Help with insurance adjustor?

[pkhoury]

No, they won't pay you for modifications, fancy stereo installs, or care about receipts for maintenance, but if you can make a good argument for market value, you'll typically see an appropriate response.

Uhh, they actually do, but it depends on the company. I know Geico will drop you if you admit to having done non-stock upgrades. I have Farmers and they have an aftermarket parts endorsement. I think State Farm might have the same. And I'm living proof that I got paid out for all my aftermarket parts, which worked out, because it was only $560 to buy my car back. And guess where all my salvagable parts went?

Maintenance does help, but on the CCC-one report, it adds maybe $50-100. I've found a lot of insurance companies like seeing things from the past year.

I had a work light fall on a 2003 Jetta sedan I own a while back. I didn't have an aftermarket parts endorsement at the time, but because I had recently installed new stuff (VNT17, .240 injector nozzles, tune, intercooler and yada yada), I got $3800 for the car... that initially cost me $300 on Craigslist.

 

[Mongler98]

Sorry dude, but I call BS on this post about safety.

Then you are clueless about anything safty standards we have now. These care do fair a bit better than most for its age but it's still a deathtrap compared to any care you can buy now with a 4 star rating. ( that is what this car had when it came out)

 

[hskrdu]

Uhh, they actually do, but it depends on the company. I know Geico will drop you if you admit to having done non-stock upgrades. I have Farmers and they have an aftermarket parts endorsement. I think State Farm might have the same. And I'm living proof that I got paid out for all my aftermarket parts, which worked out, because it was only $560 to buy my car back. And guess where all my salvagable parts went?

pk, sorry to be unclear, by "they" and "you" I was referring to the OP's situation and insurance company, and for the OP, (and everyone else who doesn't pay for an aftermarket parts endorsement), the primary issue is fair market value. I'd also suggest (just from reading stories on Freds for the last 20 years) that most owners don't pay for an aftermarket parts endorsement, and like CleverUser, don't see their $7000 worth of mods/work reimbursed if the car is totaled. I have rarely seen companies reimburse for "receipts" as opposed to book or market value, but after rotating through companies for many years, I've stuck with USAA for the last 20, so I'm not familiar is that's something Farmer's might routinely do. I'll leave the "death trap" silliness to others to address.

 

[TurboABA]

I feel you OP.... I just went through a "similar" on this side of the border, and unfortunately, the deck is stacked against you.
I just lost of '10 Jetta that I've had and meticulously mentioned since new, that only had 182k on it, was flawless and I only managed to get $5,446 for it after a full month of arguing, negotiating, attempting to justify my opinion and views on "fair market value", etc. I have at least 20 different emails with the insurance company on the subject, contacted numerous dealers, contacted several private licensed appraisers, spent countless hours researching and trying to find comps, etc. I even went through 3 stages of escalation with the insurance staff and the ombudsman office. In the end, I had to throw in the towel and cut my losses, and just take their final offer.

Not only was this a huge pain, but I was fortunate enough to have access to another vehicle, and not have to depend on their rental or be pressured by their deadlines, etc. Unfortunately, I reached a point where my only option was to incur a few k worth of additional costs without any guarantee that my FMV (fair market value) would increase enough to offset these additional costs.

I am not familiar with the specific market and conditions in your area, but based on the age and milage of your unicorn, I don't suspect that you have much to gain, if anything. I do sympathize with you however, since we all know that you can "not" replace your vehicle......

 

[BobnOH]

from Forbes-" In November 2021, wholesale prices for used cars were up 44 percent over November 2020"
Their offer seemed 'in the ballpark', except current used car prices are up, a lot.

 

[pkhoury]

Then you are clueless about anything safty standards we have now. These care do fair a bit better than most for its age but it's still a deathtrap compared to any care you can buy now with a 4 star rating. ( that is what this car had when it came out)

Well, this "deathtrap" saved my life, so I honestly have no complaints. I've seen some pretty bad accidents from modern vehicles, though the circumstances of each crash were much different. If I were driving an SUV of any kind, I don't think I would've walked away, albeit with other injuries.

