Car totalled, how should I be compensated? UPDATE: mmmm greens. Pic++

[yhelothar]

My friend got screwed by doing that, but he didn't have police report or witness. Your choice.

I'm curious how he got screwed by it.
Did the other party quickly repair their car and then deny they were involved in the collision when insurance was finally called?

 

[SpatiallyAware]

No police report means insurance and courts will not pay.

 

[yhelothar]

No police report means insurance and courts will not pay.

Nonsense. The police often won't even come out unless someone is injured or there is significant damage.

 

[exar333]

Nonsense. The police often won't even come out unless someone is injured or there is significant damage.

Depends on where you live. Many states mandate a police report for any damage >$1000, which is pretty much anything these days...

 

[desy]

Go to Ebay motors find out what vehicles actually sold for and thats your replacement cost

 

[JCH13]

I'd go with insurance unless they're offering stupid money, especially if you can pull good parts off the Miata to sell. I'd be interested in some of them...

Bummer your car got creamed.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Nonsense. The police often won't even come out unless someone is injured or there is significant damage.

This is not the case anywhere where I've lived UNLESS it's on private property.

I've heard others claim this (that the police won't show up for non-injury accidents), but am surprised the states that allow this aren't swamped with fraud issues of accidents that all of the sudden 'never happened'.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

By the way... The correct way to handle this is tell the person that hit you that you won't go through insurance but still want a police report. Then give the person a week to pay you - if not file with their insurance co.

 

[yhelothar]

I'd go with insurance unless they're offering stupid money, especially if you can pull good parts off the Miata to sell. I'd be interested in some of them...

Bummer your car got creamed.

Any reason for that?

My miata is still drivable... I'm just gonna get the frame pulled back and get the damaged parts from my local pick a part.

It doesn't look TOO bad. But it's enough that when I brought it to the body shop, the estimate was $3k.

 

[yhelothar]

By the way... The correct way to handle this is tell the person that hit you that you won't go through insurance but still want a police report. Then give the person a week to pay you - if not file with their insurance co.

That's exactly what I'm doing.

This is not the case anywhere where I've lived UNLESS it's on private property.

This is what happened to me last time when I rear ended someone. The damages combined were in the excess of $10k. When the police was called, they said they wouldn't come out unless someone was injured. This was on a public road in California.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

California and Florida are outliers which should be excluded from any rational discussion as to what 'usually happens'. :biggrin:

 

[JCH13]

Any reason for that?

My miata is still drivable... I'm just gonna get the frame pulled back and get the damaged parts from my local pick a part.

It doesn't look TOO bad. But it's enough that when I brought it to the body shop, the estimate was $3k.

Oh, I did not realize it was still drivable, I assumed it was not. Oops.

I'd started to get worried about rust in the affected areas, i.e. where sheet metal crumpled, but if the car is drivable go for it!

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

I have zero empathy for them. They hit your car. Their insurace SHOULD go up. There is no reason to ever help a bad driver remain a bad driver - lessons need to be learned. If this makes their insurace go so high that they cant afford it then GOOD! another bad driver off the road.

 

[ElFenix]

This is not the case anywhere where I've lived UNLESS it's on private property.

I've heard others claim this (that the police won't show up for non-injury accidents), but am surprised the states that allow this aren't swamped with fraud issues of accidents that all of the sudden 'never happened'.

police won't come out here unless someone is dead.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

police won't come out here unless someone is dead.

How are they preventing insurance scams and issues? Hell, I've had minor $1000 fender benders where someone rear ended me then claimed it didn't happen to her insurance. Without a police report I'd be screwed.

 

[ShawnD1]

Nonsense. The police often won't even come out unless someone is injured or there is significant damage.

With modern cars, rubbing your dong on it can cause "significant damage"

Paint? That'll be $500. Broken tail light? $30,000. Optional gold colored Toyota logo, $100 (it really does cost that). If any metal is bent, you're automatically looking at the $1000 range.
I think my local laws say $1000 damage or if someone is injured, it must be reported. You don't need a report if you are going through your own insurance. If the other guy's insurance is paying for it, they'll ask for some police report or some evidence that their client is responsible for the damage on your car. With no report, the client can say "it wasn't me" and you're up sh!t creek because you have no proof that he hit you.

 

[ElFenix]

How are they preventing insurance scams and issues? Hell, I've had minor $1000 fender benders where someone rear ended me then claimed it didn't happen to her insurance. Without a police report I'd be screwed.

you're considered lucky if someone hits you and they have insurance.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

you're considered lucky if someone hits you and they have insurance.

Interesting... I wonder what sort of lobbyists were behind this change in policy. I'd be a pissed off taxpayer if LEO refused to come out to write up an accident police report.

 

[Mike Gayner]

I guess having empathy for people is totally out of line nowadays.

Why would you have empathy, at your own expense, for someone who just totalled your car?

 

[mattpegher]

If you do go with a settlement for damages to your car, it doesnt mean that you cant turn arround a sue someone for personal injury if you find something in the next year of so.
If they are willing to give you what you feel the car is worth to you, and what it will cost you to replace it. Ie it is not unreasonable to ask for the cost of the repair or more even if you choose to total it and get another.

 

[yhelothar]

Just got a nice envelope of Benjamins.
I felt $1800 is probably what I could sell my car for on craigslist. I told them $1800, I met up with them today and got the cash. I signed a form they written up saying that the damages have been paid for.

 

[alfa147x]

Good. Everything worked out. I've done side deals like that before. Always has worked out in my favor.

Pictures of your car?

 

[foghorn67]

I think you should have asked for more. When my Focus got totaled, the max KBB was $4500 for my yr. and mileage. I got way more than that from the insurance company.

Oh well, at least it was painless and a worry free experience.

 

[yhelothar]

I think you should have asked for more. When my Focus got totaled, the max KBB was $4500 for my yr. and mileage. I got way more than that from the insurance company.

Oh well, at least it was painless and a worry free experience.

I could probably get away asking for more, but is it fair?
Plus it was a teenage girl who hit me didn't look that well off driving an old beater corolla. I don't feel it's right putting a financial burden on someone just because I could.

That feels like stealing something just because I could get away with it.

$1800 is probably what I could've gotten for my car on a really good day.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

$1800 is fair for you and her, glad it all worked out. Dealing with insurance can be a PITA



Now let's get to the important part... Accident pics so we can see the difference after the frame is straightened and one of those miata superchargers is installed!