Making sure you don't get hosed by the Insurance Co.

[dmarc117]

I understand what you and shiznit are saying. However, if it was simply a matter of someone at State Farm besides my agent being the one to talk to, don't you think he'd have told me that?

 

"Hey, we're here to help, but I'm not the guy you're going to be dealing with. Call X and they'll take care of it.

 

 

my vote is that your agent is a doofus. get some clarity on where you stand asap imo.

[max]

A couple of years ago, someone totaled my car as it was parked in front of my house. The other person's insurance company tried to low ball me a quote and told me that they base it on current sale prices of used cars of the same make/models in the area and dont use things like KBB to determine the value. It sounded like b.s. to me. I then called my insurance company again to find out what their criteria for paying claims was. At that time, my State Farm agent informed me that they use NADA rather than KBB and never heard of basing it on sales of similar vehicles. When the other person's insurance company called me again, I informed them of the information I discovered and they gave me NADA price (and NADA was higher than KBB's price too).

[detlef]

Funny quote of the day:

 

"Sir, it is not in our best interest to get you to take a low settlement on your car."

 

Oh really?

 

I reminded him that it might not be in their best interest to low ball me so badly that they piss me off (which they did), but that I'd be damned if they were in the business of giving out top dollar on the first offer.

 

He went back to "see if the appraisers missed anything" in evaluating our car. I told him that, while he's at it, it might be nice if he could actually find me a comparable car for what he said ours is worth.

[SteelBunz]

 

That IS funny.

[westvirginia]

Funny quote of the day:

 

"Sir, it is not in our best interest to get you to take a low settlement on your car."

 

Oh really?

 

I reminded him that it might not be in their best interest to low ball me so badly that they piss me off (which they did), but that I'd be damned if they were in the business of giving out top dollar on the first offer.

 

He went back to "see if the appraisers missed anything" in evaluating our car. I told him that, while he's at it, it might be nice if he could actually find me a comparable car for what he said ours is worth.

 

 

Oh dear Lord. I would have asked him "Then why not just give me MORE than it's worth?"

[rocknrobn26]

Man, if I were you, i'd get one of those "Free lawyer Consults" and see if subrogation IS legal or not! Can't take the Insurance Company's advice on that big of a deal.

They're putting the screws to ya Det. Don't let them get away w/it!

Good luck!

[detlef]

Man, if I were you, i'd get one of those "Free lawyer Consults" and see if subrogation IS legal or not! Can't take the Insurance Company's advice on that big of a deal.

They're putting the screws to ya Det. Don't let them get away w/it!

Good luck!

I learned today that subrogation is done in this state. We are going to try to contact someone at State Farm in the morning to take care of this. Likely not the dumbass agent we've had. Not exactly sure who really, but I'll find someone.

[detlef]

For those still curious.

 

We've brought St Farm into the picture to give us a settlement and then go after GMAC themselves. Of course, the offer will be minus the $500 deductible and then we'll get that once they get made whole by GMAC. That lead to today's funny comment.

 

"The deductible won't come out of your pocket. It's just going to be subtracted from what we give you for your car."

 

"Well, then it's pretty much going to come out of my pocket considering I'm going to have $500 less to pay for our new car, won't it."

 

"I suppose you're right. It's just that you wont have to write us a check or anything."

 

"That's reassuring."

 

It literally took me several minutes to confirm that the deductible would be refunded once GMAC settled with State Farm.

 

None the less...

 

At the same time, it appears GMAC is more ready to play ball than before. It appears that they were valuating non-TDI Jettas and then assigning some arbitrary extra amount to increase the value. I suggested the crazy notion that they simply just find out what TDIs were actually selling for rather than finding out what some car other than TDIs were selling for and then apparently throwing an extra grand or two on top. This appears to be what they're doing this morning. Calling VW dealers in my area and asking what 2004 TDIs are going for. We've talked to these exact same dealers and if they say anything remotely the same as what they told us, there should be no problem.

 

They're also leaning on us to release the car from the body shop and reminded us that every day we delay, they're out money for our rental. I, of course, suggested that they simply need to give us a fair number and this whole mess will be over.

 

As I told the guy last night, all they need to do is show me any evidence at all that the number they're offering is based on anything real because I've seen absolutely nothing at all in my research that supports their price.

