Wife got in an accident today - Need Advice

[Eagle1]

Air bag deployed often a total loss by insurance Co.....

 

[oldnslo]

Like Eagle1 states frequently air bag deployed equals total loss.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Like Eagle1 states frequently air bag deployed equals total loss.

Please excuse my ignorance but that means they "junk" the car and compensate us at or close to the KBB value?

 

[Eagle1]

Please excuse my ignorance but that means they "junk" the car and compensate us at or close to the KBB value?

Pretty much, they paid me like 15K for one and I fixed it for under 2500 after giving them 1200 for buy back and they marked it as hail damage not wrecked, still driving it today. Bought my wife a new ride with the extra so she leaves my car alone.

 

[coldsteelva]

To echo: air bag deployment is the airbag, inflator cartridge, headliner, plus 2 doors, trim molding, mirror, paint and it's a Renegade so not a high value vehicle so this will likely be a total loss. I'm sorry. Best thing you can do is search your local area for vehicles for sale TODAY that are close in year and mileage because I suspect you may need to negotiate with whichever insurer is the at-fault insurer to reach an agreed payout value. You do not have to accept whatever the first number is they hand you (unless it's advantageous).

Use the website of local dealerships and take screenshots of the vehicles/VINs/prices they are advertising; KBB is nice and all, but that is not the reality of the market that you may be living in.

 

[workinonit]

My money says they don't total it but who knows, depends on your company. Heck, you get 5000 bucks in damage hitting a dog. I recently hit a deer that caused 10,000 dollars in damage to my 2008 Tundra and the word total didn't come up.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Pretty much, they paid me like 15K for one and I fixed it for under 2500 after giving them 1200 for buy back and they marked it as hail damage not wrecked, still driving it today. Bought my wife a new ride with the extra so she leaves my car alone.

I kind of hope that is what they do. It drove home just fine, I don't think it is too messed up. I have already been looking at new doors for it. I think the back passenger door is just fine. I did open my mouth while my wife was on the phone with the claims lady and said "oh yeah, it drove home just fine." Not sure how that will change the calculus of their decision. Not having to buy another over priced car right now and have another payment would be a good thing for us. We have 3 cars at the moment (including the wrecked one) so we have time to make a decision. Thanks for your help gentlemen.

 

[jyoutz]

Please excuse my ignorance but that means they "junk" the car and compensate us at or close to the KBB value?

Yes. But speaking from experience, Do your homework and research the selling values of a comparable vehicle of the same year, model, condition, and mileage in your local area plus or minus 250 miles. Look on Autotrader and sites like that and save the links to each one you find. When the insurance company makes you a cash offer, be prepared to tell them the price is too low and you cannot buy a comparable vehicle for that. Then provide the links that you found. KBB isn’t always realistic for your selling area. They will usually bump up their offer if your research shows reasonable comparisons at higher prices.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Yes. But speaking from experience, Do your homework and research the selling values of a comparable vehicle of the same year, model, condition, and mileage in your local area plus or minus 250 miles. Look on Autotrader and sites like that and save the links to each one you find. When the insurance company makes you a cash offer, be prepared to tell them the price is too low and you cannot buy a comparable vehicle for that. Then provide the links that you found. KBB isn’t always realistic for your selling area. They will usually bump up their offer if your research shows reasonable comparisons at higher prices.

In my VERY preliminary research on value I saw numbers about $8000-$9000. I would be pretty OK with that I think. Especially if I can buy it back and and fix it up cheaply. How does the buy back thing work? DO they offer you that option or do you have to ask? Is that a thing that is negotiated as well?

 

[Eagle1]

Some will offer others you have to ask, value can be negotiated. How they code the disposition (wrecked, or natural damage) can make a difference in how you have to re register the car your state. Some make rebuilt title very unattractive but hail damage (etc) is just normal registration. In fact my same InsCo insured the car after I repaired it, no problems.