Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 11:02:06 -0500
Reply-To: Chris Mills <scmills@TNTECH.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Chris Mills <scmills@TNTECH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Battering Ram vs Ford Escort
In-Reply-To: <5.0.2.1.0.20020619171054.02edd6f0@buncombe.main.nc.us>
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Hold out as long as you can. They will settle with you eventually.
Other option - have the vehicle inspected by the highest priced repair
shops - a VW dealer would be one - and demand that the prices be for new
parts where possible. This will generate a half dozen top price estimates.
Then collect ads - internet and local - of VW campers like yours. Keep the
highest priced ones.
The insurance company will handled you like a car dealer and try to dupe
you into a price they are happy with by making all sorts of claims about
the low value of your vehicle, relative undesirability, mileage, etc.
The simple fact is that you had a nice vehicle and they are going to have
to pay you for what it costs you to find a same quality vehicle or repair
yours to your standards (within reason).
This accident was not you fault, it is costing you time and money to deal
with it, and you will ultimately pay for it when you try to resell your
vehicle with it's now potentially lower value because it has been wrecked.
This is damage to your vehicle due to the carelessness of the other driver.
And if I understood it correctly he's uninsured which also says something
about the value of his hide.
Remind them of all of this and then tell them to go away and come back when
they want to treat you right. After all you've been paying premiums for a
long time in case this sort of thing happened. Now it has and it is their
turn to pony up some cash to cover their portion of the deal. You pay for
the premiums, they pay the accidents. Their turn.
Be firm, absolute, unyielding, and hold out. Eventually the labor and
clerical cost will mount up and they will pay you off just to get you out
of their hair.
Which insurance company?
If you are lucky you will get some extra money out of the deal - enough
money to cover the repair and enough to send you out for a nice dinner or
to make an additional repair.
The damage is relatively minor. Get high estimates and repair for cheap (do
as much work as you can yourself) and pocket the difference.
Chris M. <Busbodger - "TEAM SLOWPOKE">
Cookeville, Tennessee
ICQ# 5944649
scm9985@tntech.edu
'78 VW Westfalia (67 HP -> that is...67 Hamster Power)
'65 Beetle - Type IV powered
'99 CR-V AWD station wagon
'81 CB900 Custom moto-chickle
2.5 Corvair engines for my Trans-vair Conversion