Well fuck.

[mamishka]

Just had a car accident tonight due to a jackoff accelerating through a yellow light as I was trying to make a left turn. Car most likely totaled.

Insurance company just told me my car is probably only worth $3,000 (tops) if it is totaled and I have no money for a “new” car.

Life pretty much sucks right now.

Comments

[solarbird]

Oh that sucks. I'm sorry.

If it's totalled against book value but still actually usable, you can get it back via a salvage claim, still collect insurance, and use that money to repair it. Also, you can argue with them about their valuation - when the Festiva got totalled I talked them up a lot. Mostly look for all the most expensive comparables you can find for sale and throw them at the insurer.

[mamishka]

It does. It really does.

Not sure if it's useable or not is the problem. I was able to drive it home, but I could feel the engine through the floorboard. The frame may be bent. I don't know. I couldn't even open the hood and the bumper is complete smashed over to the left by about a foot.

An appraiser is going to look at it on Monday and I'll see what he/she says.

Tell me more about arguing with their valuation? Or maybe you can help me with this? I do not quite understand what you're recommending - I'm guessing you mean find similar cars to mine that are locally selling for more than their evaluation? I mean, it's a Mazda, which is a great car, comparable to a Subaru or a Honda in quality, but not at all in price. So I assume you mean compare their assessment of my Mazda with the value of other Mazdas currently on sale in Seattle?

[solarbird]

They'll come up with a number. It'll be a lowball number. You go look for other cars of the same (and very similar) make and model - not just in Seattle, but around in general, anywhere in Cascadia and maybe also California and Idaho. Find the ones with a higher asking price than they are offering you, and collect a bunch of them together. Then you call the insurance company and say "my car is more like these, and they are ALL going for MUCH more than your offer." They may ask you to send in copies. You'll probably have to go back and forth a few times, but they will go up at least once, because the first is usually the lowball settlement to see if you'll take it uncontested.

[lyonesse]

second this, i had to do it when the fubaru was totaled (a couple years ago, i'm still driving it).

much love and i am so glad that YOU are okay!!

[gosling]

Ugh. *hugs* That totally sucks. :-(

[rmd]

Fuuuuuuuuuuuck.

[sistawendy]

Aw, shoot! I'm sorry, sweetie.

[tiggymalvern]

The car thing is horribly annoying, but I'm really glad you're sitting at home typing and not in the hospital.

And everything solarbird said about the insurance. A company wanted to write off our car in England once because it was only worth x amount, and we laughed at them so hard over that number. They fixed the car.