Insurance thinking of totaling my Jeep. What are your thoughts?

BrunoPizz97

BrunoPizz97

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 11, 2019
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Location
Long Island
So unfortunate event happened last week, the jeep got involved in an accident. This lady was coming out of a drive way as I am in the turning lane going left. Lady must've been blind because who doesn't see a big red jeep while pulling out of a drive way. So after the accident I began to hear some clunking going on in the rear, I noticed my sway bar and my rear shock came loose and are no longer attached. In addition the car wanders on the road. So today I got off the phone with the ladys insurance company and they said that they will most likely total my car, for this I just don't understand i would rather have it repaired.
WHAT ARE YOUR INPUTS
Do I just allow the insurance company to total it? Will they pay me a decent amount for it? I am lost here help me out
 
BrunoPizz97 said:
So unfortunate event happened last week, the jeep got involved in an accident. This lady was coming out of a drive way as I am in the turning lane going left. Lady must've been blind because who doesn't see a big red jeep while pulling out of a drive way. So after the accident I began to hear some clunking going on in the rear, I noticed my sway bar and my rear shock came loose and are no longer attached. In addition the car wanders on the road. So today I got off the phone with the ladys insurance company and they said that they will most likely total my car, for this I just don't understand i would rather have it repaired.
WHAT ARE YOUR INPUTS
Do I just allow the insurance company to total it? Will they pay me a decent amount for it? I am lost here help me out
NO BODY DAMAGE BTW
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There's a whole lot of variables to an answer for that question. Vehicles really dont like being in collisions.

No body, but how about frame damage? If you were hit so hard it knocked your shock loose, that doesn't seem like a fender bender.

How much are they offering to pay out?
 
MaloStapalo said:
There's a whole lot of variables to an answer for that question. Vehicles really dont like being in collisions.

No body, but how about frame damage? If you were hit so hard it knocked your shock loose, that doesn't seem like a fender bender.
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no frame damage i checked it out i gave it a real good look after the hit, quite honestly it wasnt that hard i mean she moved me a couple inches but nothing drastic. I thought it was worse to be honest, i thought my whole right side was screwed but it turned out she hit a bit of my rim and tire.
 
BrunoPizz97 said:
no frame damage i checked it out i gave it a real good look after the hit, quite honestly it wasnt that hard i mean she moved me a couple inches but nothing drastic. I thought it was worse to be honest, i thought my whole right side was screwed but it turned out she hit a bit of my rim and tire.
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Did the axle bend? Lots of times you cant eye ball something like this. What did you do to check out the frame and conclude no damage?
 
Without knowing details about your jeep and the damage it's difficult to say. I think most TJ's aprraise (Bluebook) for much lower than what I see them go for. I think it depends what they're willing to give you for it but chances are if they want total it you don't have a choice. Good luck to you but you might be able to buy it back and have it fixed reasonable if damages aren't too bad. Bent frame would be bad.
 
If you want to keep the Jeep, argue with them. It's your vehicle. Ask what the top dollar is that they will spend on repairs before considering it a total loss, and have them cut you a check. Then go have it repaired. I've done it before. I learned it from an old teacher of mine who wouldn't take "No" for an answer.
 
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MaloStapalo said:
Did the axle bend? Lots of times you cant eye ball something like this. What did you do to check out the frame and conclude no damage?
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There is no frame damage trust me I have measured its just weird how the shock came undone, the only thing I can say as to why that happened is prob the person who installed my rear didn't tighten the bolt.
 
Cornbread said:
Without knowing details about your jeep and the damage it's difficult to say. I think most TJ's aprraise (Bluebook) for much lower than what I see them go for. I think it depends what they're willing to give you for it but chances are if they want total it you don't have a choice. Good luck to you but you might be able to buy it back and have it fixed reasonable if damages aren't too bad. Bent frame would be bad.
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that's what actually sucks is that i have no idea how much they will actually give me for a total loss they can give me 5000 or they can give me 13000 I seriously have no idea. And will they consider the mods that i have put into it like my front and rear axels?
 
Squatch said:
If you want to keep the Jeep, argue with them. It's your vehicle. Ask what the top dollar is that they will spend on repairs before considering it a total loss, and have them cut you a check. Then go have it repaired. I've done it before. I learned it from an old teacher of mine who wouldn't take "No" for an answer.
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Ill get all the information, ill try and talk with the adjuster tomorrow and try my best to deem this as not a total loss and more of a send it to the shop and get it fixed.
 
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BrunoPizz97 said:
that's what actually sucks is that i have no idea how much they will actually give me for a total loss they can give me 5000 or they can give me 13000 I seriously have no idea. And will they consider the mods that i have put into it like my front and rear axels?
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When I was hit in my Z and I had Work wheels from Japan, his insurance gave me the value of the replacement wheel.
 
Take a close look at your policy and know what you are covered for and ask her insurance a lot of questions. Sounds like the damage is more than you think
 
tworley said:
Take a close look at your policy and know what you are covered for and ask her insurance a lot of questions. Sounds like the damage is more than you think
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I know what I am covered for but I am not going through my insurance, I am going through hers. My insurance company has nothing to do with this.
 
Replacement value.... remember that term. They have to pay you what it will cost to replace with a like vehicle. If you have 200k miles that will effect the value. If you have 35k miles it is better.

When they make you an offer ank them where they found the compatible jeep. Then look at that jeeps information.

Insurance companies are scum ( no offense to anyone who works for one) they will find an ad for a 500k mile yj with all rust and say its comparable. Fight them until they pay you what its going to cost for you to replace it.
 
Get the check cut to you, then go to the shop as a cash job. I banged up my TR6 and insurance cut me a check for $6900. I had 2 shops here on LI (Holbrook) said they would do the work for $3200. I asked the shop doing the work what would have happened if I sent the adjuster to him and he said he keeps all the money "that's how we make money"??
 
Boinked said:
Replacement value.... remember that term. They have to pay you what it will cost to replace with a like vehicle. If you have 200k miles that will effect the value. If you have 35k miles it is better.

When they make you an offer ank them where they found the compatible jeep. Then look at that jeeps information.

Insurance companies are scum ( no offense to anyone who works for one) they will find an ad for a 500k mile yj with all rust and say its comparable. Fight them until they pay you what its going to cost for you to replace it.
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yeah I know trust me, the jeep has no underbody rust. The jeep is clean as a whistle, frame rails are clean as well. I do have 133k miles but thats not much to be honest. what are your thoughts?
 
cliffish said:
Get the check cut to you, then go to the shop as a cash job. I banged up my TR6 and insurance cut me a check for $6900. I had 2 shops here on LI (Holbrook) said they would do the work for $3200. I asked the shop doing the work what would have happened if I sent the adjuster to him and he said he keeps all the money "that's how we make money"??
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that is one thing that I will make sure that will happen because if i have money left over that has not been used then the shop fixing the car will just keep it no one will just give back money especially on LI no one here is that nice
 
My truck was totaled a few years back. I worked with the other guys insurance agency. They started around $7300. I had them send me the comparables that they based it on. They sent ads to little local dealers, the only ones that had vehicles of similar vintage (older). I nitpicked every one for things that were different than mine that would make them worth less, mileage, options, missing upgrades, etc. The I scoured the ads myself until I found a few that I thought were really comparable and sent them back. They ended up giving me $11,100 for a 15 year old Toyota Tacoma.

Key is to just keep saying no and justifying why your vehicle is worth more than some crap comparable that they found.
 
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