Son in Accident; Some Quick Insurance Questions - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

shertex · #46 03-13-2012, 10:24 AM

Just got a $780 repair estimate from the MB collision place....we'll see how close Metropolitan comes. FWIW, they recommended showing the estimate to the adjuster.

JB3 · #47 03-13-2012, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangofox007

That sort of blows the whole "What you do with your car is your business" theory to bits, eh? Thank you for supplying "the rest of the story."

Obviously, every state is different, as we discovered with our previous conversation. Why are we calling this a theory? rules are different everywhere you go. Where you are, its illegal, where Shertex and I am, its not. Even in your state, what you do with your car is STILL mainly your business, theres just a lot of hoops to jump through to get it done as far as getting it back on the road.

Did you and satyr both miss the fact that he does not get issued a title in RI that was said several times? They do not issue titles past 10 years, thats 2002 and older.

If he owns the car completely, its a complete non issue for him, even if the car is totalled out, he can keep driving it with absolutely no change to insurance, or paperwork, you don't even need to get it reinspected. If he bought the car with a title and still has it, he doesn't have to turn it in or anything.

Where he is, what he does with his car IS his business.

tangofox007 · #48 03-13-2012, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shertex

Just got a $780 repair estimate from the MB collision place....we'll see how close Metropolitan comes. FWIW, they recommended showing the estimate to the adjuster.

I would see how close they came before I showed them the MB estimate. Also, be mindful that your "damages" are not limited to the cost of the repair itself.

tangofox007 · #49 03-13-2012, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

Did you and satyr both miss the fact that he does not get issued a title in RI that was said several times?

If the state of registration for the accident vehicle was disclosed, I definitely missed it.

JB3 · #50 03-13-2012, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangofox007

If the state of registration for the accident vehicle was disclosed, I definitely missed it.

I was going with his location info in his sig and top right corner legend. Also, if we want to get super stalker, his cars show RI plates in the sig pic.

He never specifically said so though, so shertex should maybe clarify

shertex · #51 03-13-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dropnosky

I was going with his location info in his sig and top right corner legend. Also, if we want to get super stalker, his cars show RI plates in the sig pic.

He never specifically said so though, so shertex should maybe clarify

Yes, cars registered in RI.

bustedbenz · #52 03-13-2012, 10:05 PM

Just for comparison's sake, to the best of my knowledge, in NC where I live, a "salvage" title exists purely as a warning to all future owners, but the car is 100% legally driveable, sellable, etc. It's essentially just a mandatory "full disclosure" situation --- if the car's totaled, you're obliged to get a salvage title on it so that all future buyers know they're inheriting previous damage (regardless of how... or if... it was fixed --- NC doesn't care as long as your lights and wipers and tires are good) and then from there forward, you're completely legal.

Re: the stereo unit -- if it's not his fault, then there's no value in withholding it. However, I expect the funds that were going to provide it have just gotten diverted to damage control instead, so the issue is probably tabled for a while by default. Good lesson in "saving for a rainy day".

Never had to deal with any of this myself... the only time I've ever had an automobile strike, it was me running off a road and hitting a tree and doing no damage to anybody else or anything else besides our own car... so nothing ever got reported. Took it home, replaced front bumper, replaced grille, straightened radiator supports a little, and it has been fine ever since. It was a slow slide on ice. Neither I nor my father carry anything except liability insurance -- we're driving old vehicles and the premiums would cost us FAR more than we can just save up in our pockets to fix damage and spend less in the mean time.

ROLLGUY · #53 03-14-2012, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bustedbenz

Just for comparison's sake, to the best of my knowledge, in NC where I live, a "salvage" title exists purely as a warning to all future owners, but the car is 100% legally driveable, sellable, etc. It's essentially just a mandatory "full disclosure" situation --- if the car's totaled, you're obliged to get a salvage title on it so that all future buyers know they're inheriting previous damage (regardless of how... or if... it was fixed --- NC doesn't care as long as your lights and wipers and tires are good) and then from there forward, you're completely legal.

Same in California. Last year I fell asleep behind the wheel (at night) and drove my '98 E300 into a sand wash. I was not hurt, but the car was stuck in the sand. I got it towed out and drove it home. The next day I surveyed the damage and called my insurance co. The radiator was into the fan, and all the plastic pieces below the bumper were broken. I drove it to the body shop, and they disassembled it to give an estimate. The value of the car was estimated at $6,800 and the repair cost was $6,700. Needless to say, the car was a total loss as far as the insurance co. was concerned. The costs were so high because of it being a Turbodiesel. All the parts up front are Diesel specific, and some E class parts will not work (intercooler etc). Their policy is to replace EVERYTHING that is scratched, dented, or damaged in any way. The car had dents and scratches underneath that all were going to be repaired/replaced. That is why the estimate was so much.
They told me that if I wanted to keep the car, it would be only $400. less than the estimated value of $6,800. I kept the car, and got a check for $6,400. I spent about $1,000 in parts and materials to replace the damaged parts (radiator, shroud, lower valance, bumper, belly pan, fender liner, etc.). It took exactly a month from the date of the accident to the day I got it back on the road. There is no evidence of any damage other than some new looking parts. I did not hear back from the insurance co. or DMV about getting a salvage title for it, but that may all happen when the tags are due, or if I sell it. I will have to get a brakes, lights and smog ('98 & newer Diesels) certification when that time comes as well. Having a salvage title is no big deal in my mind.

dezrat2 · #54 03-14-2012, 07:05 PM

You do not need to accept a salvage title on your vehicle if the Insurance company refuses to fix it. I was involved in a accident and was rear ended. The trailer hitch was bent down which bent the bumper brackets and was pushed into the spare tire well. The damaged came to around $3400.00. The (for profit) insurance company refused to fix the car and was going to salvage it. I told them *****off they were not going to salvage it. I called the DMV and explained the problem, 1st the car was not totaled 2nd it was still driveable, 3rd the 85 300cdt is considered rare since so few were made with a OM617 Turbo motor, I think around 2800 total. The DMV Involuntary Transfer Unit agreed with me. They wrote a letter to the (FOR PROFIT) Insurance company telling them the salvage title was in error. The Insurance company refused to change it. The DMV told me to drop the claim and take the person that hit me to small claims court. As soon as they were served papers they contacted the insurance company. Which in turn they contacted me. Asking to drop the small claims and would pay to fix my car which I did. But the insurance company pulled a fast one on me. They payed me but when the renewal came 5 months later it said it was still salvaged. I was furious... so I called DMV they wrote another letter to the Insurance company but they refused to respond. The DMV said to contact a lawyer. The lawyer who is a relative wrote a letter to the insurance company telling them we were going to sue them for everything....devaluing my car with a salvage title, all court cost civil and small claims, lawyer fees and anything and everything else. The lawyer at the insurance company called me and apologized for the misunderstanding and they rescinded the salvage title on my car. HOORAY I beat the FOR PROFIT Insurance Company. You need to stand up to them they do not like going to court.

1977busman · #55 03-14-2012, 09:55 PM

My 1992 300d was totaled about 12 months ago, after I was rear ended. I ended up getting $4600 for the car with 202,000 on it and they wanted $800 to buy the car back. The 4600 was much higher than I expected...