Tree fell on my truck *PICS* *RESOLVED* 2/4/03

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d33pt

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2001
5,654
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Now that I've looked at the root structure more clearly, i can see that they've just recently cleared out a path next to the tree, and cut away several large roots. This is probably what caused it to fall over. I hope their insurance company will just pay up and i wont have to take this to small claims. Not like I'll get much anyway. KBB gives me $2300. Great. I'm not going to be able to buy a truck in that condition for that much. I will update more tomorrow after I find out more from the apt manager.
 

amdwolfman

Senior member
Dec 25, 2001
605
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0
Take lots of pictures,LOTS. Hell even go as far as noting when they made that trail. Was there a no parking sign near?...Just take pics of condition of the roots now compared to where the trail is.Take everything into account.Keep us posted.Good luck
 

dman

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
9,110
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Feb 10, 2000
30,029
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If it's true that your management company had recently cut into the tree's root system, GET PICTURES OF IT, and make sure to take a lot of them. I believe this is your only basis for a claim, because I doubt they will be held liable otherwise for a tree that falls onto the street due to weather conditions. And next time, buy comprehensive insurance! It's not expensive, and it can save your butt (USAA has paid me about $25,000 under three comprehensive claims in the last four years).
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
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Originally posted by: Don_Vito
If it's true that your management company had recently cut into the tree's root system, GET PICTURES OF IT, and make sure to take a lot of them. I believe this is your only basis for a claim, because I doubt they will be held liable otherwise for a tree that falls onto the street due to weather conditions. And next time, buy comprehensive insurance! It's not expensive, and it can save your butt (USAA has paid me about $25,000 under three comprehensive claims in the last four years).

At your age it might not be expensive, but for someone like me comprehensive is EXTREMELY expensive.

For example, to insure a '99 Z28 I would run right about $200 a month for liability only, for comprehensive that jumps to $400-450.

With $400+ a month insurance owning a vehicle quickly becomes a $750+ a month expense. VERY hard to justify.

Viper GTS
 
Feb 10, 2000
30,029
67
91
Originally posted by: Viper GTSAt your age it might not be expensive, but for someone like me comprehensive is EXTREMELY expensive.

For example, to insure a '99 Z28 I would run right about $200 a month for liability only, for comprehensive that jumps to $400-450.

With $400+ a month insurance owning a vehicle quickly becomes a $750+ a month expense. VERY hard to justify.

Viper GTS

HOLY SMOKES are those high numbers! Is insurance that expensive in OR? My rates are not the lowest (I have filed the aforementioned three comprehensive claims and had a few tickets in recent years), but I pay a lot less than the amount you quote for just liability (I have full collision, comprehensive, and liability), and drive a 2001 Maxima SE. I guess age does have its advantages! Also, I believe the V-8 F-body cars are considered among the highest-risk vehicles to insure (due to their combination of low cost, high performance, merely decent roadholding, and appeal to younger drivers), and that probably has a lot to do with these rates as well.
 

d33pt

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2001
5,654
1
81
I can't afford comprehensive insurance either. My rates would almost double and they're not exactly cheap right now. I pay about $1500/year for minimum legal liability. I am only 23 and I have a couple of speeding tickets, so that doesn't help. Plus I live in southen california, and we have among the highest rates. with the cars I drive, i can afford to take a total loss, but it just sucks when a tree falls over and totals your car. Hopefully their insurance company will reimburse me for replacement value without much hassle, although after dealing with them many times they will probably give me ALOT of hassle. I just don't want to have to take it to court.
 

LostHiWay

Golden Member
Apr 22, 2001
1,544
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76
Originally posted by: d33pt
I Hopefully their insurance company will reimburse me for replacement value without much hassle,

You put "insurance company" and "not much hassle" in the same sentence.


HAHA!!

 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: Don_Vito
Originally posted by: Viper GTSAt your age it might not be expensive, but for someone like me comprehensive is EXTREMELY expensive.

For example, to insure a '99 Z28 I would run right about $200 a month for liability only, for comprehensive that jumps to $400-450.

With $400+ a month insurance owning a vehicle quickly becomes a $750+ a month expense. VERY hard to justify.

Viper GTS

HOLY SMOKES are those high numbers! Is insurance that expensive in OR? My rates are not the lowest (I have filed the aforementioned three comprehensive claims and had a few tickets in recent years), but I pay a lot less than the amount you quote for just liability (I have full collision, comprehensive, and liability), and drive a 2001 Maxima SE. I guess age does have its advantages! Also, I believe the V-8 F-body cars are considered among the highest-risk vehicles to insure (due to their combination of low cost, high performance, merely decent roadholding, and appeal to younger drivers), and that probably has a lot to do with these rates as well.

