QuestionHello,
I am at a loss as to how to proceed with my insurance company. I have hail damage and the company sent out an adjuster. Though I had 2 estimates, they asked me to go to a body shop that they use, which I did. He deemed my car a total loss as the repair cost was more than they felt the vehicle was worth. Next I received a call from the Allied office in Des Moines. A gentleman offered appx. $1800 which would be after $500.00 deductible and $153.00 salvage as I wish to keep the car. I told him that amount was unacceptable.
I am a research freak and went to great lengths to find all available information to put forward my case for a (much higher) settlement offer that I would be willing to accept that was based on similar cars for sale from dealerships and private sale ads nationwide (none were within 250 miles so I had to broaden my search) and emailed it to him. I have included a copy of that email at the bottom of this letter. He returned with a counter offer of $2547.00 after the deduction and salvage. I said that this too was an unacceptable amount. He then told me in no uncertain terms to "take it or leave it" and that this was their final offer. I mentioned that I would accept a replacement car of exactly the same type and condition of my car, if they could find one at that price, and if that wasn't possible, then I would like to have them pay for the necessary repairs to mine. I got dead air on that.
My car is old but in magnificent shape for it's age. It has been well taken care of and the motor should carry me for another 150,000 miles. It is rust free and except for the normal rubs, the body is great, other than these new hail dents. I recently replaced the windshield and had minor repairs done...are those costs also not considered in all of this? My car has upgrades that through my searches have been nearly impossible to find all on a single vehicle in order to get the most accurate prices to make comparisons from.
I need to know what my options are now. I realized after sending the email that I should have addressed the windshield as well, but as none of his offers thus far have been in the ballpark range of the initial figures I sent, nor have they addressed the small repair bill I included, then a few hundred dollars more for a windshield tacked on won't make a bit of difference will it?
Please see the email copied below. I have never been in an accident, nor been ticketed in 31 years of driving and am completely ignorant of this or any process. Always just paid for the coverage and never had to acquaint myself with the inner workings.
I appreciate any assistance and advice you can give me. I apologize for being long winded...likely from the frustration of all of this~
Thank you,
Kathryn
ENCL.
Scott,
Enclosed are the following details for a car like mine. These are from all sources (Dealer, Personal Ads, etc.) I have altered the totals I originally had due to the numbers you gave me.
I hope this helps to provide you with a more realistic number for the car. Perhaps it would be better to pay for repairs based on the car per the estimates gathered by Vince Gutsch at you Allied Office here.
Best regards,
Kathryn Amble
Websites Average retail (1995 Pontiac Bonneville SE), nada/autotrader.com $5454.29, kkb/cars.com $5493.25
Average Retail Price $5473.77
These numbers include Dealer Sales & Private Sales nationwide. Appx. 40% did not have one or more of the following that I have on my car: leather seats, sunroof, spoiler.
Use Fee, Title Fee, License Plate, Doc Fee, Transfer Fee
Black Hawk County, IA
Called Community Motors, Deery Bros., Holdiman Motors = $600.00 - $700.00
These particular figures are from Community Motors based on a $6000.00 vehicle so the total will be slightly less and are consistent with what the other dealers have told me.
Registration Fee, Annual Fee, Fee amount Adjustment Total
$219.00 $37.00 $0.00 $37.00
Registration Fee, Annual Fee, Fee amount Adjustment, Total
$219.00 $219.00 $0.00 $219.00
Title Fee
$0.00 $15.00 $0.00 $15.00
County Std Plate Fee
$0.00 $35.00 $0.00 $35.00
Use Tax
$0.00 $300.00 $0.00 $300.00
Total $606.00
Registration Credit $0.00
Additional Fees (Doc. Fee)
$92.00
Total Est. $698.00
Recent Repairs (Feb. 3/16/07) Sun Devil Auto, Sun City West, AZ
$185.82
Salvage... Called these 3 salvage co.'s., (in Iowa) County Line Salvage, Bill's Salvage, B&B Salvage. All said the most they would pay for this vehicle for salvage was $100.00 .
Average Salvage $100.00
Allied claims salvage is $159.04 and final total is based on this amount.
TOTAL Auto + Fees - Salvage - Deductible = $5698.55
AnswerThere is no way that I can address all of the issues that you have presented and still manage a full time job but I'll hit a few.
I did a quick national search on Autotrader.com and there are no 95 Boneville SE (non supercharged) with your mileage that are anywhere in the price range that that these dealers are telling you. I used to be a licensed dealer and still dabble here and there with car sales and I couldn't see myself getting more than $2,500 for a car like that. Dealers and quote anything that they want and sellers can ask anything that they want but this is a $2,500 car at best. I bought a 97 Bonneville at an auction last year w/ 160k for $1,000. It sold for $2,200. The insurance company owes what these care are selling for, not what people are asking for them. Sure, some buy here / pay here lot may be selling for inflated prices to get around predatory lending laws, but insurance company searches include the entire market.
A bad windshield deems a car unsafe to drive and replacing it does not add value. Minor repairs do not add value either. A recent engine, transmission etc. may add some value based on the age and mileage on the vehicle.
I'd take the offer and run.
Good luck!