 

[pkhoury]

pk, sorry to be unclear, by "they" and "you" I was referring to the OP's situation and insurance company, and for the OP, (and everyone else who doesn't pay for an aftermarket parts endorsement), the primary issue is fair market value. I'd also suggest (just from reading stories on Freds for the last 20 years) that most owners don't pay for an aftermarket parts endorsement, and like CleverUser, don't see their $7000 worth of mods/work reimbursed if the car is totaled. I have rarely seen companies reimburse for "receipts" as opposed to book or market value, but after rotating through companies for many years, I've stuck with USAA for the last 20, so I'm not familiar is that's something Farmer's might routinely do. I'll leave the "death trap" silliness to others to address.

Fair enough (on the death trap silliness that really shouldn't even be a debate).

I've heard USAA does total loss claims much different than other companies. The part I found crazy with Farmers, is that they notated this car as "repairable salvage." No way in hell I can get it repaired, as the entire unibody is contorted. But yet, when I ran over a dead dear one night, and a dead wild hog the next (opposite sides on my BEW, the deer causing an airbag to deploy), even though the car was totaled, I wasn't required to get a salvage title. Double checked with both Farmers AND with the state, and I was good to go, selling with a clean title. I've heard USAA, on the other hand, will require you to get a salvage title if you intend to keep it. And other insurance companies have their own quirks.

Actually, with Geico, and even Esurance/State Farms with hail claims, I have had some of my mods reimbursed, but via the appraisal clause. You never get ANYTHING reimbursed and ALWAYS get a crappy offer from CCC-One or the initial evaluation. I'm pretty much speaking ad naseum referencing all the invalid comps alone.

 

[DuddyGuy]

So I've just been sitting back a little bit as this conversation took a few turns. Thanks for all the opinions!

I was finally able to speak with the higher level estimator today and managed to get the value raised by a few hundred dollars with the help of some of the resources shared here. On top of the value they are returning sales tax, registration and paying me for a month of "loss of use". The final number is still not really enough to get a car of quite the same quality in this market but compared to the number originally floated it's a matter of night and day.

I've decided to accept the numbers and now am just deciding between buying the car back or releasing the vehicle.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

deciding between buying the car back or releasing the vehicle.

How bad was she hit? Pics?

 

[burn_your_money]

If you have time to part it and the buyback is reasonable you should consider it.

 

[DuddyGuy]

How bad was she hit? Pics?

If you have time to part it and the buyback is reasonable you should consider it.

It's not end of the world but it would be headlights/bumper/grill/emblem/hood/passenger fender all needing to be replaced. Maybe some supports and the latch assembly damaged as well. It's mainly a matter of time and space, parking is very limited where I live and with the inspections and everything needing to be done I'm not sure it's worth my time and money as I'll have to purchase another vehicle to get by in the meantime regardless. I'm leaning towards just letting them have it and washing my hands of the matter, which would be sad but all good things must pass.

 

[burn_your_money]

Consider posting it on here for a few days for a few bucks more than your buyout. Someone might want it

 

[turbodieseldyke]

It's not end of the world but it would be headlights/bumper/grill/emblem/hood/passenger fender all needing to be replaced. Maybe some supports and the latch assembly damaged as well.

If the radiators held up, it couldn't be worse than the 98 Jetta i fixed.

 

[pruzink]

Doesn't matter, insurance companies go off book value, sorry for your loss.

When you own an older vehicle that you have taken very good care of, you are simply going to get screwed if that car is in an accident. If you had all recent work done at a garage & could prove the amount you put into the car with recent receipts, you might be able to get them to budge. With how much lawyers charge to fight something, they know that they can get away with offering book value. My stepson was recently t-boned by an uninsured motorist running a red light. He had a really nice 2008 GTI with very low miles & I had just replaced the TB & done some other work on it. Luckily, his insurance covered being hit by an uninsured motorist so he at least got book value.

