Totaled Vehicle? Tips on How to Negotiate the Insurance Payout

[@grabkem]

Wanna personally thank you for your video. Gave me the confidence to get a 3K gain on my total loss settlement on my wrecked car. Based on ur vid I went to various used car websites and pretended I wanted to buy the same car with the first low settlement amount and realized that I couldn’t without haggling price with seller. So I made an excel sheet showing 5 different sellers of similar cars and showing the asking prices and asked for a 3K increase and I got it. I think the coolest and most important u said is, always start by saying no to the first offer. Thumbs up to putting ur video out there for others.

[@PNWreckage]

I want to personally thank you for taking the time to tell me this. Very happy for you, and that I could help. Comments like this are why I should keep making videos. I got a little burned out with the constant negativity so truly thank you.

[@imanocayetano1783]

One question who's fault was it in the accident

[@Bwick_1776]

I did this and USAA devalued my car $100. They said my car was worth $3700 even though comps I provided were around $9000. USAA is a cult.

[@meenafree5931]

@@PNWreckagewhat about diminished value

[@rustyh1654]

Thank you so much for making this video! Watched it about a year ago after an accident and your encouragement helped me to see it to completion. They offered $4000, so I hired an appraiser and then I got $6800. The appraiser thought the insurance company had acted in “bad faith” and gave me the number of an attorney. The insurance company ended up settling out of court for $25,000 more! You just gotta be really patient.

[@PNWreckage]

Hell yeah Rusty. Great job.

[@imanocayetano1783]

Whos fault was it in the accident

[@hidros1461]

How did you settle for 25k more? What kind of car? If you don't mind

[@hidros1461]

How did you settle for 25k more? What kind of car? If you don't mind

[@petermuniz9296]

So you got a lawyer

[@frosty0077]

this guy is a champ making youtube videos while going to work or coming back to home without wasting time holy shit dude thats awesome

[@PNWreckage]

Favorite comment of all time, thanks man

[@geecrawdad]

That struck me too but in a different way. He's had to deal with two totaled vehicles yet he's making a video while driving? Good advice but it can equally effective from a stationary car.

[@assaf5714]

Thank you for this video. I had a total loss, I watched this video and did some research on similar vehicles around. I was first given an offer of $5000 and my car is worth 6500-8000. I asked them that there were vehicles online for that range or more and that I will not accept 5000. Without any negotiation they called me back and offered me $8000 and I took that offer. I’m sure I could’ve gotten maybe 8500 but I was really happy I used some of your tips thank you !!

[@trotmieyer]

congrats, did they share any report from software that values cars like CCC?

[@assaf5714]

@@trotmieyer no they didn’t share reports they just told me they searched the car online on websites for used cars such as kijiji, autotrader, and Facebook marketplace. The thing is they will always under quote you by at least 30% of value and when I sent them some listings for 8000$+ they gave me what I asked for . The person that damaged my car there vehicle was worth $23,000 and they gave her $15,000 and she didn’t bother arguing just took the money.

[@bjmartin7057]

I’m a new driver and just totaled my car yesterday still shaken up from it but your video really helped to boost morale thank you

[@danielwolfe4169]

I did too. Nobody at dmv or anyone taught me that you had to yield on green if you go left. Every intersection i went to though when it was green for left turn lane the other lane was always stopped but at this intersection it wasnt and i had no idea that was possible

[@ivanhicks6914]

@@danielwolfe4169 how did you past the signs test then ? 😂 the dmv job isn't to teach you anything...

[@danielwolfe4169]

​@@ivanhicks6914 The DMV test is a joke. They make you drive through a empty parking lot and turn around and thats it.

[@DennisNedryisStillAlive]

Bro, you literally saved me $3,000. I got an initial total loss estimate and then saw your video. I declined the initial estimate and made some good points about how my car was going to be hard to replace and the aftermarket parts that were on my car. They came back to me a day later with an offer $3,000 more. Crazy. Thank you for your video!

[@PNWreckage]

Dude that is f***ing amazing. Nice work and thank you for sharing it

[@DennisNedryisStillAlive]

@@PNWreckage Thanks for your help man! The extra $3000 gave helped me buy a nicer car than the one I had!

[@kphinazee890]

Glad I met you today lol...I'm ready for this process now.. lost my baby last night Cadillac SRX ..thank you

[@hansknutson2327]

They suck, But they are a business Trying to make as much money as they can It's like fish in the ocean Eat. Or. Be. Eaten Be smart. You come out good Be stupid you get rolled over

[@psychotogen1]

This video is giving me the confidence to move forward with my adjuster. Thanks. I've watched this 5 or 6 times now.

[@PNWreckage]

+TurndatWrench Very happy to hear that and thank you for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

[@psychotogen1]

you da man! I've got my adjuster sooo angry. Just stating facts. I have a rare 1994 R options miata that sells for way more than the base miata, and i've provided proof. He's choosing to ignore it. They're using a comp vehicle 137 miles away from me that has no pictures and was sold for less than half of my vehicles value. I've provided a bunch of comp vehicles closer to me with reasonable mileage and WITHOUT the racing options that my car has. I'm just asking them to compare the value of my car to other cars that are at the beach, where I live, because convertibles are more desireable here. I've gotten them to almost double the offer, but they're still coming in super low. I've got a second car, so I'm in no hurry. Wish me luck!

[@PNWreckage]

+TurndatWrench Dude you are killing it!! Hell yeah, that made my day. Get em!

[@PNWreckage]

+TurndatWrench just occurred to me.. do you still have the window sticker?

[@psychotogen1]

No, I didn't buy it new. I bought it 5 months ago LOL

[@acelakid94]

Thanks for the tips. They wanted to give me $1200 for my car that was worth $4,800. I said no and they came back at $2300. I said no again. I contemplated on sueing the at fault party, but I held out. A solid month goes by of negotiations and I ended up getting $4,600. I'm happy with that. It was super stressful during this time and I don't ever want to be in this type of situation again.

[@PNWreckage]

+acelakid94 glad it worked out but I completely understand!

[@JayyReezy]

This is my same issue

[@elitetilesetting1909]

acelakid94 I feel you man its stress full as fuck😖. I was rear ended by some bastard on his phone going 60mph I was at a complete stop it was brutal man. Now I have to deal with all this pain and these pos adjusters. Sadly for me my nightmare is just getting started cant wait till this is all over with an I can move on with life.

