# Car Insurance Payout Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886 "2024-11-07T19:47:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2024, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/41 "2024-11-09T19:15:36Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Accident report? You mean the one submitted to the insurance company? Did you fill out an accident report? In my state, you need a _police_ report under certain circumstances, and you also have to fill out your own accident report to DMV in some circumstances–among other things, if anyone was physically injured, or over a certain amount in property damage. DMV tracks things like which intersections are most dangerous, and what the most common causes of accidents. Definitely check your obligation to report to the state. Check the details of their offer. A few years ago, my car was totalled. The damage was not that much, but it was to the front right corner of the car, and they discovered that the wheels could no longer be properly aligned. So it had the unibody equivalent of frame damage. It was hit-and-run, so I was dealing with my insurance. They notified me they were going to total it, and after a bit, they sent an offer. It was very lowball. I read the offer and discovered they had identified it as the most basic trim level. It was actually a mid-trim level. I contacted them and let them know that I disagreed and why. I explained my car’s trim level. They got back to me with an offer that was about 2x the first offer. I accepted. I later found that their offer was based on the _top_ trim level. Anyway. Check they got the details of your vehicle right. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2024, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/42 "2024-11-09T19:21:21Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Filling a claim agains the other driver’s insurance is surely a lower impact to @kaylasdad99’s future premiums than filing a claim against their own insurance, even if they estimate the settlement higher. You might be able to ask them what the impact on your premium would be. I mean, you can ask, and depending on how they work, you might get a useful answer. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/43 "2024-11-09T20:43:00Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Welp, they totaled it. $7600 if they take it, $4K+ if I keep it and register it as a salvaged vehicle. Those numbers are- IMHO bogus. Find you what similar vehicles are selling near you, and $3000 salvage? If Salvage is that high, then it is not totalled. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Is it generally acceptable to withdraw the claim and take nothing? In that case, you might as well take the $4k+. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Who is the “they” who totaled it and is offering 7600 or 4000? If it’s the other party’s insurer, do the same claim process with your own company ASAP, no matter how painful their pitiful customer service makes it Yep, at least find out. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I’m mostly worried about what having a “salvaged” vehicle means in terms of registration and insurance costs. It should have no effect on registration, except maybe lower it. Your company will not give you collision insurance normally, which again- makes things cheaper. And why would you want Collision insurance anyway here? > [@puzzlegal](#): > > In my state, it would cost the same or less to register (we pay more to register more valuable cars, but it bottoms out quickly) and the same insure. Except i doubt you can get physical damage coverage, so any further damage to the car is on you. But you won’t be paying that premium, either. If you are now. Exactly. > [@filmore](#): > > Is there a chance that his rates will go up if his own insurance pays out the claim? With Geico? yes. With most others? No, if that is your only claim in a “so man years” period. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I can understand why you want to just keep it. And just take the $$- but I think the OP needs to counter offer. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > I mean, you can ask, and depending on how they work, you might get a useful answer. It’s Geico. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2024, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/44 "2024-11-09T22:32:19Z")
> [@Dogginit](#): > > Bought a Chevy Equinox for my wife, salvage title, paid $13k cash for it. When I totalled it, our insurance paid out CMV, $17k. Lot of unknowns there, your carrier may not have checked probably, you may have gotten at it far below the actual part value (you did say cash purchase), or it could be like during Covid, where even “junked” cars sudden soared in value with the shortage of anything driveable. Enjoy it! My experience (semi-professionally) has been decidedly otherwise, as has that of friends. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/45 "2024-11-10T00:08:07Z")
The market valuation report was compiled by. CCC Intelligent Solutions, described as a cloud-based platform that provides software and workflow tools for the insurance, automotive, financial institution, and collision repair industries. They appear to have been able to determine a lot about my car’s features, just from my VIN. The only thing that they missed is my aftermarket satellite radio system that I had installed in 2022. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/46 "2024-11-10T00:29:37Z")
You should mention aftermarket add-ons like that when negotiating the payout, as they increase the value of the vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/47 "2024-11-10T02:51:18Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > The market valuation report was compiled by. CCC Intelligent Solutions, [https://www.carltonfields.com/insights/publications/2022/california-throws-shade-at-insurance-industrys](https://www.carltonfields.com/insights/publications/2022/california-throws-shade-at-insurance-industrys) _The CA DOI issued the bulletin casting doubt on the industry’s use of big data as a result of its investigation of “several recent examples of potential bias and alleged unfair discrimination in many lines of insurance resulting from the use of technology and data.”_ I would get some numbers myself to fight their numbers. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/48 "2024-11-10T02:54:28Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I would get some numbers myself to fight their numbers. And how would you go about doing that? Serious question. I’m out of my depth here. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/49 "2024-11-10T03:00:38Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > And how would you go about doing that? Look on Facebook marketplace, craigslist, and especially local car dealers. See what they have your vehicle listed for. Take the top three highest and send those to them. Next contact a junkyard and ask what they would give for you truck totalled, as junk- maybe $500? Question their salvage value. Tell them you are still hurting after the accident (which is true, altho the hurt may not be physical) and if they dont offer at least $2K more for _totalled but you keep_, you are contacting _your_ attorney. Did you go to the doctors office? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/50 "2024-11-10T03:04:52Z")
That’s in addition to mentioning the satellite radio system and any other aftermarket add-ons, as their value doesn’t reflect those. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2024, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/51 "2024-11-10T03:22:24Z")