 

[Abacus]

I know of 2 cases where a simple letter from a lawyers office increased their offer significantly. The most paid was $350 and it was probably written by a paralegal, but it’s easy money in the bank for them.

 

[pkhoury]

So I've just been sitting back a little bit as this conversation took a few turns. Thanks for all the opinions!

I was finally able to speak with the higher level estimator today and managed to get the value raised by a few hundred dollars with the help of some of the resources shared here. On top of the value they are returning sales tax, registration and paying me for a month of "loss of use". The final number is still not really enough to get a car of quite the same quality in this market but compared to the number originally floated it's a matter of night and day.

I've decided to accept the numbers and now am just deciding between buying the car back or releasing the vehicle.

If I were you, I'd take the vehicle back. Hell, if I were in CA, I'd buy the vehicle from you. That said, there's ALWAYS money to be made from those cars factoring in the buyback amount. On my car, I salvaged my shocks and struts, VR6 brake shoes/rotors (the rest of steering was shot, except for my 28mm rear swaybar, which I also saved). I swapped injectors with my 2002, swapped the fuel pump, and sold the engine for around $650 to someone who was putting it into a Toyora or Suzuki swap project.

Consider posting it on here for a few days for a few bucks more than your buyout. Someone might want it

Yeah... like me! And yes, I'm serious, so shoot me a PM if you decide to keep it.

 

[DuddyGuy]

As a further update, I was just going to let it go... but I had a change of heart at the last minute and decided that she had not met her end yet! I purchased a new (lightly used) truck that will get me by while dealing with the salvage process and located a place where the Golf could be stored and worked on in the meantime.

Thankfully there are good junkyards down in Chula Vista which I hope will be able to provide pre color matched body panels... and then its a matter of headlights (and all the other lights since none of my current ones have a DOT stamp and the vehicle will have to pass a brake and light inspection as well as a CHP or DMV VIN verification and a smog).

Thanks again to all!

 

[hskrdu]

As a further update, I was just going to let it go... but I had a change of heart at the last minute and decided that she had not met her end yet! Thanks again to all!

Awesome! I'm glad your Golf will make it back to the road. As the T-Shirt says: Save the ALH! My 2003 is also Reflex Silver and in EC, so if it ever got smashed I'd definitely try to bring it back. When I was in SoCal, I went to a bunch of the salvage yards and was surprised at how good the body panels are- and lots of MkIV's. I'm used to a rusty mix on the East Coast. The only issue I saw in SoCal was that some plastic trim gets sun burnt and faded.

Also, LKQ owns several of those yards, and they have gone digitial- you can see and search all the VWs and see pictures, location in the yard, etc.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

junkyards down in Chula Vista which I hope will be able to provide pre color matched body panels

If it takes too long to find parts in the right color, you can consider a DIY Rustoleum job, or Plastidip.

 

[Nero Morg]

Glad to see you're planning to keep er on the road for now.

I just got the supplemental estimate today to get my car fixed, repair trunk structure, replace/paint bumper, repair right quarter and repair gate, adjusted to $1700.

Still makes me question why they totalled yours out when yours has less damage (presumably, it's not torn down yet.)

 

[turbodieseldyke]

Different market, might have higher repair costs.

 

[DuddyGuy]

Glad to see you're planning to keep er on the road for now.

I just got the supplemental estimate today to get my car fixed, repair trunk structure, replace/paint bumper, repair right quarter and repair gate, adjusted to $1700.

Still makes me question why they totalled yours out when yours has less damage (presumably, it's not torn down yet.)

I needed every body part/panel on the front end besides the driver side fender, plus paint headlights and supports hood latch etc. The total was over 5k on the estimate. Yours sounds like significant work and that's a good price, if I had a shop here that did good work at those rates the whole total loss deal probably could have been avoided.

 

[pkhoury]

As a further update, I was just going to let it go... but I had a change of heart at the last minute and decided that she had not met her end yet! I purchased a new (lightly used) truck that will get me by while dealing with the salvage process and located a place where the Golf could be stored and worked on in the meantime.