[@mhao1319]

Good

[@mhao1319]

P

[@robicarm]

You would make the finest sales person, or lawyer. It's really hard for most people to accept they have greater value than what they been told. Being firmly confident is a mindset.

[@moshie9956]

I'm very grateful for this video. I recently lost my car due to a distracted driver, and although I walked away without a scratch, I am suffering mental and emotional trauma. I've never done this before in my life, and your advice is helping me understand what I need to do. I appreciate it very much.

[@bettewaddell8552]

Same it's a horrible feeling of anxiety and extreme stress, it's not fair. Hope you got the most for your vehicle

[@moshie9956]

@@bettewaddell8552 Thank you very much. Unfortunately, I only got $1,600, and most of it went to Christmas. It's been almost 2 years since my accident, and I still haven't been able to buy another car.

[@bettewaddell8552]

@@moshie9956 damn that's horrible they realize people are desperate and they use it

[@moshie9956]

@@bettewaddell8552 Unfortunately. I hate today's world.

[@nasiawalker7033]

So glad I’m doing my research I just brought my first car two months ago! Was the victim of a hit and run so if they don’t give me what I paid I can always take the guy to court. I haven’t yet talked to my adjuster... I wanted to research on the situation being this is my first time in this situation and I’m so glad I found this video!

[@Maseventh]

What was the result?

[@nasiawalker7033]

@@Maseventh I hired an attorney and they actually took care of the rest

[@MasterJ202]

Since you still owed money on the car who got the money you or the bank you got the loan from and did they get u another car

[@amirigordon7230]

@@MasterJ202 this what I need answers on

[@chinmeysway]

the other guy..? a hit n run so how’s that that there’s another guy to take to court

[@alexander20972]

thank you for this video. i"m pushing it to the Max. my car was totaled due to someone else bad driving. also the car was in immaculate condition.

[@PNWreckage]

+Alex Still good luck!

[@feodiente9460]

So what happened

[@marshamull6002]

@@PNWreckage hello !!!! Can you please email me ? Need help ASAP ! [e-mail]

[@bigjame26]

Thank you for the tips. My mustang was totaled in a rear end collison 3 days after I bought the damn thing. It was pristine, winter stored, no rust. I'm going to take these tips and hopefully come out on top. 👍

[@rylandrussell4068]

Thanks for the info. I was going to accept their first offer (which wasn't too far off), but kindly asked if I could submit some comps I had found in my area. They were happy to look at them and then responded the next day with an offer that was $1100 more than the initial. Easiest money I've ever made.

[@PNWreckage]

Hell yeah

[@910chino4]

Could you explain to me where I could get these comps? And what exactly they are, it’s my first time in this situation as well. Got Rear ended by a distracted driver and might get a total loss on my mk5 gti 💔

[@geecrawdad]

@@910chino4 I'm sure this is over for you but for others comps are just as explained in the video - similar vehicles to yours in your area, maybe within 50 miles or so. Similar condition, mileage and year. A lot of online sites offer a free Carfax or Autocheck so you can see how many owners, where it was kept (northern states = rust), any reported accidents, etc. Submit those to justify your asking for a higher amount.

[@shimulsinghroy3283]

Personally want to thank you for helping people like me who don’t have any knowledge about this kind of situation. On 5th of August my car had and accident 2016 Honda Accord almost 200000k miles on it. The insurance company make the car total and offer me $8000. After listening that I got mad and don’t know what to do. Then I found your video and did according to you. First I say no to that offer and start bargaining. Then they came up with the offer $ 11000 but I say no. Finally today after one month of negotiating I got offer $22000 😃😃😃. I like the offer and finally I settled it. Really appreciate for your video. Thanks

[@achiever0623]

What did you tell them aside from no? Did you tell them what the value should be? Did you provide any documents to support your demand?

[@Cristina199]

An independent appraisal is key if your car is older like a Supra, or any car you restored or modified. If the accident wasn't your fault you need to be made whole again. I know someone who received 108k for his Subaru that was extensively modded. The first offer was 30k insurance thought they didn't have to pay for mods. Keep those receipts everyone.

[@SAMCHOM]

Cristina199 Do you have an email i can reach you at please? I have the same situation

[@whitneywright5179]

Cristina199 I got a 1999 Nissan Sentra my car was hit from the back causing left back bumper and corner panel damage and right front bumper damage they’re insurance wants to use their own appraisal after they sent me to get an estimate already Should I do about that

[@olgaortmann3157]

Good tips! As someone who worked in insurance industry I agree with your sentiment. FYI -- the payout should consist of tax, license and registration on top of the vehicle value, at least it is the case in California, could be different in other states, know the law and read your policy. Also, when it comes to bodily injury never give a recorded statement without consulting an attorney or few (initial consultation is always free) if you chose not to hire one have a printed statement describing all your injuries and losses, for you can forget.

[@karenacalhoun6923]

Thank you so much

[@asmrdaisy2291]

i didn't know that about the payout! thanks

[@asmrdaisy2291]

Question, i have geico n i'm in California. the adjuster gave me 50/50 change of totaling my car. i wanna be prepared in case they do but i don't know what too much or just enough to ask for, i got a 2012 fiat 500 lounge with 51k miles. i researched n the similar cars in my area are from $10k (around 20k more miles than mine) to $14k. They said the estimate for repairs is 6k (the shop estimate was 8.8k) they will see if they can fix it n let me know. if they totaled my car, what if he only wants to give me 6k-8k?? can i try 14k or that's too much to ask? also how many times can i say no to an offer, avoiding court. i still owe $5k on my loan, btw. oh do i mention how the car is customized since the inside is red? or that makes zero difference? i'm expecting the adjuster to call me tomorrow or in a few days. i'm scared i will not know what to say!! help plz

[@Technie87]

@@asmrdaisy2291 What did you end up doing?

[@daodejing81]

Interesting approach. My 2012 Prius was a total loss this year, 2024. State Farm offered me 10,579. Long story short, I took it. To me, it seemed quite fair. I had had it since 2016, purchased for 14,900. Now I have a 2024 hybrid Rav 4 LE. Love it. My first new vehicle, and I am 64. The out-the-door was 34,700. I am happy for you that your negotiating was favorable.

