think it was much over $200. Would have been worth it since the damage to an '85 buick isn't going to change the resale any.

[yello620]

Well the insurance company originally valued my truck at $650. After they added what they will allow for re-registering and the buy back i was to get $647. I said No way. So i gather mostly local ads from craigslist and ebay. And heard back today and they revised my value at $1075. So I keep the truck and they send me a check for $1062 i think. Much better.

 

I am not aware of a way that the Totaled/reconstructed can be removed from the title once it is there. Would like to know if anybody knows how it works in Oregon.

 

Later

Jason

[datzenmike]

Hope for the best, expect what a 30? odd year old truck made by an obscure japanese maker, that's only important to someone who owns one, is worth. (fuckers!). Obviously the cost of fixing is more than the cheque they are sending. (m-fuckers!)

 

So they offer $650, and you make them pay almost $1100.... priceless!

[tdaaj]

i know my insurance company says my 78 kingcab is worth $1500, as of when i insured it. if i were to fix it up even more, they want pictures to re-adjust the value.

[Glengemen]

When I was in high school (way back in 1998) my old 620 was parked outside the Area Vocational Center in Astoria OR. I came out to find that someone had backed into the front bumper and bent the core support under it. Luckly I noticed what car was parked in front of me and my truck was particularly dirty at the time. After I figured it all out and saw there was a clean spot on my bumper I went and found the offending car. A quick drive to the next town over (warrenton) and I found the offending car with guess what? A dirty spot on the corner of the bumper exactly the same height as my bumper! So I called the police and had them charged for hit and run and got $700 from her insurance. Luckly I had 2 parts trucks. A strait bumper later and you couldn't tell it was hit.

Just a little feel good story for the Datsun owner :)

[Charboucher]

so how many of you have full coverage?? I thought about it but sounds like if I pay a bunch monthly but in the end only get a few hundered for completely wrecked 620, is it really worth it.

[yello620]

I cant imagine it would be worth the extra expense, unless you had your truck appraised, and it was worth something to show the insurance company. Otherwise they will try to screw you every time. I will do OK on this one. Its fixed already. Paid $500 for truck, getting $1062 from insurance. Now this does not include any money invested into the truck since purchase.

 

Jason

[tdaaj]

my 78 kingcab has full coverage on it, was an additional $5 a month.

[datsunaholic]

I have broadform. One policy, covers everything I drive for liability. The insurance company doesn't even know WHAT I drive. It's far too expensive to insure 5-8 (or more) vehicles individually. Until I found a company that did broadform I rotated 3-4 policies. I was going into the insurance office every couple months to move policies from what didn't run to what did. Not anymore. The liability is the State requirement, though I carry far more than the State minimum. State minimum is 25,000/50,000. Hit and total a Lexus and you're screwed- even if you have insurance they can still go after you for the difference if your policy isn't enough.

 

For other stuff like comp or such I'd have to get individual policies for that. Not worth it- the deductable on collision or comprehensive is more than most I own are worth. I figure, if it's my fault I'll fix my own. If it's not my fault it's the other person's insurance I have to deal with. Happened when my '81 Wagon was totalled.

[freaky510]

my battery on my 510 hit the hood and the car cought on fire burned the whole engine compartment. The insurance company said that the car was totaled and they would give me like 200 i told the gut to go back and look up a datsun and then we will talk about a settlement he called me back and they fixed my car and sent me a Ez wiring kit. after talking with the guy my car was worth more than what they" WANTED TO PAY FOR A DATSUN THAT OLD " THE 510 IS A CLASSIC car they are very rare so he said i payed 45 for full coverage on my dimes. if you look at them wrong i have a claim i dont think you can get more coverage than what i have on my dimes on my other car is just state requried

[Bleach]

Esurance sucks for so many reason.

One thing they don't tell you up front is they don't even offer comp/collision on any car older than 1981.

I tried to get full coverage on my truck about 2 months before it was stolen. I had been with that company for 6 months and they never mentioned that policy until that moment.

[earwig]

i just about got t-boned at an intersection by a meth head in a beat ass mazda glc. the only satisfaction i would of gotten out of that situation would of been the public execution of a waste of skin. i lost a buttload of money on my '88 GSXR 1100 when it got wrecked. that's when i learned that you don't get what a vehicle is worth to you or what you've put into it from insurance. you pretty much need to fake an injury and sue to break even.

[Bleach]

exactly. If you want to get a fair price for any car, then drive a car 5-12 years old, all stock, and in average condition. That's what the insurance comany likes to pay you for. Older cars are worth $500 to them. And newer cars they like to try to say you're upside down in your payments even if you are not. They are scam artists. Who has the tallest buildings downtown? Banks and insurance companys... :(

[fiveohthree]

What companies do you guys have or who would you reccomend? Right now I'm on my parents insurance, but I need to switch to my own. thanks.

[Bleach]

I was with Geico for a few years with no claims and no problems. I only changed because I was promised a lower rate but Esurance lies.

 

I'm with Allstate now and they offer home owners insurance too so I have both policies with them.

 

Actually, every insurance company screws people so there is no good company to go with. :D good luck!

[Icehouse]

I have broadform. One policy, covers everything I drive for liability. The insurance company doesn't even know WHAT I drive. It's far too expensive to insure 5-8 (or more) vehicles individually. Until I found a company that did broadform I rotated 3-4 policies. I was going into the insurance office every couple months to move policies from what didn't run to what did. Not anymore. The liability is the State requirement, though I carry far more than the State minimum. State minimum is 25,000/50,000. Hit and total a Lexus and you're screwed- even if you have insurance they can still go after you for the difference if your policy isn't enough.

 

For other stuff like comp or such I'd have to get individual policies for that. Not worth it- the deductable on collision or comprehensive is more than most I own are worth. I figure, if it's my fault I'll fix my own. If it's not my fault it's the other person's insurance I have to deal with. Happened when my '81 Wagon was totalled.

 

Hey Doug I got the same insurance as you but I have the state minimum, Watch out new cars )

[spiffinspudater]

Your ass end looks like mine when I got rearended. I still have yet to fix mine (the driver that hit me didnt have insurance and I was too stupid to persuit it). Mike hooked me up with a fix for the bed buckling (2" square metal rod and a heavy mallot) and the tailgate will likely be replaced with a fill skin with roll pan.

[fastdadd]

if you still need the taillight housing stop by and look at the extras i have

[]2eDeYe]

This was from over a year ago ;)