Those are pretty much normal, I've been quoted in that range by multiple companies. Admiteedly, the F-body rates are higher than most, but only by 10-15% or so. Insuring an ass-slow base model Civic is still nearly $400 a month for comprehensive. I was once quoted over $10,000 per year for comprehensive on a 300ZX TT.

My record is relatively clean, I had one minor speeding ticket two years ago (Class C, 72 in a 55) & a wreck that has dropped off my record as of this month.

Viper GTS
 

dman

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
9,110
0
76
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Don_Vito
If it's true that your management company had recently cut into the tree's root system, GET PICTURES OF IT, and make sure to take a lot of them. I believe this is your only basis for a claim, because I doubt they will be held liable otherwise for a tree that falls onto the street due to weather conditions. And next time, buy comprehensive insurance! It's not expensive, and it can save your butt (USAA has paid me about $25,000 under three comprehensive claims in the last four years).

At your age it might not be expensive, but for someone like me comprehensive is EXTREMELY expensive.

For example, to insure a '99 Z28 I would run right about $200 a month for liability only, for comprehensive that jumps to $400-450.

With $400+ a month insurance owning a vehicle quickly becomes a $750+ a month expense. VERY hard to justify.

Viper GTS

Which is why a financially responsible person would think, 'hey I can't afford to buy this car because the insurance to fully cover it is too much.'

Now, on an older vehicle where the book value is less than or close to the deductible it's not a dumb thing to drop the comprehensive because you can just pay for the damage yourself. But, on a new vehicle, you have to accept that your car can get hit by someone w/o insurance and you'll get stuck with the bill and if you can't afford to pay it then you should not buy that car.

Guess that's just me.

 

Jfur

Diamond Member
Jul 9, 2001
6,044
0
0
make sure to get photo evidence of the path clearing/root structure !!!!!
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: dman6666
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Don_Vito
If it's true that your management company had recently cut into the tree's root system, GET PICTURES OF IT, and make sure to take a lot of them. I believe this is your only basis for a claim, because I doubt they will be held liable otherwise for a tree that falls onto the street due to weather conditions. And next time, buy comprehensive insurance! It's not expensive, and it can save your butt (USAA has paid me about $25,000 under three comprehensive claims in the last four years).

At your age it might not be expensive, but for someone like me comprehensive is EXTREMELY expensive.

For example, to insure a '99 Z28 I would run right about $200 a month for liability only, for comprehensive that jumps to $400-450.

With $400+ a month insurance owning a vehicle quickly becomes a $750+ a month expense. VERY hard to justify.

Viper GTS

Which is why a financially responsible person would think, 'hey I can't afford to buy this car because the insurance to fully cover it is too much.'

Duh.
rolleye.gif


The problem is that even for a cheap, reasonable car (like my 1989 Accord that I had previously) I would STILL be paying $1000 every six months just for liability. The premium jumping to a Z28 is only ~$50 a month.

The real issue is financing vs purchasing outright, since a financed vehicle requires comprehensive insurance.

I am not willing to pay more per month for insurance than my car payment, that is absolutely ridiculous.

So I won't be financing a vehicle.

Viper GTS
 

dman

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
9,110
0
76
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: dman6666
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Don_VitoWith $400+ a month insurance owning a vehicle quickly becomes a $750+ a month expense. VERY hard to justify.

Viper GTS

Which is why a financially responsible person would think, 'hey I can't afford to buy this car because the insurance to fully cover it is too much.'

Duh.
rolleye.gif


The problem is that even for a cheap, reasonable car (like my 1989 Accord that I had previously) I would STILL be paying $1000 every six months just for liability. The premium jumping to a Z28 is only ~$50 a month.

The real issue is financing vs purchasing outright, since a financed vehicle requires comprehensive insurance.

I am not willing to pay more per month for insurance than my car payment, that is absolutely ridiculous.

So I won't be financing a vehicle.

Viper GTS

I know you've been here long enough to read all the insurance threads so I'll assume you've done the research and your insurance rates just SUCK. It's certainly good that your accident is going away--it's been 5yrs already--seems like it was more recent than that based on previous posts about it of yours? Hopefully you can call around when it does and you'll find an insurer that'll drop the rate to half what you are paying today. Good luck!

