Hello, Everyone.

Just have a question to pose to the group.

I was involved in an accident with my 95 Dodge 2500 Cummins, and my insurance company wants to write off my truck. The other party was at fault.

My insurance company is only offering $4000 as truck's value, based on the body being dinged up and having 525,000 km. The damage is the left corner of the bumper, grill cracked and headlight/signal light on that side.

The truck had been performance tuned by Andy at Unlimited Performance, bought the truck from him when it had 407, 000 kms on it. The engine is presently pushing about 350 to 400 hp, and approximately 700 ft lbs of torque, with the transmission beefed up to handle the torque. I had to replace the Dana 70 rear end when a bearing gave out, so it now has a Dana 80 in it.

I would like to keep the truck, however, the only option, my insurance company is offering is to the pay out. They have deemed the truck a total loss, even tho I know that I can get another 300K out of the drive train, with normal maintenance.

Has anyone else been through the process or know anyone that help clarify the process, since I'm not getting any information from my insurance company. Not that I'm surprised on that point.

Thanks,

Alvin

 

You should be able to go to the insurance company and offer to buy back the salvage.

 

I have already done that, and their answer was that I had to purchase it at the local total loss auto auction that they use.

Since the auto auction holds their auctions on Wednesdays, I would have to take time off to bid on it in person.

Again, my insurance company is being absolutely unhelpful in explaining the process.

I have asked for the report filed by the mobile appraiser, and will see if they will actually provide it. If they don't, then I will continue with another counter-offer.

 

We totalled 2 new vehicles in 2010, my 08 MC with less than 24k km due to water damage and wife's 2006 Magnum R/T fully loaded with about 22k km's, both losses were comprehensible, and for both vehicles we had replacement insurance. I would've loved to buy them back but the same thing happened, the insurance asked that I'd buy them at the auction. I would've too, but it was a silent auction(bids in envelopes) and I don't trust them.
Now keep in mind that we had replacement insurance, they replaced my 08 with a new 010 worth 7k more than my 08 and since the Magnum was discontinued they offered to buy us a 010 fully loaded Chrysler 300C R/T however we wanted a station wagon so we got a VW TDI plus 14k cash, so the insurance worked well for us, however if it wasn't for the replacement insurance I would've fought them tooth and nail.
If you are unhappy with the amount they're offering tell them so, they cannot write your vehicle off without you selling it to them - you have to sign a Bill of Sale, and if you wanna salvage it then ask your adjuster again and explain that their appraisal could be low. They'll repair up to 70% of the cost of the vehicle, so in your case, they'll pay up to 2,800 to a shop to repair your vehicle, so if you find a shop that will do it for that or if you'll cover the difference they'll probably go for it. Heck when I lived in Winnipeg I've had shops paying my deductible just so they could get the business several times.
Keep in mind that while they're a pain to deal with, the insurance company CANNOT chop YOUR vehicle without your consent, and that the insurance company works FOR YOU. And since you were not at fault,they won't be the ones paying for the repairs, the other guy's insurance will, unless you're both with the same insurance company.

 

Welcome Alvin...Good to see you signed up here.....

Insurance companies sure do strange things..As above, I can't believe they want to write your truck off and will not give you a chance to buy it back.

Give them a offer of $2,000 and you will take the truck back..Unless they are hoping to sale the truck for $4,000 at auction to recover 100 % of their payout..

But its a good point also...You were not at fault..Was there a traffic ticket issued??

This situation is cause me concern...I have pictures of my truck with my insurance company...I wanted it apprasied but its too new..

 

Unless you're certain the truck is worth 6k, I personally think $2,000 is a lot to pay on a total loss almost 20 year old truck, because now it'll have a SALVAGED title and don't forget all the cost involved in having the vehicle safetied and re-registered/re-insured. $1,000 should be more than fine.
Best bet is shop around for a different body shop that will give you a repair estimate lower than $2,800 or prove to the insurance recent upgrades, they'll have to pay you part of them. And if the truck gets totalled take off it everything that's not welded down.
If you had any child car seats in the truck at the time of the accident, go buy new ones right away, insurance will refund you 70% of the new ones cost.

