Need help with insurance

[Joe in NY]

Need help with insurance (Settled!)

Hello all,

I love my explorer. Its a 2002 (early build lol) 4.6L V8, 4X4, Eddie Bauer, 3rd row seat, 3 way folding 2nd row, leather, and has all the other options available for early build 2002. I found it in Florida. It was owned by an old couple and the husband passed away a number of years ago and the little old lady didn't like it. So she parked in the garage for 2 years. Until then she went Ford for everything. It had 63,000 miles on when my uncle looked at it. It was ALL of the factory stickers everywhere. Every part # on every piece. Even the assembly plant sticker is still my window haha. I did the full service and fixed all the little things wrong. And thanks to my uncles discount we are right into it (with tires and everything else) at book value of $7,200. It now has 69,000 miles on it, working 4X4, undercoated, all synthetic fluids, you know all those little things that count later

3 weeks ago my mother was driving to church in 2WD with 3 inches of snow on the road and going down hill through a turn did a 180 spin and took out a fence. I talked to the damage appraiser and he said it was just over $5,000 of damage. USAA is offering us $6,400 and no car, or $5,300 with car and SALVAGE TITLE. Trouble is, I want to drive back to FL and have my uncles body guy fix it. But I can't with a salvage title. So I need help as to how to get insurance to keep it so that way no salvage title and I can drive to FL to get it fixed. Any ideas guys??

Link to high quality pics: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6z9W4aWlAb8fkVicnAxb3NQYkJ5cU94NW9rMTRqaFhSSE5yampzMmlMQmsyN0ZDNjZVTjg&usp=sharing

 

[Number4]

If there is no frame damage, tell the adjuster to write it up as a cosmetic loss. That is, there's nothing structurally wrong with it, they just don't want to pay to fix the body.

Unless NY is different than GA, you should get a clean title. That's what I did after the deer hit-and-run'do my front in.

After telling the adjuster all I'd done to mine, he brought up the cosmetic loss avenue.

When I was speaking to my claims agent they said "we can't do that." I told them to talk with the adjuster, after which they processed it.

Insurance paid off my 5k loan, I kept the car and a clean title. I then became friends with a local wrecking yard for a while. Mostly buying things I didn't need.

 

[Number4]

Man, nasty damage. IDK.
Keep the engine tranny and everything else you just bought and put it into another chassis that has a bad engine or tranny.

Your body looks pretty nasty.

 

[fordysenior]

I had a vehicle get stolen, and the immature imbecilic moronic idiots damaged it and stripped it to the point it was a total loss. The insurance people were talking total loss also. I worked it out with them price wise and "settled the claim" and took the cash with provision of not having a 'salvage title'. I got everything I wanted, including me going to a junk yard and removing parts and repairing the vehicle, and making a healthy profit for my labor.

 

[Joe in NY]

Well, insurance called tonight. We CAN NOT KEEP IT, due to NY state law it HAS TO BE 7 YEARS OR NEWER! And they will NOT budge on their offer!!!! ERRRRRRRRR!!!! I went kicked the crap out of every damaged panel just now...

 

[Number4]

You've got time to make a decision. Get a high mileage engine and trans and swap them out before they come and get it.

 

[Joe in NY]

Wow... Ok. They are comparing my Explorer to 3 explorers that are V6 motors! (sorry, not trying to be rude but the V8 is rare) and each of them are 100+K miles! and base models with cloth! HA HA HA funnyyyyy... NOT! Comparing a mint condition opted out low mileage beauty to used basic NY rust buckets...

 

[Number4]

Don't know what they go for up there, but 6400 is a good deal. Clean 02-03's go for no more than 3500 in GA (craigslist.) You could take the cash and come down here and get an 04-05 with what they give you.

 

[JoshMcMadMac]

Wow... Ok. They are comparing my Explorer to 3 explorers that are V6 motors! (sorry, not trying to be rude but the V8 is rare) and each of them are 100+K miles! and base models with cloth! HA HA HA funnyyyyy... NOT! Comparing a mint condition opted out low mileage beauty to used basic NY rust buckets...

So fight it. They work for you. If their comparisons are not inline with your vehicle, tell them and make them prove it. Find listings yourself that are closer to what you have and show them. As long as you do not take any money from the insurance company the issue is unresolved...and they are not a fan of that.

 

[Joe in NY]

Whoa!! That cheap in GA???? I spent over 3 months searching craigslist till this beauty popped up. My uncle has a shop FL and he looked at 6 other cars for me until this one. They were all going for $8,000+ down there. Up hear they are all rusted. Dont want that. And today we found quite a few mistakes in what they say my car does not have. In their VIN search it shows my car has every option. They left out 3 options for the value of the car: privacy glass @ $100, posi-traction, and alarm system. Calling today and fighting the offer. Spent a week straight of maintenance on her after my uncle held it in his shop for months. I also bought the electrical diagram book and service manuals. I plan on keeping her for at least 200k. I love this car. It was a gift from my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my great aunt who passed away and felt bad because she didn't have cars to give to all of her nieces and nephews (sweet little 93 year old )

 

[Number4]

Absolutely, if you can find listings to back up your view of the comp, give them to your insurance company.

If yours has no rust, keep that in mind, as you've stated most your local comps might.

 

[BobRob]

I went through this in Ohio many moons ago. They wanted to give me $1500 for a car we paid $5500 for a few months earlier. I shoved comps down their throats until they choked and settled for $5200. Don't give up!

 

[Joe in NY]

Good news everyone! I get to keep it! They are still totaling it. Buuuuut, giving us way more than its worth and a CLEAN title. Soooooo I get to keep my explorer