Edited December 3, 2008 by detlef

[dmarc117]

from my understanding, its not a guarantee that you get your deductible back. i think it depends what they can recoup from the other ins co. not positive about this though.

[detlef]

from my understanding, its not a guarantee that you get your deductible back. i think it depends what they can recoup from the other ins co. not positive about this though.

Well, I got her assurance over the phone which is worth about nothing but will do for now. Hopefully GMAC pulls their head out and takes care of this today.

[detlef]

Well, they didn't. GMAC dragged ass all freaking day and finally got back to us today.

 

So, as of Tuesday afternoon, I e-mailed him the link to the autotrader listing for the one 2004 TDI within 200 miles and phone numbers for all the triangle VW dealers. Apparently, he was going to call them.

 

So, today?

 

"I hate to break it to you but I found a car in Atlanta, GA that sounds just like your wife's car going for $13K."

 

"ATLANTA, GA!!!! WE LIVE IN FREAKING DURHAM, NC!!! Let me guess how you spent the day yesterday. First you clicked the link to that autotrader ad that showed a car just like my wife's going for the exact price we've been demanding you pay us. Then you called all the local dealers and they told you exactly what they've been telling us. That these cars go for blue book around here and blue book is about $16K. Well that's not what you want to f'ing hear, so you kept looking. And finally you found a car 400 f'ing miles away that may or may not even be in good condition for all I know. Well guess what. When we went looking for a car last week, we didn't think to look in Atlanta GA. So now we've gone from evaluating cars other than what my wife's car was to seeing what my wife's car would go for 3 states away?"

 

"Sir, I assure you that I'm really trying hard for you here but my hands are tied."

 

Needless to say, that was the last conversation we had with him. Someone from State Farm is going to give us a number tomorrow.

 

I'm going to kill someone.

[rocknrobn26]

Well, they didn't. GMAC dragged ass all freaking day and finally got back to us today.

 

So, as of Tuesday afternoon, I e-mailed him the link to the autotrader listing for the one 2004 TDI within 200 miles and phone numbers for all the triangle VW dealers. Apparently, he was going to call them.

 

So, today?

 

"I hate to break it to you but I found a car in Atlanta, GA that sounds just like your wife's car going for $13K."

 

"ATLANTA, GA!!!! WE LIVE IN FREAKING DURHAM, NC!!! Let me guess how you spent the day yesterday. First you clicked the link to that autotrader ad that showed a car just like my wife's going for the exact price we've been demanding you pay us. Then you called all the local dealers and they told you exactly what they've been telling us. That these cars go for blue book around here and blue book is about $16K. Well that's not what you want to f'ing hear, so you kept looking. And finally you found a car 400 f'ing miles away that may or may not even be in good condition for all I know. Well guess what. When we went looking for a car last week, we didn't think to look in Atlanta GA. So now we've gone from evaluating cars other than what my wife's car was to seeing what my wife's car would go for 3 states away?"

 

"Sir, I assure you that I'm really trying hard for you here but my hands are tied."

 

Needless to say, that was the last conversation we had with him. Someone from State Farm is going to give us a number tomorrow.

 

I'm going to kill someone.

 

And the hard ball continues. Tell them to ship the car to a dealer near you or pay for your trip, as you found one in a more reasonable distance, albeit for more $$$$. Tell them also you want detailed pictures, clear title, and history of the car. (Flood damage,possible total then refurb, etc.)

They probably have your nuts in their hands, ut i'd still give them as much grief as possible. Sorry to say this, but if your wife demanded going to a hospital, they would be singing a much different tune. Can't remember if she did that or not.

Have you called for a "free" lawyer consult yet?

[detlef]

State Farm stepped up. $15K, plus, of course tax and some other fee that I'm forgetting, minus the $500 deductible which we get back once they settle with GMAC (allegedly).

 

So, apples to apples, it's $14.5 plus tax compared to $13K plus tax if we never see that deductible again. Not exactly jumping for joy, but basically satisfied and we need to move on. Frankly, $15 is a pretty fair number and 14.5 is at least halfway between what we were asking for and what the first guys offered. Lower than Blue Book but right at NADA. Honestly, I was asking for 16 hoping to get 15. I just wasn't going to settle for 13 and fortunately didn't have to.