Met-Life Wants to Total My Q

[CINNALOCKS]

I got hit last Saturday by a hit and run driver in a U-Haul Truck. Not a lot of damage, broken L/turn light, front bumper, fender gone and drivers door out of line and slightly damaged. Estimate comes to $2,700 and some change. Just talked to the adjuster and they determined it is a total loss.

I have almost all the receipts for all the work I have done on my Q but I am still very pissed. The thought of all I have done to make it right and was just ready to have it painted and the body work all done. Now I may not even have the car?

I am not at all sure what the salvage laws are in Indiana and just as if planned they called me after everything is closed here, so no information until Monday.

What can I buy for $3,000? I do not want to let it go!!!! Could there be a bright side here? Pissed in Indiana.
Modified by CINNALOCKS at 11:37 PM 8/21/2009

[Infinitiguy19]

If its all the way to the door it just maybe a "Total loss". I wish my turn signal fit your 1994 but its from a 1991 Q45, But you could have had it at no charge.

There are some parting out Q45's, if you email me I will give the email address of a good guy I know.

Sorry to hear about your Q45.

Any chance when you cool off you can post pictures?

[goody90q45]

I've been through this twice with two minor fender benders that put my 94Q close to having a salvage title. AAA will repair up to 75% of the value of the car so they're saying your Q is worth less $3300 (2700/.75). You've spent a lot of $$ over the last few years and it was very smart of you to save all your reciepts. You should be able to present a case to the insurance rep that because of your NICO association you're Q is worth more than the average one on a car lot.

In my case the repair shop was going to replace the rear door with a new one. Once the manager understood that the Q was my hobby and not just a daily driver he redid the estimate using a used door and got me in under the limit.

Go back and talk to the body shop estimator to see if you can work something out. I'll give you a turn signal assembly which should drop the price $150. He'll know the bottom line number that the insurance company will accept and also knows that once the job is started he has a little leeway to get more $$ out of the insurance company.

[mtzgr777]

Too bad you only need to have an IQ of 16 to drive a U-Haul truck....

[Q45tech]

Too bad you didn't have and pay for stated value insurance.

[CINNALOCKS]

Thanks for the offer and yes I will take pictures tomorrow. I will get them posted as soon as I figure out how it is done.

[CINNALOCKS]

Mike here is the deal, I got a call from the adjuster at the resolution center at 6pm on a Friday. She told me she is no longer handling the claim and it has been passed on to the total loss section. It had not been assigned so I would not hear from anyone until perhaps Tuesday. I went to an area shop that is a vendor for them, they sent the estimate over to the insurance company. I doubt I will get a do over. The best bet I have is to raise questions with regard to the percieved value by showing the mass of reciepts at this point. If the value goes up and the estimate remains the same the ratio of damage vs value may fall below the prescribed figure.

[CINNALOCKS]

Yeah Q45 Tech.... but you know it will not be my last vehicle and thanks to you I will be looking into that type of policy with my next purchase, if applicable.

That is why I come here, I always learn something. While this may not help me now, it undoubtedly will sometime in the not too distance future it would appear.

[Victor]

When my G20 was totaled by some kid trying to drift in a parking lot his insurance company gave me the option of a $3400 settlement and they keep the car or a $3000 settlement and I keep the car. At the time I had a chance to buy a J30T for $3300 so I took the $3400 and bought the J30 with it. So I ended up with a much better car in place of the G20 with no more out of pocket expense. I don't know if all insurance companies give the owner the option of keeping the car for whatever the settlement was minus what they figured it would bring in an auction. I was tired of parting out cars and was glad to get rid of the G20, the kid did me a favor by smashing into my parked car.If they don't let you take it for settlement minus what they figure it would bring at an auction maybe they would tell you where and when it would be auctioned and bid on it yourself. If the auction doesn't let private parties bid on it maybe you could sweet talk some dealer to bid on it for you for a small fee.

[CINNALOCKS]

Victor I have learned that it is a state by state decision how they deal with salvaged vehicles. Law governs the decision, not the insurance company. That is part of the frustration in the timing of the phone call from the adjuster, I cannot get any real info until things open on Monday. If I could go to the auction I would bid on it, without a doubt.

[neagan]

Q45tech is correct; anytime you have a 'custom' or enhanced vehicle, it's better to get a stated value policy. I happen to have an 1988 IROC that is worth maybe3-5k in blue book value, but I've managed to throw in closer to 30k and made sure I got a different insurance policy. For me, that meant getting a parade and show car coverage.

Most people don't realize that your own insurance company only has to bring your car back to 'factory standards' which dosn't cover aftermaket wheels, paint, stereo.

One other thing to do for your insurance rep is to show 'like valued vehicles' for sale, such as ones off the NICO forum that are in the same condition. You don't have to just settle for what they offer. Make them prove that you can purchase the same exact vehicle for what they're offering. Your receipts have what's called a 'percentage lifespan value' on them. In other words; if you bought a new engine 3 months ago, it won't have the same value as one that's 6 months old, or one year, etc. Your receipts should be used more to prove that it was in close to high blue book value.