Good point. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/52 "2024-11-22T02:17:57Z")
Update: they asked me to send them links to “comparable” vehicles which they defined as (among other things) an odometer reading not more than 12-15K miles difference from my 196K. This turned out to be impossible to find, so I compromised by confining my picks to \>100K miles. The prices average out to about $13,500. I’m not expecting them to jump at the chance to give me nearly double their original offer, but we can begin discussing _realistic_ solutions that result in my being made whole. Does anyone know if a declaration to total a vehicle is set in stone, or does the carrier have the ability to reassess that determination and just have the repairs done? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/53 "2024-11-22T02:22:05Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > The prices average out to about $13,500. I’m not expecting them to jump at the chance to give me nearly double their original offer, but we can begin discussing _realistic_ solutions that result in my being made whole. > > Does anyone know if a declaration to total a vehicle is set in stone, or does the carrier have the ability to reassess that determination and just have the repairs done? Good on you! I suggest you say you are calling some lawyers. No, it is not set in stone. If the repairs are greater than the FMV is it called “totalled”. One you two agree on the new FMV- that will change. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/54 "2024-11-22T02:32:41Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Bottom line: if you don’t want to get screwed, deal with the people who know you’re _their_ customer, not somebody else’s customer. Quoted for truth. Once, long ago, my car was damaged by a neighbor who backed into it while my vehicle was parked. Their insurance company (State Farm) admitted all liability. I informed my insurance company (USAA) of the accident, but consented to let State Farm pay to fix my car, pay for a rental car, etc. Big mistake. I quickly found out they (State Farm) had no interest whatsoever in making me happy. As far as they were concerned, I was just a liability. They wanted to get my car repaired as cheaply and fast as possible. They then threatened to stop paying for my car rental before my car was fixed, which was yet another battle. At some point, I talked to my insurance company and they told me that if I had just gone through them, then all of that hassle could’ve been avoided. Then they would’ve gone after State Farm for the money. I took the hint and for every accident since then that I’ve been involved with, I have refused to deal with the other insurance company. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/55 "2024-11-22T02:47:43Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > …USAA evaluated my car and decided to total it using their evaluators, their criteria, and their own ideas about payoff amounts. My policy has a feature that pays 20% _over_ the total-out value to help you pay for a replacement car. That add-on extra had a small incremental premium; it proved to be a _very_ good investment. This is also good advice. When my wife’s car was totaled by a drunk driver a few years ago, I dealt with my own insurance company (USAA) using the lesson I recounted earlier. I was able to talk them into increasing the payout by providing receipts of all of the work I had recently put into the vehicle. Again, it helped that I was their customer. But I found that after the payoff, I had nowhere near enough money to replace the vehicle for a comparable one. That’s when I found out about the 20% increase over the total-out value option you can add to your policy. I promptly added that option to all my auto policies after that. As I’m fond of telling my adult son, I know a lot of life hacks because of the many, many mistakes I’ve made over the years. The difference is that I try to learn from my mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/56 "2024-11-22T04:17:58Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Does anyone know if a declaration to total a vehicle is set in stone, or does the carrier have the ability to reassess that determination and just have the repairs done? > [@DrDeth](#): > > No, it is not set in stone. If the repairs are greater than the FMV is it called “totalled”. One you two agree on the new FMV- that will change. Again, not 100% true. If it’s even close (85% or more in my historical experience) to the adjusted market value, they’ll likely not bother, because of the potential for additional damages above and beyond the initial estimate. Of course, sometimes the adjuster gets it wrong, and they think it’s under that level, but then THEY’RE on the hook for it, which is why they tend towards conservatism. IN GENERAL (huge generality) if they think it’s close, they’d rather give you a cash settlement and let you manage the repair yourself, because that way, if it is above and beyond, well, too bad for you, but a relief for them. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/57 "2024-11-22T12:21:36Z")
> [@robby](#): > > As I’m fond of telling my adult son, I know a lot of life hacks because of the many, many mistakes I’ve made over the years. The difference is that I try to learn from my mistakes. As one of our wise Dopers @enipla is fond of saying: > When you don’t get what you want, what you get is experience. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/58 "2024-11-22T12:44:33Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Does anyone know if a declaration to total a vehicle is set in stone, or does the carrier have the ability to reassess that determination and just have the repairs done? My gf’s Silverado was initially going to be “totaled”. She was very unhappy with this and expressed her disappointment. I guess it was a borderline call, because they reconsidered and repaired the truck. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/59 "2024-11-22T13:28:37Z")
IME everything is negotiable if you start early and push hard. Nothing is ever “set in stone”. But like any other bureaucratic process leading to a decision, then followed by actions based on that decision, they are set from the git-go in slowly hardening cement. Your goal is get them to agree with your desired outcome before the cement is too hard for them to change their mind from whatever was their initial inclination. There is some unknowable gateway event inside their bureaucracy where their decision becomes functionally irreversible. Maybe it’s after they issue the order for their finance department to cut your pay-off check. Maybe it’s 3 steps earlier when the great grand-boss signs off on the settlement. etc. Each company will have a different process and a different last chance gateway event. You can’t know _a priori_ when the decision has become irreversible. All you can know is the later in the process the harder change is. So get to work ASAP changing their mind. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886/60 "2024-11-22T13:32:11Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Bottom line: if you don’t want to get screwed, deal with the people who know you’re _their_ customer, not somebody else’s customer. Note that this only works if you have collision (or comprehensive) coverage on the car. If you only carry liability insurance, you don’t get that service. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-insurance-payout-question/1009886.md?page=4)