[@zininghou3273]

Just got a fair and square settlement from insurance company. Thank you for the tips!

[@PNWreckage]

Glad to hear it!

[@DanielGarcia-zz9eg]

I have Progressive, they did a great job paying what my 12 yr old truck was worth. One thing to keep in mind when financing a car , get gap ins. Alot of ppl forget to get gap ins. You won't get any money if totaled , but least you walk away not owning any money on the car ( this is for when ins say here's what it is worth but you still owe the bank remaining balance, no problem, gap ins will cover it)

[@aliviarandazzo2074]

So glad I have it!

[@SAMCHOM]

Daniel Garcia what’s your email bro? I have the same situation like you are explaining

[@kusemk8]

Progressive total crooks

[@ToneyFranco]

So glad I have it ….

[@user-so2rh9om6y]

I have gap insurance and they told me that wouldn’t cover the difference I owe

[@clarkgriswold4057]

Recently was in an accident where my car was totaled and the other party was at fault. His insurance accepted 100% liability and I was ready to be lowballed. I paid $2500 for my car a few years ago, but with how the market is everything is expensive. I was shocked when they offered me $5500. I was ready to deny the first offer and negotiate from there, but I was more than happy with that amount. Maybe I could of gotten more if I had haggled, but I would of been happy with 4k lol

[@Emanade214]

How long after your wreak did they pay you?

[@clarkgriswold4057]

@@Emanade214 around 3 weeks, but depends on how fast you can get to the junkyard to release your car to insurance agent. It took me a couple weeks because of my work schedule. Probably could have gotten it in less than 2 weeks just depends honestly

[@rickeyblue7675]

I'm in the same boat. Only I paid 28k for my vehicle only had it 6 months. Still owe 24k on it. The other driver was completely at fault. Rear ended me at a red light. I need at least 29k

[@jontnoneya3404]

In the oil business we have a saying - "Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered". Not calling anyone a pig or a hog but the idea that pigs get to live and get fatter while hogs are slaughtered refers to greed. When you receive a great offer, you could accept it (being a pig) and get really fat on it. BUT if you get greedy and try to get a better offer than you've already got (being a hog) then you may find that you get FAR less than their original offer or perhaps even nothing (in the case of some deals but not an insurance settlement). So an offer that's already 2x what the car is worth is outstanding but being greedy and asking for more will likely cause the company to reinvestigate why they valued it so high and find they made a mistake. Since you didn't accept their first offer, it's no longer an option because under contract law, once you reject an offer and tell the other party, you can't back up and say "Oh I want to go back to the first offer and accept that" which they'll very likely tell you is no longer on the table because you rejected it the first time. So IMO it was good that you accepted that first offer and didn't try to maximize your payout. More than 2x the cars value is a great offer.

[@clarkgriswold4057]

@@rickeyblue7675 what did they end up offering you?

[@Stagemydesign]

Omggggg! I just want to say how much this video has helped me, my 2017 Nissan Murano was totaled about a month ago and the insurance offered me $21,000 I declined and because of this video I was able to speak up and they came back with a better offer of $24,014.18. This is much better then the first offer. Thank you so much. Btw if anyone needs help feel free to email me

[@acbusinessconstructionandd2616]

I lost my HYUNDAY ACENT! I WAS 2919. NO PROBLEMS ever, less than 47000 miles and guaranteed. A guy was going to buy it for 21000. I was impressed, and he asked for the loan at HANCOM UNION BANK. Now we do not have a car to deal with ...

[@Usernamenotabailable]

This guy has had two total losses in 2 years. I bet his insurance company would love to know he blogs while driving and takes his eyes off the road quite a bit.

[@rvvrn]

Exactly! lol

[@darrenavery8253]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@Lu-e]

I smell a snitch.

[@Djrulez203]

Are you his adjuster that he asked to increase the money 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Usernamenotabailable]

@@Djrulez203 maybe you can rephrase the question so that it makes sense??

[@1thelastmystic]

Lol 30 seconds in... why thank you sir. That genuinely made me feel better lmao

[@PNWreckage]

+Grant Edmondson Not sure if sarcasm or not but seriously I meant it! Lol

[@conquerunderstanding7517]

Another thing people can do to get a slow moving insurance claim is file a civil lawsuit against the other driver. The most you can get is $5k but it puts the case before a judge and practically insults the insurance agent who has to explain why they aren’t being honest and diligent.

[@Outlawrocket484]

Going through this right now in Oregon. I was heading down 6 near the Tillamook area and hit a patch of black ice around 5 am. Lost my truck on Monday as it is a total loss. First time of having to go through this and the the truck was a 2021 Ford Ranger Tremor in an amazing condition. Just hope i can get something to help pay for a new truck later on.

[@tobykalucki7415]

You are awesome/ Our 2012 Prius was totaled as a result of a hit and run accident. My wife was lucky to survive it relatively unhurt. Then the insurance company made matters worse by undervaluing our loss. We were shocked at the repair estimate by our body shop. What a racket. Our insurance company sent us multiple emails, texts and phone calls trying to get us to accept their adjusted value payoff and threatened to charge storage costs. They reported comparable sales but then gave them a 20% haircut when stating actual value. We naively thought our insurance was there to protect us. I contacted the adjuster(2) and stated that we had the top end rebuilt, the water pump and EGR system replaced and new plugs and the Hybrid system evaluated and components updated and she said that was normal maintenance. We said that rear brakes were literally replaced (rotors too) 2 dys before and she said that was normal maintenance. Mind blown....... She said send her receipts and 3 comps for replacements vehicles and she might ....repeat might be able to get us some additional $$ Has the world gone mad?