I had to argue once on a vehicle that needed new paint, versus one that had perfect paint already applied. I was able to show that I had purchased the paint materials and had made arrangements with a body shop to shoot the car that very same afternoon the car was totaled and received 100% book value. Good Luck- sure don't envy being in your shoes right now.

Just don't give the adjuster any reason to think that you're trying to pass off a sob story of any kind. they have the power to increase or decrease the final claim; plus, your final value is worth a little more if you're willing to sign a release of any physical injury sustained from the hit and run.

A question I have for you is regarding the hit and run. Did you get a licence number or have any way for your insurance company to find the guilty party? If you have any chance that the guilty party will be found out, you can delay the total loss till the other company gets involved. Just some thoughts. Nitro

[Q451990]

Here's my thread on my first Q's demise. Maybe I got lucky, but I got about twice high book value after a month of beating down State Farm.

zer...age=1

Heath

[lino]

I got hit last Saturday by a hit and run driver in a U-Haul Truck.

So sorry to hear about this especially after all the work you've done too.

How do you find out it was a U-Haul truck if it was a hit and run?

Take a look at the bottom of the page to see what Edmunds has the Q45 TMV at:

http://www.edmunds.com/infiniti/q45/review.html
Modified by lino at 8:58 AM 8/22/2009

[CINNALOCKS]

Thank you for all the good info. I was in the vehicle when it was hit, with a friend. I was at a stoplight waiting for it to change, headed South when the fool came around the corner made a left turn, while on the phone and going too fast onto a narrow street.

He stopped and got out, then he jumped back into the truck and took off, telling me to follow him to his house. There was another vehicle following him and they blocked my ability to get turned around and follow him. By the time I got to the corner, he was gone. I had no chance to get any info other than it was a U-Haul Truck and the identity of the driver.

[Q451990]

Any chance of getting information from U Haul for everyone that rented one of their trucks during that timeframe? If you can push this on someone else's insurance, it only helps you...

Heath

[Q451990]

Too bad you didn't have and pay for stated value insurance.

I did some research on this a few years ago (after Q1's demise) and came up empty. Do you, or anyone else here, have any suggestions on good sources of stated value insurance?

Heath

[CINNALOCKS]

Heath that is some really good info. I appreciate itThe thing is I do have another fender, just got a sunroof panel and was saving money to do all the body work and have it painted. I learned it is better to have parts when you need them. So I had begun to obtain and hold onto parts.

[CINNALOCKS]

Heath regarding the identity of the driver, I filed a police report on the scene, they put out a broadcast and started pulling over any U-Haul trucks. It is now on the Police Department and the Investigative Unit at the Insurance Company. U-Haul has been notified. I do not see how it can be that difficult to trace it down. I mean the truck went out with no damage and comes back with drivers side rear damage and a transfer of red paint. Besides unless I personally show up at each and every U-Haul in the area to get face to face attention, there is no point. Telephone conversations do not get the same kind of attention and minimum wage employees are not that diligent or that concerned.

[Q451990]

Depends on how much you want it I guess... I would be driving around right now with a list of every UHaul location in the area. Of course you can't know if the truck has already been re-leased. I guess it's a crapshoot no mater what. Maybe you could subpoena the rental records through the corporate office to help locate people that had trucks with a nearby address on that date?

Heath

[elwesso]

Sorry to hear about this!!! I agree with all the advice, and heath did a good job posting all his info on the forum...

[neagan]

You would think that if the truck had a 2nd vehicle following it (as a chase vehicle) that it could possibly mean that they had just been driven to a U-haul rental store in order to pick the truck up.

A possible option is to send Uhaul a copy of the police report and a letter of intent to sue them in small claims court. Can you identify which U-haul model/size hit you? Unfortunately, it seems that the burden of 'proof' is being placed on you. This is a difficult way to learn that one should never, ever not call the police when hit; even if it's a minor fender bender.

I sure wish I was closer and could help you track the looser down. Again, best of luck figuring out how to squeeze up the value! Nitro-Nicky

[CINNALOCKS]

I think there is a misunderstanding here. There technically is no such thing as full coverage. EACH and EVERY policy is different. There are many options and you can take them all but most are redundant and just to raise the monthly payment.I know a little about insurance. I did have enough coverage to handle this matter. That is why either as a um claim or a comp claim, (should we find the other responsible party), but I am covered. The comp claim has a $500 deductible the um a $300 deductible.

For Instance I could have comp/collision, med-pay umpd and umbi, rental and towing which essentially is full coverage, but if the limits are not sufficient you will not be covered beyond the stated coverage amount. So will you have plenty of coverage you are not totally protected, so how can it be full coverage.

