Wrecked 914 part 2: The insurance offer, Hold your nose Options

[rick 918-S]

Maybe you should change your angle and state the car is very similar to an original 6 and ask to valiuate in that direction. They might change their tune a little.

Hang in there at the end of the month they are very anxious to settle claims as that unallocated money for a loss is not good for the books

As I work in Regulatory Audit and Compliance for a really big Insurance company, the real issue is unallocated monies at the end of a quarter, and that usually applies only on fully adjuducated cases. The more pressing issue is the time of adjudication for claims per your state's Department of Insurance requirements. The Ins. company can be significantly fined if they do not meet agreed-upon adjudication timelines (usually 60 to 90 days).

Dr. Evil; The dance has begun. Continue to collect your evidence, and press them for answers and written explanations. Just like a first dance with a young lady, go too fast and they'll pull back their offer; go too slow and they'll think you're dull.

Always have more documentation than the Ins. company expects. The adjusters are just folks that are used to working off of set charts. Your car doesn't fit on the chart. You need to convince them that your chart (evidence) is a better representation of the facts than their chart, and that a third party would easily see it your way. The adjuster is being graded by their abaility to keep claims to a minimum. Getting overturned by an arbitor for a large sum is not to their advantage, and if you convince them of this risk, they are much more likely to offer you a reasonable settlement.

Good luck, and please keep us updated.

I would agree with this mostly, however, when I was a rep for one company the auto guy's (I was a multi-line rep and fell under their scoring radar) were scored on volume of claims settled. There was never a focus on what was "saved for the company as an induvidual" It is harder to track as a method of profitability and illegal to engage in. It's stealing in is simplest term. Why would someone want to try to lowball a car guy? Life is too short to assume people are stupid and will just accept what ever you offer because you have the check book. Not to mention all field notes would be discoverable in the event a company was challenged for a questionable practice.



Now the casualty and property claims dept. was another story.

[Dr Evil]

I got the traffic citation this weekend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I intend to email the copies of Excellence valuations, the NADA addy, and have sent some info to Dr914 so he can help.

Lets see how it goes. I would like to author the thread that consolidates the resources you all have offered me so people can be steered to it should they be in my unfortunate situation. Thanks all.

[Joe Bob]

Speeding ticket?

That's bogus, get a lawyer and fight that. I got a ticket once when I hit a Jaguar that pulled out in fron of me on my BMW bike.....two witnesses, the wife of the jerk pulling out and a blind man.....I shit you not, his statement was, "he (me) sounded like he was going fast....."

[Dr Evil]

It is marked as "Driving vehicle at unsafe speed"

I am going to show up at court and see if I can get it dropped. I dont think they have a case.

[LvSteveH]

It is marked as "Driving vehicle at unsafe speed"

I am going to show up at court and see if I can get it dropped. I dont think they have a case.

You should be a lawyer, not a Dr (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

There's a one-armed truck driver that could take an 18 wheeler through there at 20mph in the wet without spilling his coffee.

[auerbach]

Spoke to George on Saturday and he was all hot to trot to come to your aid. Anything that you might need, just give a yell.

[ericread]

It is marked as "Driving vehicle at unsafe speed"

I am going to show up at court and see if I can get it dropped. I dont think they have a case.

Unfortunately, many States make a case that ANY speed at which an operator cannot carefully control their vehicle is an "unsafe" speed. Therefore, should an operator lose control of their vehicle, they were obviously operating their vehicle at an unsafe speed.

It's kind of a catch-all citation. Other states use the "reckless driving" statutes to accomplish the same thing. In other words, if you miss a corner and hit a tree, you were obviously driving in a reckless manner.

IMHO, your best bet is to demonstrate that you knew specific road very well, you were not speeding, participating in a show of speed or performance, or breaking any laws. And that the accident was due to unanticipated road conditions of which a reasonable person would not be aware. Thsi could include a recent deposit of oil, sand or other traction-reducing agent on the road.

Good luck.

[PeeGreen 914]

It is marked as "Driving vehicle at unsafe speed"

I am going to show up at court and see if I can get it dropped. I dont think they have a case.

Unfortunately, many States make a case that ANY speed at which an operator cannot carefully control their vehicle is an "unsafe" speed. Therefore, should an operator lose control of their vehicle, they were obviously operating their vehicle at an unsafe speed.

It's kind of a catch-all citation. Other states use the "reckless driving" statutes to accomplish the same thing. In other words, if you miss a corner and hit a tree, you were obviously driving in a reckless manner.

IMHO, your best bet is to demonstrate that you knew specific road very well, you were not speeding, participating in a show of speed or performance, or breaking any laws. And that the accident was due to unanticipated road conditions of which a reasonable person would not be aware. Thsi could include a recent deposit of oil, sand or other traction-reducing agent on the road.

Good luck.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I had to do this when I was 19 in a very horrible case. My car hit ice and they wanted to say I was being wreckless. Granted there was a fatality in mine... it was BS and they just wanted to point a fingure. Besides, if the road was in any way the problem it can come back to then state. I know of a few parties that are in litigation over the road conditions being poor and not posted.

Good luck Mike... I hope it works out for you.

[type11969]

Weak, the cop never even called to ask my opinion. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help out.

-Chris

I got the traffic citation this weekend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I intend to email the copies of Excellence valuations, the NADA addy, and have sent some info to Dr914 so he can help.

Lets see how it goes. I would like to author the thread that consolidates the resources you all have offered me so people can be steered to it should they be in my unfortunate situation. Thanks all.