Thankfully there are good junkyards down in Chula Vista which I hope will be able to provide pre color matched body panels... and then its a matter of headlights (and all the other lights since none of my current ones have a DOT stamp and the vehicle will have to pass a brake and light inspection as well as a CHP or DMV VIN verification and a smog).

Thanks again to all!

California/CHP really checks the headlights to make sure they have a DOT stamp? Unbelieveable/LOL.
I don't think law enforcement here is that picky when you do a VIN check (usually use for homemade trailers that need to be assigned a VIN, for instance). In fact, except for my April incident, every time I've had a totalled out car, I've never needed to actually get a salvage title, confirmed with our tax office. I believe it varies state to state and insurance company to insurance company.

I know here in Texas, we have a BS safety inspection, but there's a loophole for that. If you want, I can see if the front fenders off a silver Golf at the local junkyard are worth getting or not, though I won't be out your way for two months.

 

[pkhoury]

Also, LKQ owns several of those yards, and they have gone digitial- you can see and search all the VWs and see pictures, location in the yard, etc.

On that note, and I don't know how many So Cal yards participate, but I use row52.com. I get daily emails whenever new VWs matching my criteria come in, and then go to the corresponding yard (hoping to snag an entire ALH and 02J this weekend).

 

[DuddyGuy]

California/CHP really checks the headlights to make sure they have a DOT stamp? Unbelieveable/LOL.

I know here in Texas, we have a BS safety inspection, but there's a loophole for that. If you want, I can see if the front fenders off a silver Golf at the local junkyard are worth getting or not, though I won't be out your way for two months.

On that note, and I don't know how many So Cal yards participate, but I use row52.com. I get daily emails whenever new VWs matching my criteria come in, and then go to the corresponding yard (hoping to snag an entire ALH and 02J this weekend).

Yes based on what I'm reading there's some hoops I'm going to have to jump through. The brake and lights inspection is actually it's entire own inspection and they will be stringent based on what I'm finding. It's not like the smog shops that have to be smog only... these places do repairs as well so they will knock anything they can find and try to make a buck off betting you'll over pay them to fix it. The VIN inspection should be straightforward but there's also requirements for SRS function that I assume get done then, so it's unclear to me if they'll potentially hassle me with other stuff at that point as well.

I know the large yards down south of me are on car-part.com but I will also check out that site. Thanks!

Thanks for the fender offer, I won't hesitate to reach out if I have any trouble finding some locally but it's looking like I might be able to get most of what I need at least to get past inspections in a single trip this weekend.

 

[Nero Morg]

If the entire front end is messed up, and you can't find gold parts, aannnnnnd it won't bother you, you can swap in a jetta front end too. But that includes bumper, headlights, fenders, and hood. But just saying it's an option.

 

[Rrusse11]

Great to hear that you're going to resurrect the car! Sounds like quite the project, but you've got good sources.
And lots of support and help here on the forum.

 

[pkhoury]

If the entire front end is messed up, and you can't find gold parts, aannnnnnd it won't bother you, you can swap in a jetta front end too. But that includes bumper, headlights, fenders, and hood. But just saying it's an option.

I'm thinking LOL here, because I might have some Jetta front end parts in Reflex Silver. I actually swapped mom's Jetta Wagon (used to be my wagon) to a Golf front end, because it just looks better. HATE the mk4 Jetta headlamps.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

I'm thinking LOL here, because I might have some Jetta front end parts in Reflex Silver. I actually swapped mom's Jetta Wagon (used to be my wagon) to a Golf front end, because it just looks better. HATE the mk4 Jetta headlamps.

I dislike the whole Jetta front end. Looks like an amphibious craft. Which is fine if you're James Bond, but I'm not.

 

[pkhoury]

I dislike the whole front end. Looks like an amphibious craft. Which is fine if you're James Bond, but I'm not.

You're referring to the Jetta frontend, right?