car totaled (insurance?)

boosc

Registered User
Couple weeks ago let my buddy drive my 89 sc and he got hit by a drunk driver in a 4500 dump truck. Luckily my buddy walked away, my car has front bumper torn off, left wheel smashed into the frame, left fender and door demolished and cracked windshield. Other guy wasn't as fortunate, his dump truck's left side was totaled, rear axle torn off and the dump bed all bent up from where it fliped over. He was knocked unconscious, got 50 some stitches in his head and a messed up hand. He got cited with failure to control. My question is this, how much do you think his insurance will give me if they don't fix it. I know some of you have experience with this, I would like to know how they turned out. If it matters any my car was 89 with 82,000 mi in good shape, no rust or previous dings.
Thanks
 
I believe most companies make their own basis of estimation for a car's value.. it usually seems to be something close to blue book. (www.kbb.com). I do not know if this is industry standard. Unfortunately if they total it, they may decide to only give you a few thousand at best. They will probably send employees to estimate its value. If you can communicate with them, they may sympathize with you on your situation.

Goodluck.. it seems many of these cars get wrecked by the inferior ability of other drivers in surrounding vehicles :(

Glad to hear your friend was not hurt
 
last year I totalled one and the insurance company pulled the classifieds and compared cars. Gave me the average $4,000.
 
Remember until you cash the check the deal isn't final. Don't let the insurance screw you. They have to give you the money to replace your car in the condition it was in b4 the wreck. Don't let them say "we only have to give you bluebook" And remember it was the other drivers fault, so why should you be hassled. Make sure to get a rental car and if they don't give you a rental then they have to pay you what ever the minimum is per day rental car fee is (around $25). Also know that they have to furnish you with a comparable car (Full size), don't let them stick you in a Geo. Be a hard *** about it don't settle for less than it is going to cost you ro replace the car.

Mods on your car don't count.

Jeff
 
I agree with Jeff, Be a hard @$$.

For what my insurance company charges me for a 13 year old car a month with a clean driving record, you know I'm going to get ever penny back I can.
 
how the insurance company handles it is regulated by State law. So it depends on your state. Typically they have to do an audit of like vehicles currently for sale in the same regional area.

But there will be some wiggle room there if you had something exceptional about your vehicle. For my 89 with a couple rust spots and 120,000 miles I was offered $3300 (I think).

I would be very surprised if they didn't total it.
 
Boosc,
See if you can buy the car back for cheap if they do total it and you think you might buy another SC. You could then use yours for parts, or part it out here or on Ebay...just a thought.
 
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