Total Loss of Car | twice

by Sha
(Columbia, SC)

I was in an accident some months back in my 2000 Plymouth Breeze. The insurance company claimed my car was totaled, I didn’t let them total my car and I received some money and got the car fixed.

My friend just got in an accident Dec 31, 2008 with my car. The accident was not his fault she was in the wrong. The insurance company said it’s totaled once again because both air bags came out and the radiator has a hole in it. I was wondering am I still able to receive some type of money for the car to help pay for a new car even thought they tried to total loss it in the first accident?

Answer:

Hello Sha,

I am sorry to hear about your situation. I am not 100% sure that I am understanding your question correctly. I can see 2 difference scenarios happening here, so I will answer both.

1. Your car was NOT declare a total loss in the first accident (you wrote that you did not let them total the car in 2000). If this is the case, then you will be entitled to the full fair market value of the on the date of the accident. They will argue that the prior accident depreciates your car, but you need to point out that the car was fixed back to “normal” condition. They should not give you much of a problem here. You are however entitled to a full settlement.

2. Your car was declared a total loss in the first accident, you kept and fixed it, and not it was totaled again. If this is the situation, the insurance company will try to give you the price of your car as a “salvaged vehicle.” What this means is that they will try to pay you what your car is worth as “scraps.”

You cannot allow for this! Your car was not scraps and you need to show how the car was a repaired salvage vehicle, not the same as a salvage vehicle nor scraps. The insurance company will argue that your car does not have a good retail value (not many people want to car with a totaled title), but you can show that the car was fixed and that someone would pay more than simple scraps!

If you are in either of those situations, I suggest you get this eBook, there are a bunch of tips there that can be of help to you:

http://www.auto-accident-blog.com/go/Total-Loss-Ebook.php

Also visit:

http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com/totaling-a-vehicle.html

Good Luck