[@terrycrews1760]

Hey man so glad I came across your video. I need some help like yesterday! I’ve been dealing w/ such a pain these past 2 months. Quick summary my wife was in an accident where a driver reversed into our 2006 Infiniti G35. The damage to the hood and grilled appeared to be minor. We filed a claim against the other drivers insurance. The adjuster reached out next day and asked for pictures of the area of impact to assess the damage. Not too long after the adjuster issued us a check for about $1800 for repairs so we took it to our local collision shop and Got a rental car set up by the insurance company. Took them well over a week to determine that apparently there was more damage than it appeared on the outside. Supposedly there was minor damage to the radiator, mind you the car was still operable and we drove it for days before finally dropping it off at the collision shop. That being said the collision center said the total cost of the repairs will exceed to the total value of the vehicle which according to them was supposedly roughly close to 4K. Fast forward we decided to do a settlement, now the insurance company is threatening us to hurry and return the rental Bc we’ve apparently had it to long and late return fees are incurring (2-3 weeks) yet the collision center had our vehicle. Eventually they had a tow truck driver move it to a storage free facility and told us we are responsible for towing it out of the facility once we return the rental!?! Which makes no sense to me! This was just a hellacious nightmare at this point. After arguing back and forth w/ the insurance total loss dept they eventually decided to return our Infiniti G35 and have it towed to our residence upon us agreeing to return the rental. We returned the rental and they still took 2 days to get our vehicle back to us. BUT here’s the kicker, when we got it back and the town truck driver dipped it off at our residence the whole bumper and front headlight was missing. It looked soooo bad. Not in the condition we left it with them In. Now my car won’t start. They put the pieces missing in my back seat and they didn’t even return both my remotes that I had on the keychain. They only gave me one remote back. I’m soooo pissed. Any tips on anything that can be done!?!?!?! Pleeeease help!!!

[@joiofjenz]

S Dot what happened in your case...any new news or feedback

[@B_series_sam]

Anything new ?

[@kiellandbrwn1]

This video works I said no found some more cars to compare to and they game me an extra $800 I wanted more but I was satisfied with it I thought I was gonna get like 4 grand and ended up with $6800. Thank you for this information

[@PNWreckage]

Outstanding. Thank you for taking the time to come back and share this.

[@Andy-im3kj]

Damn dude that's great.

[@fawzers3572]

Thank you for this video my friend. I got hit by a speeding distracted driver that went past a stop sign. She hit me so hard my car smashed in to another truck. I have no recollection of this because I was immediately knocked out and just remember a few seconds of the aftermath and the ambulance ride. I’m very scared about the insurance not giving me enough money to buy the same car I originally had because of the car market right now. But you’ve helped me gain some confidence to deal with this situation. Thank you.

[@gemeee]

Get a lawyer and ask for mor money for "pain and suffering’’ like 10-20k more

[@matthewmillet3807]

Thanks for this advice, going through the process for the first time.

[@spencergarcia5238]

Same, any update?

[@matthewmillet3807]

@@spencergarcia5238 we folllowed their advice and said no on the initial offer. We had a 4Runner that we bought new 2 years ago. They offered 38500, and we said no. They countered with 40100 but still didn’t have the right trim package so we said no please add these upgrades and they came back with 42500. We provided some comparable sand justification based off of our research and it worked for us

[@J-theSloth]

About to go through this process with hail damage to my car. Insurance have already agreed to write it off but it’s a matter of price at this point. Hopefully I can make sure I get market price and now I’m ready for it.

[@tilu3303]

This is very helpful and potentially encouraging advice. In my situation my son was driving a 2017 car purchased new with an MSRP of nearly $24k and then discounted heavily. The car had only 4012 miles on it when it was totaled this month. I'm not thrilled with the settlement offer - even though it was within $1k to $1.5k of what I had expected - and haven't signed anything with a monetary figure on it yet. However, I have signed over a power of attorney and release of interest in the vehicle that the insurance company insisted on to move ahead. I hope that doesn't equate to agreeing to their settlement valuation.

[@HypCarlos]

whatever happened?

[@kathygivens2101]

Great information! My 2008 Saab was recently hit "while parked" and was a total loss. My insurance company wanted to settle at $4, 334. After listening to you, I asked for more and they came back with $5, 473. I know you said to not settle, but I did n't want to push my luck. That being said, I should have because I felt like they were not working on my behalf, but simply trying to low ball me. I hope this never happens again but if so I will not and agree no one should settle on the first and second dollar amount.

[@skimberlybell7637]

I AM SO THANKFUL TO PERSONALLY KNOW THIS MAN AND HIS WIFE.IF SOMETHING EVER HAPPENS TO ME AND I DIE, I HOPE MY SON JONATHAN SEEKS THEM OUT AS ROLE MODELS...

[@PNWreckage]

We'll seek him out

[@YoshiXO]

I also feel it’s a racial thing. I live in a predominantly white town and they are really trying to not pay the black girl

[@joeyf6133]

my lexus gs430 just got hit today, im 20 and worked so hard for it, it was my first car and my dream car , too bad hopefully i get some good cash

[@Badilloisabel]

Joey F same with my 2018 ram ram :/

[@joeyf6133]

Isabel badillo if it helps i got payed 6500$ for the car from insurance (payed 3800 when i bought it) , i now drive a black on black infiniti g37s manual...a 10k plus car. :)))

[@musicminute9123]

Thanks so much for this. It has been very helpful. Question, what should I say if my insurance adjuster emails me with the following question?: "Do you have any information you could forward to me that you have been researchign to support an increase in the settlement? Is there an amount you were anticipating?"

[@GinaA]

I wish I had seen this sooner. My car didn’t get totaled but finding got after receiving the check and my car back not fixed that it was considered a total loss. Because I didn’t have a lawyer sooner I was unable to get it fixed and get more. Smh You live and you learn through growing pains! I don’t know to do now as I have a car that still needs to get fixed and the check for the damages. How do I go to a mechanic and make sure that they fix my car truly and for the price that I want?

[@PNWreckage]

I'm so sorry! Do you know anyone you trust who is a mechanic?

[@GinaA]

Unfortunately not really. I may ask some friends on who they go to and have an idea as to who I’m going to ask. This is why I was wondering what I should do when going to the mechanic on how to negotiate and make sure my car gets fixed but not being lied to and making sure it’s no more than the check I received for my damages from their insurance. What would you suggest I do and say when going to the mechanic to get what I need/want?

[@Mcfc2Rich]

Thank you very much. After watching your video I listened to your advice and rejected 4 offers, yes 4. I got an increase of £4,100 on my settlement $5,396,04. 😂 Be stubborn, get your worth. Very grateful my dude! 🍻

[@asmrdaisy2291]

4 times?? wow congrats!

[@Mcfc2Rich]

@@asmrdaisy2291 yeah, sadly the van got stolen 2 weeks later, still got my money though

[@dante009.5]

Great video brotha!! So, Im anticipating my vehicle to be a total loss, but that's to be determined at the body shop tomorrow. Do I negotiate the value of my vehicle and set my number with my adjuster BEFORE or AFTER I take it in and its deemed a loss?