BTW, am I mixing you up with someone else, IIRC, you had some vision problems too which were keeping you from feeling comfortable driving... have you been successful in correcting that (or it's not an issue anymore)? Just curious.
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: dman6666
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: dman6666
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Originally posted by: Don_VitoWith $400+ a month insurance owning a vehicle quickly becomes a $750+ a month expense. VERY hard to justify.

Viper GTS

Which is why a financially responsible person would think, 'hey I can't afford to buy this car because the insurance to fully cover it is too much.'

Duh.
rolleye.gif


The problem is that even for a cheap, reasonable car (like my 1989 Accord that I had previously) I would STILL be paying $1000 every six months just for liability. The premium jumping to a Z28 is only ~$50 a month.

The real issue is financing vs purchasing outright, since a financed vehicle requires comprehensive insurance.

I am not willing to pay more per month for insurance than my car payment, that is absolutely ridiculous.

So I won't be financing a vehicle.

Viper GTS

I know you've been here long enough to read all the insurance threads so I'll assume you've done the research and your insurance rates just SUCK. It's certainly good that your accident is going away--it's been 5yrs already--seems like it was more recent than that based on previous posts about it of yours? Hopefully you can call around when it does and you'll find an insurer that'll drop the rate to half what you are paying today. Good luck!

BTW, am I mixing you up with someone else, IIRC, you had some vision problems too which were keeping you from feeling comfortable driving... have you been successful in correcting that (or it's not an issue anymore)? Just curious.

The only wreck on my record was three years ago, most insurance companies only go back 3. I totalled my car a little over a year ago (the elk incident), that was not reported (called the cops, they said they didn't want to know about it).

I am not legal to drive without my contact lenses, but with my contacts I see quite well (20/25 and 20/35). I would like to get a car within a year, assuming the contacts continue to work well for me. The biggest issue right now is the days I can't wear my contacts, if I rely on a car to get me to & from work I'm SOL on the days when I can't wear the lenses.

Viper GTS
 

d33pt

Diamond Member
Jan 12, 2001
5,654
1
81
The only wreck on my record was three years ago, most insurance companies only go back 3. I totalled my car a little over a year ago (the elk incident), that was not reported (called the cops, they said they didn't want to know about it).

I am not legal to drive without my contact lenses, but with my contacts I see quite well (20/25 and 20/35). I would like to get a car within a year, assuming the contacts continue to work well for me. The biggest issue right now is the days I can't wear my contacts, if I rely on a car to get me to & from work I'm SOL on the days when I can't wear the lenses.

Viper GTS[/quote]

why wouldn't you be able to wear the lenses? and what's wrong with glasses for backup?
 

Viper GTS

Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
38,107
433
136
Originally posted by: d33pt
The only wreck on my record was three years ago, most insurance companies only go back 3. I totalled my car a little over a year ago (the elk incident), that was not reported (called the cops, they said they didn't want to know about it).

I am not legal to drive without my contact lenses, but with my contacts I see quite well (20/25 and 20/35). I would like to get a car within a year, assuming the contacts continue to work well for me. The biggest issue right now is the days I can't wear my contacts, if I rely on a car to get me to & from work I'm SOL on the days when I can't wear the lenses.

Viper GTS

why wouldn't you be able to wear the lenses? and what's wrong with glasses for backup?[/quote]

I have to wear rigid contact lenses to reshape my corneas. Occasionally the lenses scratch the surface of my eyes, & I have to go without for a few days to allow my eyes to heal. Abrasions, infections, broken lenses, there are any number of reasons why I wouldn't be able to wear them.

Glasses do nothing for me (I actually have to have something physically touching my corneas to re-shape them), so it's contacts or nothing.

Viper GTS
 

dman

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
9,110
0
76
The only wreck on my record was three years ago, most insurance companies only go back 3. I totalled my car a little over a year ago (the elk incident), that was not reported (called the cops, they said they didn't want to know about it).
Ahh, that makes sense then... I thought something happened more recent, but, not on the record is good in this case. I called for a few quotes in the last year and a few companies are, unfortunately, going back to 5yrs now. Hopefully that's not a trend.

I'm pretty sure the 5yr ones are the big names places, like State Farm, Prudential, etc. (I was getting home owners insurance and they asked if I wanted a quote on an auto policy... and asked about my record for the last 5yrs. Even then -- they were higher than Electric Insurance, my current company which is also cheaper (for me) than Geico, Progressive, and Amex).