 

I bought the truck for $6500 in 2007, and the only upgrade that I have done is the Dana 80.

The estimate from the "preferred" body shop was $2500 and the mobile guy was $3500. From what the wife's comment, the mobile guy seemed annoyed that he had to do an appraisal on the truck when he seen it.

I know that the motor is well worth it, since the previous owner and I have been running Royal Purple 15W40, and I've been using the K&N oil filters for the last 3 or 4 years. If I could get a straight answer on what's involved with the insurance write off inspection, then that is an option that I'm looking at. However, one place says that the truck has to look and run like new, including undercoating.

It's been quite the learning experience.

 

It's alot of playing around to do write off inspection , depending on the guy that is doing it , first step to rip it apart ( remove all bad panels ) then try it to the shop that will be looking at it , pay your fee. then they well tell you if it needs frame straighten , if not or when it's done replace all the parts you removed with good ones bring it back to the shop (pay the fee again ) and then you will have truck again , but it can be costly

 

I dunno, if the insurance is paying you $4k on the truck you paid $6,500 5 yrs ago, I'd take the cash, do the math you drove the truck for about $40/mth, less than a cup of coffee/day

 

Having older trucks is hard to explain to most. I got the same treatment to just repaint mine. They didn't want to paint a 15 year old truck and thought it was a waste of time.

For you, I think the hassle outweighs the benefit and as was suggested, strip it down and let it go. Unless you can do some of the work yourself to get it back from salvage state. Baffles me why they don't want to just take your money and let it go to auction. Greedy bunch.

 

It's been a while since I went thru this process but I did learn that you need to keep the vehicle in your possession to have any bargaining leverage.

Once the insurance company has your vehicle, you have nothing to negotiate with.
After the accident or after the vehicle is assessed at a 3rd party, get it towed back to your driveway or garage.
Then you can negotiate or strip all your aftermarket parts off it.

 

Thank you, Everyone for your comments and concern,

After talking with the Traffic division in Edmonton, I have learned some very important lessons.

Once I started the claim with my insurance company, and they deemed it a total loss, they had 6 business days to put in the salvage status change.

Also, once the claim started, I still owned the truck, however, the insurance company could deem it a total loss, and tie things up, until I settled, by accepting the offer. Once the change of status was completed, they dropped the insurance on the truck and it was no longer "roadworthy" till the write off inspection was done and completed.

So I have taken the pay out, kept the items that weren't original equipment and it is on it's way to the salvage auction.

For those looking for the 12 valve Cummins, keep an eye on the Impact Auto Auctions, since that is where the truck will be auctioned off, as per the insurance company's directive.

For future reference, if this happens again, I will be going and getting other estimates done and discussing with the other party first, to see if they want to pay for the repairs directly. This would have kept the truck out of salvage\total loss status.

It's a 1995 Dodge 2500 with the 12V, auto, Laramie trim. For those who might be interested, I can provide the V.I.N., by email. Motor has 525,000km, transmission has 460,000km, rear end, less than 300,000km

Thanks again,

Alvin

 

What a lose Alvin.......Are you going to the auction to bid on it??

It seems a risk to claim anything on insurance now a days..Did you buy the other truck you mentioned??

I'm going to try it again with my insurance company about getting a apprasial on my truck...Last time I asked they said it was to new..

 

Dave,

I'm not going to bid on it, since I wasn't able to get a good reply on what was required in the write off inspection. The best answer I got, was anything that was deemed to be a safety or worn to the point of being a safety hazard had to be replaced. So it would cost more to repair than I'm able to pay out.

I wasn't able to pick up the 97 Dodge 2500(it was sold on the Thursday after we chatted), however, did find a 96 Dodge 2500 with less than 300,000 Km on it, with the features that I wanted.

Been driving the 96 and enjoying it. Just have to do the insurance inspection, and way to go.

Yes, I have decided not to put collision on the truck, if it's more than 10 years old. That way I have opened up a few more options if this happens again.

 

Well...Keep in touch if you need any help with the other dodge diesel trucks you have...

Hopefully a dyno event will be posted...Get you to meet the other fellow Alberta diesel guys....