[@TheManChise]

Great advice..too late for me though as I accepted first offer yesterday...got screwed..

[@irregularmana6216]

Dude I am in OR and I am about to argue with my adjustor for our 06 camry. It's not totaled but because of the way things are with parts and labor it's more than what the insurance wants to pay for, the car runs and drives perfectly, no issues whatsoever. So yeah I'm doing my research, thanks

[@esmokez95]

this video helped me get 2100 more from their original offer thanks

[@latenightdiy1496]

Totally thankful for this video today. Not sure if mine is gonna be totaled but it’s a possibility.

[@travisthornton7614]

Thank you for your advice I will follow it to a T. I'm glad your OK now the truck accident picture look bad or a close call for serious head injury.

[@harbinger076]

thanks for the video , this will be very helpful once insurance presents me an offer t-boned not my fault accident. but given the vehicles age 22 yrs old currently , I seriously doubt their going to offer me anything fair . Local comps have them placed in 5800-8500 range with similar mileage.

[@Private_Jefe]

My Honda Ridgeline was totaled out by a person that blew a red light. I looked up the Kelly blue book offer Resale online value is 16k I owe $17k. I’ve never delt with this before. Your video was very helpful. Thank you for your advice!

[@rogersmith2036]

Hope you had gap insurance

[@Private_Jefe]

@@rogersmith2036 i did. They paid it off

[@RALOBLACK]

My initial offer was 10,100, I declined, I negotiated for a month, end up getting $12,003.95. Could of received more . Look at CCC car report they send. The insurance company will sell your car for parts on back end . Factor in taxes, tags and title, plus inflation. Look online for like vehicles and conduct a cost analysis of the same year, make and model, if it doesn’t match you’re getting low balled. Use Rental Reimbursement, hope this help. I repeat don’t accept first offer.

[@shantall_sharee]

Does the mileage count as a factor when searching for the car price online

[@RALOBLACK]

@@shantall_sharee yes

[@webman1956]

I just wrecked my 2014 Ford F150 and the damage is $21k. I have yet to talk to anyone yet, but your video is just what I needed to see for sure! The truck market is smoking hot price wise at the moment and I bought the truck in August in mint condition with 85k miles and it and now they are selling here in Texas for almost $30k for the same truck. I don`t know yet if they will try to total it.

[@Jan96106]

This was helpful information. My car is going to be deemed a total loss and I have yet to get an offer. I was not sure how to calculate a price, but this helped. However, I am having trouble with them honoring a rental car for me, and other problems. It has been very stressful.

[@shenaegoodwill2609]

Start looking up used cars that are for sales that match your vehicle features, accidents and mileage to get an idea of its value. Kelly blue book helps too. If they have not offered a rental car request one. If they still don’t provide it you must keep documentation of the expenses from all your transportation via Uber or rental to add to your claim.

[@landenkugler7906]

I'm just glad you're ok that truck looked like a bad crash. I'm glad you got your worth.

[@PNWreckage]

Thanks Landen

[@trbstang]

Hate to hear people having issues with total loss claims. I've had two, neither my fault, and I came out very well with zero negotiations. Could I have gotten more, maybe, but it would have required more work for maybe a few hundred dollars more. First one paid me $400 more than I paid for the car 2-1/2 years and 36k miles prior. Second time i did give them a list of all the mods and accessories on the car and they came within $25 of my payoff on a year old Mustang GT that I financed 100% including tt&l. Didn't have to use gap on it. IMO it pays to have decent insurance, (State Farm) even if I pay a little bit more for it than the cut rate companies. Never had any hassles on any of our 6 claims in 30 yrs, always got more than I expected out of them. Oh, and btw, I kept the GT for $8,350, spent $4,500 on parts and $6,800 on paint and labor, and I have the exact same $37k car for under $20k. So that made it a total win in my book since I don't ever plan to trade it in. Plus it has a clean title too!

[@f.jacobalvaradoDOP]

How did you keep the clean title?

[@WiseSilverWolf]

I was in a total loss accident last Sunday (8 days ago), I had the green light and was going strait and some guy rams my Toyota Tacoma from the left side going 70+ mph (I didnt even have time to react) before I knew it all my airbags deployed and my glasses flew off. I believe that the guy ran the red light but im still waiting for the police report, luckily they had traffic cameras where the accident occurred.

[@mommymel73]

The same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago. I feel my car insurance company is lowballing me and I declined the first offer. Did you do a third-party claim with the At faults drivers insurance or was your car insurance pay out fair and reasonable?

[@WiseSilverWolf]

@@mommymel73 I think I got lucky because i hired a lawyer so they might have given me a more fair offer because of that. I bought my vehicle for $37k back in 2020 and they gave me back $36k for the total loss in 2024, the vehicle only had 10k miles on it though.

[@msjenjenp]

Thank you so much for this video. Some stupid be-atch ran a red light and totaled my beautiful 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab that I absolutely loved and worked my butt off to buy. The appraiser is coming today. I am going to follow your advice and reject every offer until they give up and say we'll have to go to court to settle it or whatever. At that point, I will say "Yes." At least I have a plan now where before I was clueless even though I had researched the trade-in value. I'm not real confident I will get enough to replace the truck. It only had 112K miles on it.

[@PNWreckage]

+Jennifer Papich good luck Jennifer. I'm sorry to hear it happened and wish you luck with the process. If you don't mind me asking, who is your insurance company?

