this was my first car 02 cavi sedan






and in the end this was a write off for my insurance company




so as some of you have read this is my 01 sunfire gt

r u asking how write-offs work? basically if it costs equal to or more to repair the car than the valu of the car, it will 99% of the time get written off.

so if the car was worth $5000, and the damage was $6000 to fix, they would write it off. there are also a few other things that would cause a write-off in certain circumstances, but thats upto the adjuster

Quote:

so if the car was worth $5000, and the damage was $6000 to fix, they would write it off. there are also a few other things that would cause a write-off in certain circumstances, but thats upto the adjuster

close. once the repair cost exceed 80% of the value of the car its a total loss.
that looks like a total loss to me. because insurance companys estimate the damage using brand new GM parts and dealer labor rates.

replace right front door
replace right fender
replace right front knee (strut,spring,knuckle)
replace right headlamp assay
replace right cornering lamp
replace right front wheel
replace right front tire
plus repairing or replacing the a pillar and rocker.
then repaint it all and blend the rear door, front bumper cover and hood. assuming the rear door is not damaged.

sounds like a pretty expensive repair bill to me. and thats not including all the little parts that will need to be replaced.

i know in Ontario alot of the time if the damage is 50% of the value they will still write the car off. alot of the time you can tell them you don't want the car back and they will write it off.

one more thing. there are 2 claims that will render a car a total loss 99% of the time. the first is a collision with a pedestrian, no one wants to drive a car they hit someone with. the second is burn damage. ive seen cars with no visible damage but they where in a garage when the house burned down so there "smoke damaged" any kind of burn damage is a total loss.





http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/my2005cav/my%20car%20the%20bash.jpg

Just out of curiousity, how do they determine how much the car is worth? I heard both that they do take aftermarket mods etc into account if you have reciepts but also heard they don't and you're pretty much out whatever extra $$ you've put into it.

^^^^^^^ they use the blue book value i be leave. in Ontario. they don't pay out for aftermarket parts. because there not the original parts. for example you have a type-J front bumper on your 05 cavalier. its damaged in a crash, they will replace it with an OEM bumper cover. thats Ontario im not sure about the U.S.

i was taking to our state farm insurance adjuster about this and also the contents of the car. because we have been sent out to retrieve quite a few ipod's that where "in the car when i crashed" he was telling me that the contents is not covered by the car insurance policy. only things fixed to the car can be claimed. contents has to be claimed under your home insurance. weird if you ask me.


thats why most people strip there aftermarket parts and replace them with factory parts.






http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/my2005cav/my%20car%20the%20bash.jpg

I can tell you from personal experience because I was in an accident with my car about 6 months ago.

The insurance adjuster will not nessesarily price out repairs based on new OEM parts and dealer labor rates. Depending on state law, they are allowed to use used parts prices and the labor rate of whatever shop you choose to have the repairs done at. Using used parts can bring down the cost of repairs by a huge amount and possibly save you a total loss, but as already said it depends on local law.

As for aftermarket parts, they are covered if directly damaged in the accident (my aftermarket intercooler was paided for), but you're very unlikely to see any extra money for them in the case of a total (I had ever last receipt and was still refused). I was told that I had the option to take off all my aftermarket parts before the car was taken if they could be replaced with the stock parts. Fight with the insurance company as much as you can on this. Although they aren't obligated to pay you for the parts, they most certainly can if they want to. My best advice is to not take any initial offers and to fight them as much as possible, prices are negotiable.



______________________________
'96 GSX
towed more often than driven

I have full coverage Progressive insurance in Minnesota, and they will pay out up to $1,000 toward aftermarket parts damage, after that, you have to opt for added coverage for everything you have done to the car, (before you smash it of course), wich costs more. The $1,000 is also added to what the car is worth if it's totaled I beleive. If I modify my car any more, I can tell the insurance company whats done to it and how much it will cost to replace, and they will cover it all for me, I'll just pay more every month. The only thing I don't have insured is my stereo because it's covered under theft/vandilism, and I betting that all my amps ans speakers will live though a crash. Also, you have a RIGHT to take your car anywhere you choose to be fixed in most states. Where I'm from, they HAVE to go by what the company fixing your car tells them it will cost, because the $$ is going to the people fixing it, although sometimes they will right the check out to you, wich helps staying under the totaled mark.