Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:50:48 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Mellow Yellow got hitted
In-Reply-To: <4C3DB9F1.5020009@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
On Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 6:21 AM, Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" <
camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Roger,
>
> If the insurance co. doesn't think the van is worth fixing, and if the
> shop finds no mech issues, at least it's still a van. Not as pretty,
> though.
>
>
> --
> Rocky J Squirrel
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
> Bend, OR
> KG6RCR
>
Your insurance company likely isn't concerned with whether it's "worth
fixing". Their only concern is how to avoid paying anything more than what
you can force them to pay. If they pay one dollar more than what they will
lose if they have to go into court and fight you to avoid paying... they
will consider that a 'business' failure, poor performance by the claims
officer and every employee who is responsible for them having to actually
give you the money to fix your Westie,
You will probably soon become familiar with their usual routine when they
are faced with a customer who asks them to actually pay out money. Sorry to
hear about your damage but your hassels have probably only just begun. Be
prepared to have plenty of "How the he** do they expect to get away with
that?" moments, followed by "Crap! That is not legal and fair, is it?"
moments and finally you may end up with "Oh, heck with it, I will just fix
it myself and take what they give me, take what I can get, it is not worth
fighting any more"...which is how the insurance industry has the deck
stacked, how they know your incident will end up, from the get-go. It is
what they do every day.
(PS...Someone will now chime in with "Oh that is so cynical, it didn't go
that way for me..." and maybe YOU will be lucky too(?)...but I've dealt with
insurance many times over and observed their behavior for years without ever
seeing any actual evidence of fair and timely claims settlements to anyone I
know)
PPS..I lost a nice almost new pick up..parked in a driveway at a house we
were building. A road-rolling machine got away from the driver and
'smooshed' my truck while I was inside working. After almost 3 months of
fighting with them for a claims settlement and hitching to work every day or
borrowing vehicles to get around, they gave me low kelly value for the
truck...nothing at all for the new Gem Top camper, nothing for the CB radio
or the stereo or the Yakima bike rack or the brand new tires or aftermarket
wheels or trailer package, etc etc. Their statement was...."Sue us, then,
if you don't like it..you will end up with the same money anyhow.and it will
take another 3 months. We KNOW, this is what we have all the accountants
and actuarial tables for...Don't take offense, Mr. Hanson, it's just
business"..The attorney I hired to help me with this claim said...."Yep,
that is just about right...when all is done, you will still be screwed "
Similar results on two other episodes over the years, where I have been
run into or had vehicles wrecked through no fault of my own..
Don Hanson
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