[@msjenjenp]

My insurance is with Allstate. The perp who went through the red light is with USAA. Everyone I have talked to at USAA has told me it is probably totaled without even seeing it. The appraiser came on Thursday and we got the repair shop guy out there to have a look and he said he didn't think it was totaled. It needs a new axle or rear end or whatever they call the thing the wheels are attached to. The right rear passenger wheel came off when she hit it. She was in some little POS Nissan Crossover and hit a big fire engine red quad cab with 20" wheels so hard in the middle of an intersection that she turned the truck around almost 360 degrees. She got a ticket for the red light, but not speeding. The brake drum broke in half. So, new axle and brakes with new right rear caliper, some new tailpipe hangers, a junkyard rear right quarter panel and bumper and we're fixed. That's not totaled, except on USAA's paperwork! I am so furious that insurance companies are permitted to devalue your property and just give you what they say it's worth after one of their negligent law-breaking policyholders damages it and rocks your world. The appraiser even said she didn't think it was totaled. She said she would send in the estimate that day and I would probably hear something by the end of the day, but I still have heard nothing. Not sure if that's a good sign or not. I am not looking forward to tearing that adjuster a new one, but I am afraid it is inevitable. Patience is not my strong suit when I have been wronged. I am trying not to borrow trouble, but it's difficult not to. My favorite new word. . .starts with an "N" and ends with an "O". LOL

[@PNWreckage]

+Jennifer Papich lol love it. You may be entitled to compensation for the diminished value of your truck. I'm not prepared to go down that rabbit hole but would encourage you do. Boy scout motto holds true here: I'd rather have it and not need it (preparedness) than need it and not have it. I'm pulling for you.

[@msjenjenp]

Finally got thru to USAA today and they told me they had already sent me a Preliminary Estimate and a check for $3,393 on 2/12. It was only 50%ish totaled. Amazingly, they set ACV at $7583. They never bothered to even contact me to discuss or advise there would be a check in my mailbox. Morons. But at least they didn't total my check so I am "preliminarily happy." Just hope nothing else expensive turns up to queer the deal.. Fingers crossed. They still owe me for the $175 towing bill. I guess that will be part of the final settlement.

[@PNWreckage]

+Jennifer Papich great to hear so far!

[@Basnican]

Im trying to negotiate my 2013 Honda Civic Si that got totaled I appreciate all your advice

[@asmrdaisy2291]

i got a 50/50 change of having my car totaled. how is your negotiation going?

[@Basnican]

@@asmrdaisy2291 I have Progressive and was told that they don't negotiate. But I did get a bit lucky because before this I was trying to sell the car and I would get offers for about 4k less than what im getting now.

[@redlinenissan372]

This is awesome advice mentioned in the video, thank you. I was just in my very first accident today, I was just around the corner in my neighborhood and this girl that was driving straight in the other lane managed to perform a left turn right in front of me with no blinker signaling the turn so I thought she was going straight but then as I was too close she didn't wait for me to go by and smashed into me and my car completely totaled and now I have an idea how to manage this.

[@demitriusjackson5264]

Dude this exactly just happened to me 6 days ago wtfff. Small world yooo 💯

[@MyMyTyTy]

THIS EXACT THING happen to me! My car is totaled now.

[@redlinenissan372]

@@MyMyTyTy luckily it’s not your fault, the downside at this point is going through insurance and having to deal with the whole process it sucks.

[@MyMyTyTy]

@@redlinenissan372 Did everything go well with you?! My insurance guy said they have to find the person at fault, which is obvious, but yeah. Did you accept the first offer they gave you?

[@redlinenissan372]

@@MyMyTyTy yeah I had my dash camera I didn’t have the SD card in it at the time of the accident , luckily I had a driver behind me as a witness who saw everything which made the insurance claim easier. It went pretty well with the insurance actually. Just takes patience and time and things should be good, hope you are okay and well !

[@jamiegriffin2317]

thank you so much for sharing your knowlege and experience with everyone. This should be quite helpful later today.

[@zeerao]

Thanks PNWreckage. You gave me hope if I am not getting screwed by the at-fault insurance company. It's almost a month since my Van was totaled. The TL adjustor called me after 3 weeks past the crash with the value and threw low-ball ($3917) to tell that this is your current market value, he has been very rude in trashing KBB value (over $600, current market value) I provided of the equivalent vehicle and said "KBB number is not the true value on the market, give me the MARKET REPORT of your vehicle instead?". I am not sure if to wait for them to come up with the appropriate value and if they ever going to offer?

[@PNWreckage]

My guess is they intentionally drag it on so you'll just agree to get it over with. I'm very happy this was encouraging. Keep at it.

[@zeerao]

​@@PNWreckage Now he is throwing ball off-the-field, telling me to talk to my own insurance. What this has to do?

[@garthstewart6099]

Highly simple yet useful message; thank you

[@irinamorga7948]

Thank you so much for this!! I just went through this and I wanted to know what to do when I asked these questions. I appreciate you posting this video and informing others even though you don’t have to.

[@flash1034]

No uneven tire wear, guys have had the tires road force balanced and changed tires to numerous high tier brands, with no success. I feel confident it is not a tire or wheel balance issue.

[@PNWreckage]

+Bill Beverly copy

[@jaxazu9767]

I got in a total wreck before, and that vehicle is in a salvage yard. The payout throughout my insurance was 13k. So I used that money to buy a new car.

[@presidential3228]

was it ur fault

[@danielhernandez6586]

Thank you thank you very much very helpful people like you are the good people

[@totr5093]

Good video, one key thing to remember that I didn't hear mentioned: know what the governing law aka statutes say in regards to vehicle valuations for insurance company usage. In my home state, there are two defined sources in state statute for vehicle valuations, and there is no provision in statute for negotiation or haggling on the asset's actual cash value per se. Attorney's can't even get fees for representing for property damage here, only for medical claims. The 4 surrounding states to mine all have vasty different total loss statutes...it all depends on what the governing guidelines and statutes say.

[@TexasNewMoney]

Seven year old video and still amazing points in 2024. Thank you so much. I'm about to go to war with my beater someone rear-ended me earlier today. I'm feeling better at the approach to take. I have put a lot of money into my old girl and I'm not gonna settle for chump change.

[@els2202]

I wish i would of seen this video before settling with my claim.

[@sharontan9381]

Hi, many thanks for your video. My 06 Lexus RX 400H, with many new parts and well maintained, was hit by someone on my left tried to cut into my lane to exit on the highway--Praise the Lord! I braked hard and avoided a side impact onto that at-fault car with 3 people inside (which would have been a major potentially fatal accident though not my fault); but that car scratched on my left doors and eventually stopped in front of me. The insurance want to have my SUV totaled because they think the cost of repair at $7K was more than the cost of SUV at $6-8K minus salvage cost they can get from auctioning my SUV as a salvage. But I love my Lexus as a business SUV. They offered me either 1) a total of $6K if they take the Lexus, or 2) if I keep and repair the SUV, only $3.6K. I can accept neither! Now they (Traveller's Insurance) are back and forthon me and even threatening to suspend. Any suggestions? Also, during the past 2 months since the accident, I have used a backup car, 1) do I still qualify for an equivalent of rental reimbursement? 2) do I qualify for compensation for the missed business opportunity since I was ready to drive for a business meeting and even booked the hotel, but those arrangements were all canceled. Anything else I may qualify for compensation? Many thanks.