Coverage is not the issue here however. The issue here is only one of ratios In Indiana from what I understand ( as in many other states, but not all) if the cost to repair the vehicle is 70-75 per cent of the market value of the vehicle then it can be totaled. I do not have the estimate yet but the numbers are about $3,300 for my Q and $2,700 plus for the repair.

As I see it now, my fight is to either have them decrease the estimate or increase the value of the Q, to change the numbers and reappraise it. Should I have to salvage, then at least my buyout figure will increase. I have also been told I should have an opportunity to buy the vehicle back from salvage at a fraction of the cost and re title it as with a clean title.

I was told the claim is being reassigned to the Salvage Unit and has yet to be assigned to an adjuster. I would expect to hear from them soon. I will continue to post til it is resolved within limits.

Thanks for all the interest, input and concerns.

[CINNALOCKS]

Heard from Met's Total Loss Adjuster, she did a review of EVERYTHING. She came back today with the figures. The new review brought to light some frame damage. I have still yet to see the estimate.

They offered me $3521. minus the deductible, not yet determined. (500 COMP vs 300 UM) I can buy it back for $172.76. I can still keep liability coverage and make arrangements to find the vehicle I want. Not ideal but with some existing body dings from hail and normal wear on a 15 year old car, I think I will take it.

I am looking for a 97 or 98 Q and I am prepared to wait to find what I want.Ideally with less than 100k, White and Tan.... I have been looking all over the country, not a lot at this time to choose from. My vehicle will be up for sale, as a whole parts car or in pieces, (I have yet to determine which) in the next couple of months.

I hope this post helps someone, all the input did assist me and I thank everyone.

[grunze]

Just read your post so hope it's not too late to help. Went thru the identical situation beginning in September. America First was the other guys insurance and they dragged their feet for almost 6 months before responding. Same deal.......their adjuster came up with $3800 and they wanted to total it. Our State Farm body shop came up with $2700.

Negotiation is possible regardless of any coverage, etc. Since we had spent over $4,000 in repairs and replacements from 12 months before accident to more than 6 months after accident I had some leverage. With great difficulty I found values for 96 Q's from $2k to $8k. I sent pictures of how relatively minor the damage was and kept hammering on the point that the car was otherwise in excellent shape and we were insisting on keeping it. Of course mentioning the pain and suffering of the process and the medical pain and suffering yet to come also carried some weight.

I think their claims of having to total a car is all a bunch of b.s. In the end we did not have a total process to go thru and they wrote us a check for $4,000 before getting into the medical issues. Sometimes you just have to fight for your Q!

[CINNALOCKS]

Grunze I guess you did not read my last post, but thanks for the comments and interest.

I got a check just today for $2,800. I get to keep the Q and now they feel as if the deductible of $500 will be reimbursed through subrogation and shortly.

So that would be $173. I paid to buy it back as a salvage. plus the $500 back totals almost $3500. I got paid and still kept the car, which I can still part out or sale straight out.

So exactly what is it I would be fighting for?

Around 03 a garage totaled the engine, on their insurance got a newer engine installed total almost 7kAround 04 a women hit me, her insurance paid 2,300Around 06, hail claim over 130 dents and was paid 3,400

Not all the exterior work was done but most pieces were replaced with same color items (Wes had a perfect donor car), mechanically it is still tight, interior is very clean.............I think it is time to move into a newer one, that is more dependable. Yet if I had the money and a place to park it, I would keep it and buy another one. I love how it sounds and feels when I punch it.... even now.

[Q451990]

I'm glad to hear that at least you have closure on this. These kinds of things take their toll on you (or at least me) since I'm always running scenarios and figuring out my next argument - lot's of mental energy.

Now that you have the car, it might be worth seeing how much it would cost to fix it... maybe you can find some more parts in the same color to bolt on and just pay for the frame work? I'm beginning to think more of the G50 series Q's live in junk yards than on the road these days - so parts should be pretty reasonable.

Heath

[lino]

So it's finally done. I guess now you can begin the search for your new ride. I hope you find something you really want. Next time I buy a car I'm going to take my sweet time and be 99% sure it's what I want. All the best to you.

[Rex]

Glad to know things have worked out for you.

I am looking for a 97 or 98 Q and I am prepared to wait to find what I want.Ideally with less than 100k, White and Tan.... I have been looking all over the country, not a lot at this time to choose from. .

http://louisville.craigslist.o....htmlhttp://cleveland.craigslist.or....htmlI like this one http://knoxville.craigslist.or....html

[elwesso]

I think overall thats pretty fair for a car thats "worthless" on the marketplace...

Once you get your new car, let me know what you want to do and I can help!

[lino]

Lots of Q45s for sale...some nice some not so nice:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/....html

http://chicago.craigslist.org/....html

http://chicago.craigslist.org/....html

http://chicago.craigslist.org/....html

some of these people make me laugh