Insurance threatening total of truck

[funkill]

Hi all -
Well, almost a month ago I was involved in a head-on collision on our single-track dirt road. I was heading up the mountain while someone was coming down... road was freshly dragged and on a blind corner. I jammed on my brakes but just slid. I, and my 2000 Yukon XL, fared much better than the old compact car with which we collided. The driver suffered some minor injuries from the airbag. I just have some on-going neck/back pain but not significant.

Anyway. The cost to repair the body damage to my truck was about $5000 - and was covered AND COMPLETED. However, when I went to pick up my truck last Wednesday I was told that they found some additional electrical & A/C component damage - will be about an additional $1000 in repairs. They are (supposedly) not safety related....

Today the insurance adjuster called to say that they may end up at a *total loss* for my truck. Before this finding, they were within a few hundred dollars of total loss figure. The additional claim is being reviewed by a supervisor since the initial repairs have already been completed. It's a 50/50 chance that it will be totaled.

So, does anyone have any suggestions on what I should/could do? I do not want it totaled!!! Right now it seems that I am $750 out of pocket ($500 deductible and $250 for matching tire). Should I offer to cover the cost of the additional repairs? Would I be able to purchase the vehicle if totaled? And then does the title reflect totaled vehicle?

Thanks in advance for any ideas or recommendations. BTW, I have Progressive insurance (TV and Airstream).... and have always been happy with them.

Laura

[AWCHIEF]

Several months ago I got t-boned while in my Xtera. The adjuster took one look and said to me "110%. I ask what that meant. He said that the damage exceded the value by 110%. In other words- totaled. That was actually fine with me as I had been shopping for a new truck and now have a 2012 F150 SCREW Ecoboost that I am very happy with.

It might be possible to go ahead and take the check from the insurance company and buy your vehicle back from them at a salvage price. I did that once for a sailboat and made out like a bandit.

[withidl]

My son had a pickup swipe his Ford Explorer right front fender causing cosmetic damage amounting to about $3,000. The other guys insurance totalled the vehicle and with salvage tax considerations would pay about $3,300 AND take the vehicle. Since the vehicle was drivable and VERY good mechanically we negotiated to a price of about $2,800 and my son kept the vehicle. We did a little metal bending and fiberglassing costing about $50 and it is perfectly serviceable.

Because the insurance company had "totalled" the vehicle my son had to apply for a "salvage title" which took severeal weeks during which the vehicle was not supposed to be driven. Upon receipt of the "salvage title" the vehicle was safety inspected and then a regular vehicle title was applied for and granted.

The title process cost about $250, so the net, net was a gift from the other guy's insurance company of about $2,500.

You can get there from here!

[funkill]

They're going to cover the additional costs!!! Yay. I did some research on the NV DMV site and found that a salvage title/retitle is fairly uncumbersome. So I guess it would have worked out.

Thanks for your responses - kept my mind busy while waiting for the decision from Progressive.

Laura

[Friday]

There is no re-title... it would always carry a salvage title, and a simple check on Carfax would show that... making its value very low for any future trade...

Repair is always better if you want to keep it...

[funkill]

Originally Posted by Friday

There is no re-title... it would always carry a salvage title, and a simple check on Carfax would show that... making its value very low for any future trade...

Repair is always better if you want to keep it...

Could be... but I think in NV it can be titled as "rebuilt" and the word salvage is removed for older vehicles.... wouldn't swear to it though, lots of reading and I'm deloris. I mean, delirious.

Salvage Vehicles

Laura - who is glad to keep it at this point...