Jump to content

Question for you Auto Insurance guys (total loss)


TurboGoKart

Recommended Posts

I have USAA. I got rear ended in my 99 Civic LX, 247,4xx miles. Just got the quote from the body shop today at $2195 to repair. I called my insurance company hopeful that it would be deemed a total loss, but I'll have to call back tomorrow morning after they get the official quote from the body shop. However, the body shop said that according to their standards between them and USAA it wasn't totaled.

 

The insurance agent told me the damages have to meet 80% of the value of the car for it to be deemed a total loss. KBB has the car in "Good" condition valued at $2944, putting the damages at 74%. The front bumper is all scratched to hell and has a large crack/hole in it (~15" in length), the drivers side rear quarter has paper plate size damage above the wheel well from being backed into, and you can tell it was already fixed because it cracked a bunch of the bondo there. There are NUMEROUS dings and dents all over the car, quite a few. They range from door dings to golf ball size dents. The clutch needs changed as well as the timing belt/water pump, and it needs a valve job. All 4 tires do not match. According to KBB standards I'd think this qualifies as closer to "Fair" condition rather than "Good" which would put the value at $2144, making the damages well over 80%.

 

Is it 70 or 80% damages in Ohio? If I tell the insurance company those above things that are wrong with it, is there any possibility they could make the decision to deem it a total loss? Any help/pointers? I'd like to be done with this car lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have USAA. I got rear ended in my 99 Civic LX, 247,4xx miles. Just got the quote from the body shop today at $2195 to repair. I called my insurance company hopeful that it would be deemed a total loss, but I'll have to call back tomorrow morning after they get the official quote from the body shop. However, the body shop said that according to their standards between them and USAA it wasn't totaled.

 

The insurance agent told me the damages have to meet 80% of the value of the car for it to be deemed a total loss. KBB has the car in "Good" condition valued at $2944, putting the damages at 74%. The front bumper is all scratched to hell and has a large crack/hole in it (~15" in length), the drivers side rear quarter has paper plate size damage above the wheel well from being backed into, and you can tell it was already fixed because it cracked a bunch of the bondo there. There are NUMEROUS dings and dents all over the car, quite a few. They range from door dings to golf ball size dents. The clutch needs changed as well as the timing belt/water pump, and it needs a valve job. All 4 tires do not match. According to KBB standards I'd think this qualifies as closer to "Fair" condition rather than "Good" which would put the value at $2144, making the damages well over 80%.

 

Is it 70 or 80% damages in Ohio? If I tell the insurance company those above things that are wrong with it, is there any possibility they could make the decision to deem it a total loss? Any help/pointers? I'd like to be done with this car lol.

 

Don't rush to have it be a total loss... Take the $2195 check and keep the clean title Civic. Sell the Civic (with the damage) for whatever you can get for it (at least a few hundred or more on CL) and you will come out ahead. If they value your car at $2144, they will call it a total loss and pay you that amount minus the salvage value (which is probably $400-500 still for a Civic). So you would end up with $1744-ish if they total it. Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nationwide wouldnt just cut me a check to have cash and leave the car damaged since they were insuring the car...now, if I hit somebody, and their damages were estimated at $1000, my insurance would cut them a check because they don't care what happens to that car wether it gets fixed or not. I don't know if other insurance companies operate that way, but it doesn't seem like what my insurance company was telling me was unreasonable or out of the norm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lmao. Thanks for the help. They don't suck ass. Ive been with them for 12yrs. I have full coverage on two vehicles, liability on another, and homeowners insurance for $626/6 months. I know there's more to an insurance company than just that but they've never done me wrong.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok talked to the insurance, they value the car using full retail value which came out to $37xx. Lol. So at this point, because the body shop tore the car down to do the full estimate, can I still just take the check and tell the body shop not to fix it? Problem is, the insurance was paying the body shop I believe, so who do I ask for the check if I wanted to go that route?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nevermind. I talked to the insurance. They're cutting me the check and I'm picking my car back up. Thanks for the idea Matt.

 

No problem! Those older Civics have crazy value! I've got a 00 LX 4-door with 247k on it. I've been offered $3500 for it and have no interest in selling it.

 

If it still runs and drives - you can list it on CL and probably get some good money for it (on top of that insurance check!). Good luck and have fun car shopping!!!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

USAA is actually pretty decent and Ins companies dont use KBB to estimate vehicles. KBB is almost always higher than everyone else.

 

That's what I thought too. Turns out, after all that nonsense yesterday, they call back this morning and tell me it's totaled. Lol. Really? Get your ish together. Furthermore, the lady I spoke to today said they total it out at 70% value, not 80% value, AND she said the body shop used NADA, but as an insurance company, they don't touch NADA, which is what I thought. They base the value of the car basically based on comprable vehicles in my zip code. I think the woman I spoke to yesterday was severely retarded.

 

 

USAA sucks ass as an insurance company. Find someone else.

 

Lol, thanks for jinxing me. I've never had any issues with them....till this nonsense. Lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's what I thought too. Turns out, after all that nonsense yesterday, they call back this morning and tell me it's totaled. Lol. Really? Get your ish together. Furthermore, the lady I spoke to today said they total it out at 70% value, not 80% value, AND she said the body shop used NADA, but as an insurance company, they don't touch NADA, which is what I thought. They base the value of the car basically based on comprable vehicles in my zip code. I think the woman I spoke to yesterday was severely retarded.

 

 

 

 

Lol, thanks for jinxing me. I've never had any issues with them....till this nonsense. Lol.

 

I worked at Vic's Body Shop for a couple years and USAA was always one of the good ones. That was about 7 or 8 years ago so things may have changed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...