Auto Insurance Claims: Settlement Amount, total loss help

Question
I was in an accident earlier this week where I slid off the road in my 2005 Escape and hit a cement divider due to icy roads and bad weather. I was the only car involved and sustained no injuries. Airbags did not go off and the only damage was to the front of the vehicle. My insurance company, who I called immediately instructed me to drive off the highway to the nearest exit where they had a tow truck come tow my vehicle. The next day an adjuster called to say the car was considered a total loss as the dealership which was approved by my insurance company, estimated the damages at $9600. This adjuster told me another adjuster would be contacting me again within the next couple days about a settlement amount. I have yet to hear from any other adjuster, but was hoping you could advise me as to what I should ask/expect when the adjuster calls me? This is the first time I have gotten in an accident like this and am not sure what to expect or do. Should I be present for the adjustment, and most importantly is there anything I should ask or be prepared to answer? Because no one else was involved in the accident and I merely slid off the road, I was uncertain as to whether I should have even left the scene, but was instructed by my insurance operator to exit the highway, and she even stayed on the phone with me while I drove to the nearest exit. I was on my way across the state during a snowstorm and I have a great deal of stuff still in my vehicle. Does this need to be removed in order for an adjuster to do an inspection? Obviously nothing was damaged inside the car, but I assume they will need to inspect everything. I do not know what to do in order to help the adjuster make a fair offer, and would appreciate any advice you could give me as to what I should expect, ask, or do in the meantime while waiting for my settlement offer, and what I should consider once getting an offer. My deductible was $500 and the car was in good condition with routine maintenance every scheduled 5000 miles. Thank you for your help and consideration.

C

Answer
You should be able to navigate this claim pretty easily.  There is no way for me to briefly answer your questions, but let me list out the most important answers for you. . .

1.  What should you expect when the adjuster calls you?

   The adjuster should advise you of the value the insurance company is willing to pay you for your vehicle.

2.  Should I be present for the adjustment?   Not necessary.

3.  Is there anything I should ask or be prepared to answer?  You should have a copy of the title, or at least your loan number and the telephone number to the lienholder if you don't own the vehicle outright.  You should also be conscience of whether you have rental reimbursement on your policy, and I would ask about taxes, and pro-rated registration, just because I would want to know if they are including those items in the value assessment or not.

4.  Does your stuff need to be removed?  Yes.  Especially if you don't intend to try and keep the vehicle for salvage.  You should be presented with the option of keeping your vehicle, and in that case, you would want to know the salvage value and would want a copy of the estimate so you could make an informed and economical decision.

5.  What can you do to help the adjuster make a fair offer?  Unfortunately, this is a hard question to answer.  Your vehicle's value is determined both by your insurance contract and the market for your vehicle.  It also varies by State what the acceptable method of calculating value is.  


Courtney, you would be well served by contacting our company directly.  You can find us as www.pettydetailsllc.com.  We can answer all your questions more thoroughly and in a much faster manner.  You can even contact us by telephone and surprise, we answer.

I hope this helps!  Good luck.