[@jmcclure222]

Thank you for this video it is really informative for what I am going through. Question though, will the total loss adjusters still be willing to work with you and negotiate if you were at fault for the total loss?

[@PNWreckage]

I was at fault twice and yes. Sorry for the delay.

[@crystalgraika8804]

Thank so much for this post. I will do exactly what you said. So do you know if there is a time frame when going through this process? Like it has to be settle in 3 months or upto yrs?

[@GizelleJane2012]

Thank you for your advice!! Currently going through this. 😪

[@TacitRonin-w3z]

Excellent video! What if i want to fix the vehicle? Can they force me to retire the vehicle?

[@IllFlyIt]

Here we are April 2021 and I’m about to negotiate with my insurance company. Will report the results!

[@xtcmxm578]

6:01 I've done my research AND I KNOW WHAT MY CAR IS WORTH !!

[@mrsbrown3357]

Best video I’ve seen yet on this subject. You just gave me a lot of confidence. Do you suggest keeping all negotiations in writing or is phone ok?

[@PNWreckage]

Phone is okay, probably. Record everything if it's legal in your state. Keep it to writing if you're paranoid, and I wouldn't blame you if you were

[@machintelligence]

One thing to keep in mind is that when they pay you off, they own the damaged vehicle. It might well have significant salvage value for parts or at least some small value as scrap. They assume that you don't realize this. You might want to ask what they believe the salvage value to be; and if they are willing to sell it to you for that amount.

[@asmrdaisy2291]

what do you do then? if u buy the car from insurance? you sell the parts yourself or fix the car somewhere else?

[@michaele.7003]

Typically the first initial "offer should be done after all options an conditioning for the vehicle are completed that way it is the very most accurate settlement. It's unfortunate that there is a lot of adjusters who know nothing about anything automotive. It's not so much that Adjsuter's are there to protect assets it's just that person lacks the knowledge of what a car or truck is actually worth. As an adjuster I always find myself going back and issuing out what was owed on the back end because of these mistakes made by someone who lacks the know. So the best thing anyone can do is find the proper comparable(s) that represent your vehicle the best in the instance of this problem should a rise. Just make sure it's what the vehicle is worth not asking price. Options that are missed and conditions that are not documented properly can be the difference of a couple thousand dollars in some case. All in all if you have questions ask it's what you pay for not to be screwed over but to be helped.

[@XerxesSings]

Please do a live feed!! I am having issues with my car insurance. They are not being so nice to me!

[@thefunfamily9367]

Thank you for your video. It's very helpful. In my first email, rejecting the first offer, to the adjuster should I just state that I researched information on my vehicle and ask how much more can they offer and then if it's still not enough, then should I send what I researched. Hope that make sense.

[@chrisanderson3597]

I am just throwing this out there. I would bet that your insurance premiums will skyrocket when they find out you are shooting videos while driving, on top of the two total losses in your driving history. Just sayin. Otherwise, I appreciate what you're doing!

[@maggienguyen958]

Hi there! Your video was very useful and informative. I have a question... if the adjuster wants to just repair my car instead of going for the salvage, can I ask for more compensation on top of the repairs? Such as pain and suffering? Especially since the car would now be devalued/damaged due to the accident. Thank you.

[@PNWreckage]

I think you may be able to have the car appraised and seek compensation for the diminished value. That is all I know but I hope it helps.

[@KevinP32270]

before hurricane irma hit florida i took some money out of my home safe to have cash in hand plus i was about to go over seas to help family in haiti. 8700 dollars was in my jym bag with a bunch of clothes. on my way to help a friend after the storm, truck starts smoking and catches fire while driving. don't know how. got out but it went up quickly. everything is gone. ham radio, cb radio, antenaes, and jym bag with money. insurance says they don't cover the loss of the money only home owner or renters insurance does. i'm with progressive. what can i do in your opinion? i know you are not a lawyer but you seem very wise.

[@PNWreckage]

+quest 34667 I am really sorry to hear that. My insurance company told me the same thing about all of my stuff that was stolen from the truck. I was directed to make a claim on my homeowners insurance (or renters insurance). It really sucked and I hope you can get it back.

[@nareshdhar6513]

Were you also reimbursed for the sales tax, title and registration fees that would come with buying the replacement? Thanks.

[@marig1972]

Started off slow but..Good video in the end. Thank you. :))

[@PNWreckage]

Thanks Mari

[@smithdude1068]

i havnt watched the full video yet but i have a 1 million mile warranty threw dodge on my 2013 dart i bought new my car is worth 5,200 now but repairs are 5,300, hit a deer left diver side bumper and fender with no structural damage and i can still remotely start my car due to no mechanical issues. there claiming its a total loss on 100$ lol hope this video helps me... it will help me thank you!

[@ramleerod]

first of all I want to say thank you for your video it’s very informative. My question is who pays for the storage when the vehicle is at a garage waiting to get appraised do they take that money from the claim that I’m going to receive or is that separate?

[@ResidualSelfImage]

If you are not at fault should your insurance company do the negotiation for you against the insurance of the liable driver (assuming that they are different underwriters?). Or should one always deal directly with the insurance underwriter?

[@ohanabennett]

Appreciate the pointers. My 2016 Ram 1500 was totaled a couple months ago. Tried all this and more with USAA -- said 'no' over and over, made a dozen truly valid arguments, they were absolutely dead wrong at every turn. And in the end they came up on their initial offer exactly not one cent. Never been so angry in my life.

[@PNWreckage]

+ohanabennett what a pile of crap! Sorry to hear that happened man.

[@albertwang864]

ohanabennett same experience with USAA...

[@DoorisJ]

I have USAA and I’m very concerned with their stance on this

[@PNWreckage]

+DoorisJ I share your concern, it seems like a theme

[@ohanabennett]

DoorisJ And you should be concerned. Just don’t ever file a total loss claim and you’ll be fine. USAA screwed me out of thousands on the ‘actual cash value’ of my truck. Wasn’t a thing I could do about it and they knew it. I could have SPENT thousands on lawyers to fight it but..... And the kicker? I had JMA gap insurance to make up the difference. Thought that was a wise investment. Care to guess how much they paid out?

