I got in a car accident , no fault of my own. The guy who hit me has no insurance, the insurance co. wants to tatol my car but I have only had my car for 5 months and am paying a note. I found out ithey are going to send the check to the bank I pay to. Because it's the law. Is there any way I can get out of this can I maybe get another quote for the work, will they cut a check then anybody out there please

When it is totalled I don't think they go by a repair quote by that time they are looking at value like the Kelly bluebook value.

You can try getting another estimate but you will be out the money to move the car and you'll have to pay were it is for there storage.you can talk to the collision center were its at now,when they are doing an estimate <im not an expert my wife is a collision manager> anyway when they are doing the estimate and punching in fiqures they reach a top end and it comes up totaled.you can talk to them and ask how close your car was to being totalled.if its in the thousands than your really a total if its several hundred you can dig into questions like are you fiquring in aftermarket parts,etc etc see where they might have made a mistake.you'r insurance will dictate what replacement parts are to be used <lot of people don't know that> but long story short if you are close to that threshold of totaling there are something's you can do.

Was the car brand new? Did you have gap insurance?

If the car is totaled by the insurance company, it was for good reason.

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Originally Posted by danielnoahsmommy

if the car is totaled by the insurance company, it was for good reason.

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Insurance companies don't total cars the estimator at the shop that wrote the estimate does it

Where I live an insurance agent goes to where the car is and examines it for himself and does not, from my experience ask for an estimate. They are knowledgeable on how much repairs cost! I did not desearve that redie, just because your experience was different than mine!

I'll give you a balance when I have spread the rep.
I know an insurance adjuster used to come out but nowadays they don't send them for some of the less major things.
Anyway the insurance company or whoever it was is a technicality someone had to have declared it totalled.

Here's a greenie until I can get enough spread around for the real deal.:D

Nohelp4u thank you!

It depends on what damages your car sustained. Some, although they seem very minor to the average driver, may significantly alter the safety of the vehicle or the cost of repairs may exceed the car's value. The insurance company is not going to pay to for repairs that cost more than the car is worth.

The insurance company is required to send the payment directly to the lienholder because they are technically the owner, not you. Just be thankful that you had the necessary coverage (Uninsured Motorist Coverage) to pay the bank because otherwise you'd be responsible for the cost of the repairs and you'd have to continue to pay the bank for an undriveable car.

You can always choose to salvage the vehicle but then you'd be responsible for the repairs out of pocket (because the insurance co has already paid the bank). I honestly wouldn't recommend this because it'd be very difficult for you to ever be able to sell/trade in the car because now in the days of Carfax reports, it will show that the car was once reported a total loss.

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Originally Posted by zippit

insurance companies dont total cars the estimator at the shop that wrote the estimate does it

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zippit, I think this was a matter of semantics; we know what danielnoahsmommy meant whether she said estimator/insurance company. The point is what we've all agreed upon, the repairs presumably exceed the car's value as the reason why the car was declared a total loss.

Yeah my old boyfriend use to have to repair totalled cars that the owners insisted they wanted restored anyway. They had to pay the difference and if the frame is bent then there is absolutely no fixing it without it costing a ton.

Hello n:

The bank will get their money, so they'll be happy. I'll bet you can buy the car from the body shop for the money they're out- maybe a couple hundred $$'s. Then you can get a salvage title and fix the car the best you can.

excon