Hi,

I have a 93 Taurus wagon, 3.8, 145k miles

A short time ago while my daughter was driving the car was struck on
the right side by a van entering a traffic circle. Damage was
superficial, RR door creased slightly, and same crease runs on to RR
quarter panel around the front of the wheel arch.

Car was declared "totalled" by other driver's insurance company. They
offer:

1) They take possession of the car and pay me $1676

2) I can keep the car and they pay me $1464, but I must have the car
inspected by MD State police ($25) and get new "Salvage" title ($60).
Whole process expected to take 4 - 6 weeks waiting for processing by
opposition insurance company and MD DMV.

I don't know what the vehicle will be worth with a salvage title so am
unsure whether I should keep the car. If I keep the car we plan to
sell it and upgrade to a Honda Civic/Toyota Corolla for my daughter.

Anybody been through this process or know the likely value of a
salvage title car compared to one with a clean title. KBB for a clean
title is $1500 or thereabouts.

Al Moodie.

One is NEVER required by law to transfer their vehicle to an insurance
company, unless it pays you the salvage value.

You do not need to re-title any car just because it was in an accident.
Insurance companies "total" a vehicle when the cost of the repair exceeds
the value of the vehicle.

Lets say the value of an "X" model year vehicle is $10,000 and the exact
same vehicle that is one year older is $7,000. They both have the exact
same damage, that is superficial and does not effect the safety of that
vehicle. Both are drivable after the accident. When the adjuster
determines the damage to both is $8 000, they will repair the "X" model and
"total" the one year older vehicle.

If the damage is as you described, one does not even need to repair that
type of damage, as long as one can open and close the door(s.)


"Al Moodie" <nospam (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote

Al Moodie <nospam (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote in
news:en9ud5dhcns2s79a4s76t07c79hmks4gj3 (AT) 4ax (DOT) com:

if you are going to get rid of it anyway just take the money. KB

--
THUNDERSNAKE #9

Protect your rights or "Lose" them
The 2nd Admendment guarantees the others

Kevin wrote:
So basically, what you really need to know is what is the street value
of the car? How much, in its condition, can you expect to get for it
with a 4-sale sign on it? Take that number and weigh in the cost for
the inspection, salvage title, $200 difference between the payoffs, plus
whatever you feel your time is worth to run around getting all this
done, plus storage and loss of the vehicle for th 4-6 weeks (if it has
to sit). If your going to advertise in the paper or online, factor that
in as well. Based on that, only you can answer if it's worth it, but if
it were me, it'd have to have a walk-up street value of $2500-3K to be
worth the hassle...

IYM

"IYM" wrote...
Well put. I'd say take the $1676 for it and be done with it.

I'd expect to get no more than $1000 out of it by putting it up for sale.
This assumes it's in good shape though, so the damage probably drops that
down quite a bit, even if it isn't structural damage. Probably gets haggled
down to $500.

- Chris

Hi,

Sad end to this tale. Yesterday 21 October my daughter was involved in
another accident, a car pulled out of a side road without stopping and
she braodsided it. Was wearing her seatbelt and her airbag deployed.
Taken to hospital, CT scans, etc, bumps and bruises only.

Taurus front smashed in badly, economically unrepearable, end of
story. Thanks all for your input.

"Al Moodie" <nospam (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote

Dang, sorry to hear somebody else ran into her.

Good to see that the airbags still worked after 16 years.

You are in luck, the owner of the vehicle that pulled out is now responsible
for your total loss so you no longer have the collision deductible to worry
about.


"Al Moodie" <nospam (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote

On Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:16:19 -0400, "Mike Hunter"
<Mikehunt2@lycos,com> wrote:

The insurance company did get title to the vehicle.
Vehicle has Kelly Blue Book value of $1500 approx.
Vehicle is involved in accident, superficial damage, but cost of
repair is $2500
Insurance company declares car a total loss, they offer to take the
car and title from me and pay me $1500
or
I can keep the car and they pay me $1400.
To get the $1400 insurance company says I must send them the title,
which they will send to Maryland DMV which will brand the title as
salvage.
Then before I can drive the car with a salvage title I must take t to
have it inspected by Maryland State Police ($25)
Insurance company says all of the above is required to comply with MD
State law. Sounds weird to me but I don't know.

But now with the second accident the car is undriveable and
economicaly unrepairable, it seems that BOTH insurance companies want
the title so they can brand it "Salvage", which it now definately is.
I am told by the first insurance company that they will have to
co-ordinate with the second insurance company to ensure that the title
declared salvage, a bureaucratic maze.

Sorry first line of last post should read:

The insurance company did NOT get title to the vehicle.

Al Moodie.