[@reezzy9766]

this is so darn informational THANK YOUUU! i am going to be con tacted today hopefully for a price they want to give me and its taken progressive 1 week to get everything finalized....they are so slow. do not get progressive.

[@Goldchunks4]

after two weeks of back and forth they finally raised my payout. The initial offer was good, based on the condition of my car it was not exactly a low ball but I cannot find a car online with the exact milage as mine to replace it fair and square. If i were to buy a replacement car today, same model year and all, I will be forced to buy something with less miles on it. I feel as if I were to say no again to this new offer they'll leave me with nothing lol should I play it safe or still push it like you say to do??

[@asmrdaisy2291]

what did you ended up doing?

[@TheSanchmi1234]

What happens if the body shop says its a total loss and the adjuster says its repairable? Is there a way go fight for the total loss?

[@chrisd4655]

That doesn’t happen. Do you mean the other way around? The shop says repairable but adjuster says total loss?

[@jcrefasi1]

@@chrisd4655 Chris I agree. 99% of the time the aduster is the one quick to total it. My car is on the borderline and its mostly plastic parts labor and the wiring harness alone is over $1200 for the park, fog and headlights which are being replaced. Car is not quite 6yrs old but paid for. Under 39000 miles. Each insurance company in my state is allowed to handle "total losses" differently. Trying hard to find someone who can tell me what my rights are

[@chrisd4655]

oldladytoofast - what happened to the car and if it was a collision who was at fault? Idk if I can help you, but I’ll give you honest answers.

[@chrisd4655]

oldladytoofast every insurance company does handle them differently. Nothing is set in stone (which is a common misconception). Your vehicle is a total loss when the insurance company determines its uneconomical to repair it. That’s it. But we have some avenues to explore. First, get an email of your valuation report and estimate. Once you have that let me know and I’ll have you forward it to me. To the original commenter: the shop wants to charge $85+ an hour to fix your car. They don’t want it totaled.

[@jcrefasi1]

@@chrisd4655wreck was totally my fault. Hit a parked vehicle no injuries. I have the amended estimate PDF that is about 10 pgs. I can email it. As of yesterday (Friday 5pm) if I understand correctly, the email copy I received says they paid the shop for the supplement/ amendment. Im not sure why since work hasn't begun and as of 8am yesterday the shop was complaining they couldnt get parts! Just smells fishy to me. I hate to bother u with this. I just see all kinds of things on the estimate that look inflated to me

[@smiledoge4968]

I honestly don’t get it bro, the repair shop is charging $15k to fix my truck. The damn insurance company says it’s a total loss but they are paying $25k???? Why not just fix my damn truck and save $10k 😤

[@jamesmyers6739]

Because after the repair they are still liable for anything that was replaced and if you get into another accident because of faulty repairs they are also liable.

[@thundergato84]

I wonder if my insurance will total or repair my 2012 Toyota Yaris LE automatic with 140,000 miles. The current repair bill at the body shop is $5,600! The adjuster estimated $1,200 of damage, but my body shop looked and saw there was even more damage. The only thing is I still ower $3,500 on it. I'm still waiting on what my insurance will say. It shouldn't be too long now. I should know in a day or two. What should I do if it's totaled? I don't think they'll wanna pay $5,600 of parts, and labor on a 6 year old car.

[@miguelcampos2870]

Thank you for the great and valuable information

[@flyte707]

my car was in an accident and the hood, grille, radiator, airbag, headlights, and mirror has to be fixed according to the insurance estimate and the total cost is $4600 for repair. the car is valued at $3700 so insurance wants to call it a total loss but the engine and frame are fine so i asked a mechanic who says it would cost less than $3000 to fix so should it be fixed? i live in md so legally above 75 percent of it’s value is a total loss

[@feodiente9460]

I feel you I live in MD.. i have a motorcycle guy in front of me ... went the right lane then cut across to make a left turn... basically T-bone hit his rear wheel... my bike was totalled..😭 but this is helpful cuz that loss crippled my life for the moment..

[@rubengalaviz2046]

Thanks for your video. Looking to start negotiations today or tomorrow. She asked for my loan payout first. I would think my truck loan has anything to do what my truck is worth. Is this normal negotiating tactic on insurance company part?

[@sirajshakir6694]

Thank you for the informative video, I certainly learned a lot. I recently purchased a 2017 Honda Civic with 14k miles and it is a salvage car but it has a rebuilt title that I created when I bought it out. I got rear ended recently and I am in the beginning process of talking to my insurance. I believe the car is totaled but not sure yet still waiting to hear back. In this case, will my insurance look at the actual value of the car as if it wasn't salvaged or will they lower its value since it is salvaged with a rebuilt title? How can I get a fair settlement? Please help!

[@SmartwebsolutionsCa]

On a rebuilt title, I will let you know. I am going through that right now. They took automatically $3600 off the price of payout on 1st offer. When they go to auction it, people will not bid as high as it was a right off already, and may have unexpected surprises. Here is Canada, they do a government inspection to put it back on the road, and it is not a little inspection. So when a car is repaired, is its value garbage in the insurance companies eyes to make it worth less? I think not, regardless of 1000 dollars or 5 thousand dollars, parts are replaced to make like new, so don't get there rational. We see how it goes.

[@cooperhanson5564]

Thank you for the video. Can someone answer this question. When communicating with the adjuster, will it be one conversation? Or will they hang up and call back? I am nervous they will hang up after I say no to the original offer and come up with something saying I wouldn’t cooperate and just pay out what they want. If someone could let me know how that conversation goes I would greatly appreciate it.

[@neilawad8392]

The insurance company is not moving from the original offer and the offer is to low. I dont know what to do.

[@JoeTchify]

Lawyer

[@Suakko]

What if the kbb value is much lower than the amount it will cost me to replace my vehicle with in a 500 miles radius?

[@Al3xRodriguez]

how will this work if its a brand new car i just purchase and 2 month later i get it total lost. should i ask for the price for it new i cannot find any use one. its a crv 2024 hybrid awd. I'm getting a call in 2 days with a settlement offer. i check all dealers near me and they selling it for 35k.