Carfax or not, what I'm saying is how it works in CA these days. Once you accept the check from the insurer, your claim is completed. You can do what you want with the money.
Slappy, Since the accident occured in a shopping mall garage (consiered private property), the police will not come to prepare a report. As a matter of fact, there was a policeman in the garage, and he told us he inspects accidents all the time, but they will not come to the parking garage. Lucky for me, there was a lady walking around the garage that witnessed the accident, and she offered to be a witness; gave me her name and telephone number. Fortunately, the lady with the hummer that ran into my car took full responsibility.
A lady driving a Hummer...why doesn't that surprise me?
These Hummers are everywhere nowadays and quite
dangerous I might add, especially in grocery and shopping center parking lots.
CalamityJane wrote:These Hummers are everywhere nowadays and quite
dangerous I might add, especially in grocery and shopping center parking lots.
Yeah they are and its almost completely impossible to see around one. I'd still like to have one though. hehehe....I'd be just like my Governator then.
Is Schwarzenegger still driving one?
My next car might be a SUV but never a Hummer,
besides it wouldn't fit in my garage
Well they're now coming out with an H3, which is a smaller than the H1 and H2.
I drove a H1 once...dumbest vehicle I've been in. "Look at me, I'm cool! $100K for an Army vehicle with a/c and power windows!"
For that you get 2 Porsche Cayenne and they're far
superior.
The rep from the California Department of Insurance called me today - with some good news. I can use the body shop estimate to reimbursee them. It's up to them to call me for any "changes" to the first estimate.
CI
if the money is a problem mail me the check
Just a side story, insurance companies rob you.
I was rear-ended in my 86' Ford Taraus. The insurance company totalled it and said it was worth about $350. My dad owns a body shop and he fought with the insurance company and said that any reliable transportation is worth a $1000. He got out the insurance laws for fair compensation, but the insurance company priced the car on NADA and ended up giving us $1400 for the car!!
Moral of the story:
if you have reliable transportation, don't take anything less that 1k.
chs, State Farm usually allows us to chose our own body shop for repairs, but I'm not sure when the car is totalled.
If the insurer "totals out" the car then they give you the full current value prior to the accident, minus your deductible, unless you are not at fault then you get your deductible too (say you are rear ended). You have the option to purchase the car at salvage (typically about $250), and get it fixed using the remaining money. The car will forever have "salvage" on the title, making it worth less at resale. Sometimes though, it's worth it to buy it back at salvage because a lot of car repair businesses will buy it from you for more if it's not too badly damaged. I had that happen, I didn't buy a car back and a mechanic asked me what happened to it. He was like "Dude, I would have given you $500 for it...". ****.
Maybe the parts are worth more then the assembled wreck.
In this case he actually wanted the car, but you are also correct.
Sometimes it is good to have your car totalled and then purchase it back and fix it. All of our cars are totalled cars that we fixed(2 jeeps and a chevy cav.)
chos, In our area, car mechanics charge about $90./hour plus parts. I'm sure each car is different with different requirements to get them back on the road. When we can purchase a new car for under $10,000, I'm a bit skeptical about rebuilding a totalled car back to life.
Maybe to you it doesn't make sense, but we own a body shop and can fix them by ourselves. Sorry I didn't clairify that.
That does make a big difference.
insurance
4 LadyJ,
My insurance company tells me I have to accept a check made out to myself & body shop OR myself & leinholder. Is this true, since I still owe money on the car?