[charliew]

I had a wreck on my sportster a few years ago. Progressive ins. I was with 50 other bikes on a poker run some with their grandkids on back. I got into some loose asphalt on a long gentle curve where a drive way had tracked out the loose stuff into the outside edge of the curve. Don't remember hitting the ground. I had a full helmit on and it got three big breaks in it. It and the LORD probably saved my life, HE likes me. Except for the rear brake pedal being broke off and the tack and speedo being broke the bike is rideable. I had 15k in the bike trying to make it as fast as a V65 Honda I had before it. Progressive picked some sportsters that had sold recently and said it was worth 6500. I offered to show them the receipts. I even offered to take it to the harley shop and put it wrecked beside the ones that were for sale for 10500.00 and they would be able to see the difference between mine and the others in cost. After dragging it out for 3 months they went on a estimate the shop that did the mods on my bike wrote for me. They paid me 4100.00 and put a salvage title on it saying the repair exceded 1/2 the cost of the bike. The bike was about 8 yrs old and had no blemishes and had 6800 miles on it. After about a week from the time of the accident the DPS sent me a ticket for unsafe speed. I would have had to hire a lawyer to fight the ticket so I paid it. You can't take defensive driving if a accident is involved.

Needles to say I no longer use progressive for anything. They told me they didn't even have a way to look up the price of the parts involved.

I thought the bike would be covered because they advertise that 3000.00 extras in addons will be covered. Thier response was the addons weren't damaged.
I haven't had many Ins. claims of any kind but the ones I've had were never fair. I hate insurance companies more than any other thing I can think of.

[effutuo101]

The little yellow sign is recommended speed. Not the actual speed limit. Get a picutre of the actual speed limit for the road.

[estwing]

Just my $.02 but for older cars, if you don't have a specified amount that it's insured for and pay against that premium then the insurance company values it at whatever their book says. I was able to get full coverage with a $250 deductible for my '73 2.0 for $28 a month ($6 more than liability alone). When I checked, the insured value was $3200.

That's where the A** raping comes in, especially if it's insured as a classic car. You can insure a POS for $100,000. If you pay the premium and total the car, then you're entitled to the value you insured it for.

Though I'd be happy to offset the lose by compensating you for the rear PORSCHE reflector between the tail lights.

[brer]

It is marked as "Driving vehicle at unsafe speed"

I am going to show up at court and see if I can get it dropped. I dont think they have a case.

You should be a lawyer, not a Dr (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

There's a one-armed truck driver that could take an 18 wheeler through there at 20mph in the wet without spilling his coffee.

please delete this pic. its bummin me out.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[szuccaro]

Evil, I just went thru something similar last summer. But having gone thru a low ball offer years ago, I was prepared this time. Part of the problem is that they dont have comps. The information within this club should help take care of that. It it helps I can offer up my Interstate Appraisal as an additional reference comp (it came in at $16,150 and my car is only a 2.0L). There's some market research of additonal comps within the report.

If interested, PM me. Steve

[Dr Evil]

I just emailed the lady and sent her the NADA link and all of the excellence articles from 00-07 minus 04 (it was missing). I highlighted that their offer of $4.7k was a far cry from the values listed. I was factual, respectful and not at all a dick (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) I also gave them (again) the contact info for my friend, the 914 DEALER, and for George Hussey (Dr914). I said that I could easily give them comparative STOCK cars for sale currently if that would help.

Ball is in their court, lets see what happens next.....

[jsayre914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[jfort]

slightly OT, but after (actually during) reading this thread, I figured I'd call my insurance co. to update my policy. I use USAA, too, but for the 914-6, they referred me to American Collectors, an affiliate. I told them that I had just put on flares, etc., and that I want to update the stated value. They replied that my policy had lapsed for non-payment. Here I'd thought it was automatically deducted! DAMN! Good thing I called. Got reinstated for a fair value.

[DNHunt]

We have USAA also and I got referred to American Collectors also. One problem, they stipulate no timed events. So I said you mean no autocross and she said "What is that?" I said it was turning around cones like the police do. When she asked if it was timed I had to say yes so, I'll have to keep looking.

Dave

[ConeDodger]

The little yellow sign is recommended speed. Not the actual speed limit. Get a picutre of the actual speed limit for the road.

Nope. The sign gives the actual allowable speed in that section. I once went through one of those sections in Wisconsin at 60 in my Datsun Z and got a ticket for going 25 over the speed limit. The actual speed limit was posted at 60. The sign was right next to me as he handed me the ticket. I too thought it was recommended.

Two years ago I hit a tree trying to avoid the three deer standing on the road on the Oakville Grade between Napa and Sonoma valleys. I didn't hit it hard, I was only doing maybe 15 but it was wet as it had just started raining. I came around a hairpin in the Boxster and they were just standing in the road. I swerved and hit the brakes and the antilocks groaned all the way to the tree just off the road surface. If you have never been here it is wilderness and quite beautiful. I called my insurance which is Mike's as well and they told me it would be my fault. It seems that if you hit anything for any reason you were driving too fast for the conditions. The only time the fault mitigates away from purely yours is if the other object was under the control of another human. The only reason I did not get that same ticket is that the police were not involved. I just backed up, hit the horn to convince Bambi and her friends to move on and drove away. $7K in damage...

[wilchek]

I just got a quote from Haggerty for 170.00 with agreed value of $15,000. The question is had anyone had any expereince with Hagerty??