I like the quote from above: "Insurance companies and related CONSPIRATOR companies......" the implication is they are all involved in a CONSPIRACY.

in addition, what you said earlier about the insurance contract being offered as an adhesion contract on a 'take it or leave it' basis is only part of the picture. in reality, auto insurance is NOT a 'take it or leave it' offering.

instead, auto insurance is a 'buy auto insurance or you are going to jail' offering because if you drive without auto insurance you most assuredly will go to jail.

kinda like the Mafia, "Let me make you an offer YOU CAN'T REFUSE. i.e. EXTORTION or MONEY SHAKE DOWN."

the AUTHOR of the contract is known as the 'Czar of the Contract'. in other words, the Insurance boys tend to believe they are calling all the shots.

unfortunately, they do.

I dunno if this has been said, but Jim, why did you even claim this? It sounds like like $2k in damage. I wouldn't have claimed it. Gotten a junkyard impact bar, brand new cover from the dealer and a $300 spray and been done.

I recently got $1500 out of Progressive for a deer hit on my 83 SD. Walked away pretty happy with that, but certainly a rare bright spot in the perpetual darkness of insurance claims...

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

the difficult part of choosing an insurance carrier is that one can read many positive reports from customers of a particular insurance company and then, out of the blue, come across some real negative claims experiences for the same carrier!

talk about making the decision making process difficult......

I have always carried comprehensive at actual cash value on all my cars. I've hit a few deer and a falling tree branch plus broken windshields to the extent that I'm money ahead. I do not carry collision, except for the Miata which is insured as a collectable.

It seems Progressive pays very well. I got $5k out of them when their customer totalled my '82 300SD three months after I paid $2k for it. In all actuallity it was a real junker and looked like crap. I was so worried that I was gonna get a check for $500. I was a happy camper after that!

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

For the last twenty years I have not carried collision. 1. Buy only a car that you could replace out of your cash backup. 2. Buy at least 100/300/500 coverage and don't let them tell you can't get UI for medical, because you can. 3. Add up the cost difference and the years, then realize that’s $40,000

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Happy Benzing
Darryl, Hill
2005 SL55 AMG Kleemanized
1984 500 SEC
1967 W113 California Coupe
[SIGPIC]
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos

Good point. I propose that for an equal number of years in which it was called "Communist China" we now call it 'Capitalist China".

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

They seem to be better at being capitalists.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I didn't say they were nice capitalists, just that they are very good at selling stuff to the west. They haven't been communist for a very long time.

The commies are still as firmly in charge there in red China as they are in North Korea and Cuba.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I'll be sure to look under my bed for those nasty commies.

Give them time. They are slowly evolving out of communism/socialism or whatever it is you want to call it. Right now, they are only communist/socialist as far as the control goes and in name. Or do you think Marx/Engels had envisioned Chinese and Vietnamese Billionaire clubs? Nam and China have found that they want a better life than what Marx/Engels had envisioned for them. Obviously, if they just let loose, leadership looses it's power and that is way too important to them. I was in Nam a few years ago and it was nowheres near what we are at but it is on the way.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Just a thought. I would only have collision on my old $100 beater. If that breaks, I dump it and get a new one. HOWEVER, on my cars, none of which fall in that class, I have always had comprehensive.

My car is used. As such, I am willing to allow salvage parts and don't demand new parts as long as they are within acceptable standards. IOW, if I have a used tailight, a replacement would be fine as long as the condition is as good as the old one.

That said, I haven't had much trouble with insurance companies at all when it comes to claims. My biggest problems with them are that the rates can vary between companies. As such, I would shop ever few years and change if necessary. I am not married to any one company.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow