Should I file a claim for my car that was stolen and recovered ?

CTrain

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2001
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Well, had my car looked at yesterday and the claim adjuster wrote an estimate of $2499.
This doesn't include any damages from the bottom of the car.
So basically I talked to the Insurance people and they will send my a check for $1500($2500-$1000 dectuctable).
As far as the bottom of the car, they said I can go anywhere and have it looked at but since its secondary damages, that estimate has to be faxed directly to them and they pay them.
I'm gonna get his repair shop to hook me up with as much fixing as possible since they are getting the bussiness here.
Maybe all the shocks need to be changed, the rotor was damage ?? Maybe the muffler also ?? Anything that could have been damage from sitting on the ground and being dragged is goona get fixed :)

So I'm pretty much getting my suspension repaired.
Getting a $1500 check
And getting reimbursed for stuff that I paid in the beginning:
$224 towing fee
$195 to get the ignition fixed
$80 for the battery and jack(maybe just $50 for the battery)
$250 for the wheels to get the car up and out(Don't know if I'll get this one as the $2499 estimate already include the set of wheels)

Thank God I had full coverage.


Well, back to this thread when my car was STOLEN

I already had liability but I took out full before moving out here but they were suppose to send me the bill for the extra premium to my house but I moved to Cali before I got the bill.
So naturally I didn't think I had full coverage because I haven't paid for the premium yet.
I just got my mail sent over here and I did get the bill and I paid for the premium + a small late fee.
It turns out that I had full coverage the whole time.

So its a $1000 deductible.
Just from guessing the stuff they took, its about ~$2000 loss.
The thing is from looking at the picture, the car was sitting on the axle and while it still drive fine, I hear a weird rubbing noise from the back and also new squeaking noises(I'm guessing from the body itself that wasn't there before)

So should I file a claim ?? Will my insurance jump on the next cycle ??
I'm thinking if I can get $4000 out of it, its worth it.

The thing that worries me is that the car was sitting on the axles and the towing company pulled the car from the axle an such.
I might encounter problems unforseen later on.

Advantages, disadvantages ?? Some of you guys know this stuff more than myself. I never had to file a claim before.
Any advice is welcomed.
 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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Why did you take the car back when it was recovered? How do you know what the thieves did to it? I would never take back a stolen vehicle, so I would have fought the insurance company...
 

CTrain

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2001
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Originally posted by: cchen
Why did you take the car back when it was recovered? How do you know what the thieves did to it? I would never take back a stolen vehicle, so I would have fought the insurance company...

If you read my thread, I didn't realized I had full insurance the whole time.
Plus its a little complicated. My insurance is Safeco and it was meant to be for Florida.
I can just give them the excuse of I was vacationing in Cali for a couple of months when it was stolen.

Just new on this kind of stuff so I need some advice.
 

Wahsapa

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2001
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try and get what you can then sell the car...? thats would i would probably try to do... then id pick up a '91 240 hatch and drop in an sr20 :evil:
 

jemcam

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2001
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If you try to inflate the claim, they'll know it. The adjustors have been doing this a lot longer than you have and they'll catch you in a lie. If you want to make a claim, go for it, but keep it legitimate, you will likely get caught if you lie about it. Insurance fraud is a felony and companies will refer the case to the police if you start being a dick.

 

TechnoKid

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2001
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that si will only get stolen again. eitehr turn it into an scca solo roadcourse/track car or sell it and buy another car. or put it back to stock looking. this is my opinion.....

as for the insurance claim, unless the stuff they stole was specifically on your policy (some aftermarket iems are not covered, like wheels...), then the $1000 would not fix much. I know that when my bros 98 hatch got stolen, there were many items that had to be claimed under property, and not part of the car. if anything ask if the insurance company can pay for the cost to fix what may have been damage when they towed the car or when it was dragged on its axles.
 

CTrain

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2001
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Well, I just talked to them and everything went great.
Gonna bring my car to them Tues, where they'll give me an estimate and send me a check minus the $1000. They said I can bring it to any repair shop afterward.

As for as the wheels. Even if they don't cover aftermarket wheels, they should cover factory wheels cause they are part of the car you know.
The Si factory are pretty expensive to replace. Dealerships sells them for like $800 without the tires.
 

jemcam

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Jan 3, 2001
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Originally posted by: CTrain
Well, I just talked to them and everything went great.
Gonna bring my car to them Tues, where they'll give me an estimate and send me a check minus the $1000. They said I can bring it to any repair shop afterward.

As for as the wheels. Even if they don't cover aftermarket wheels, they should cover factory wheels cause they are part of the car you know.
The Si factory are pretty expensive to replace. Dealerships sells them for like $800 without the tires.

The Insurance companies don't pay retail. They can get four of those wheels for probably $500.

 

CTrain

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2001
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Originally posted by: jemcam
Originally posted by: CTrain
Well, I just talked to them and everything went great.
Gonna bring my car to them Tues, where they'll give me an estimate and send me a check minus the $1000. They said I can bring it to any repair shop afterward.

As for as the wheels. Even if they don't cover aftermarket wheels, they should cover factory wheels cause they are part of the car you know.
The Si factory are pretty expensive to replace. Dealerships sells them for like $800 without the tires.

The Insurance companies don't pay retail. They can get four of those wheels for probably $500.

I realized that but the point is trying to get my car back to its original shape before it was stolen.
Its their job to find me the wheels so do you think they will bother looking for the best price for the wheels like Ebay or something ??

They're probably just get a quote from the dealership for how much they are. I mean where else are they going to find Si wheels ??

I got a quote of $184 each without tires so its around $1000 for the wheels and tires.
$50 for the battery
$215 for the towing
$10 extra charge from AAA for towing to the repair shop.
$200 to get the ignition switch fixed.
$200 for the stereo.
Had to pay $250 for some ugly@ss temp wheels for my car(although I know they won't cover this if they are going to give me money for the original wheels)
Took my spare tire and tools.
Misc stuff in the car although I highly doubt they will cover that.

But the biggest worry is the axles. There is definately some weird rubbing noises in the back and annoying squeaking noises that wasn't there before.
 

CTrain

Diamond Member
Sep 26, 2001
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UPDATED: Read original post.

Th big things I got was:
$129x4 for the Si Wheels( I was hopping for $183 per as the dealer quoted me)
$348 for the tires( I told them I had Pirellis)
$129 Balancing, alignment.

Heres the biggest kicker: $375 for the OEM AM/FM cd palyer :)
The adjuster was like, what did you have in there, Alpine ??...nah, I'll just put factory as they probably cost more anyhow.

The adjuster was like, are these little dents previous ??
I'm like YEAH.
Well, at least you're honest about it. Most people lie.
"Damm, kicking myself for not getting those fix too"

$1639.31 Parts
$526.5 Labor
Other Misc and taxes

= $2499.72