3 Best Ways to Dispute And Win Total Loss Car Insurance – This article is about how to Dispute an Insurance Total Loss on a Car. The topic came up when one of our subscribers, Peter wrote in saying this: “I was driving on the highway when an SUV in front of me swerved to avoid hitting a deer. I hit it instead. The damage was bad, but not too bad for a good mechanic who could have fixed it up in no time and only cost $1000 or so! But that’s not how my insurance company saw things.
They were all about how much this car is worth and what kind of repairs would be needed – as if they thought I didn’t know better than them. Finally, after weeks of waiting around on their decision, they declared the car totaled – which means they’re going to pay me for the value of my car rather than repairing it themselves! That’s unacceptable because of the fact that it’s not my fault.
I don’t want to be compensated for what they think is fair, I just need them to fix this car so I get back on my way.” After weeks of waiting around and getting nowhere with their decision-making process, Peter got in touch with us asking for advice.
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3 Best Ways to Dispute And Win Total Loss Car Insurance
This is what we told him, and the insurance company paid out for the repairs. Today you are going to learn how to dispute an insurance total loss on a car. This short article will teach you what the term means, why it’s important, and how you can do it yourself in less than 30 minutes.
So if your insurance company told you that your vehicle was totaled or written-off after they inspected it, make sure that this won’t be the case by read this article now! Don’t miss this.
Please note, this article is not intended as legal information and does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, contact a licensed attorney Confrontation/Rising action (what we promise them) Takes Us To The Climax (around 750 word count). If you have been in an accident and your car is totaled, call your insurance company as soon as possible.
They will ask for information about your vehicle including year, make, model and a description of damage. Your representative may begin calculating whether or not they think it’s a total loss but won’t necessarily tell you that they’re doing these calculations.
The insurance company will start to calculate the likelihood that your case is a total loss, but won’t necessarily tell you this.
This can be frustrating because you don’t know if they are working with their own best interests or yours. Once this has been done, wait for their response as they will either offer to pay out in full or negotiate with you over what kind of settlement percentage would work best for both parties involved. You then wait for a decision from the insurance company. If you are not happy with the insurance company’s decision, fear not! You can dispute a total loss and save thousands of dollars and a huge amount of inconvenience.
How do you dispute total loss?
I’ll show you now.
Get your vehicle records in order.
It’s possible that the insurance company undervalued your car in their report.
If you believe this to be true, gather and copy any records of a recent repair or estimate before filing for an appeal with them! Your records should include: Any additional options your vehicle has The service history Any proof of regular maintenance And Any ways you improved your vehicle.
Next, do some research. Read : Disability Insurance for Millennials 101
If you think your insurer undervalued your vehicle or over-priced the cost of repair, check out Kelley Blue Book. Kelley Blue Book is a good place to start if they undervalued it or overpriced repairs when estimating the value of your vehicle after an accident.
KBB lets you calculate valuations of your vehicle based on condition and location, as well as offer prices from sellers in different areas with similar cars like yours for sale online and in newspapers.
Finally, get written quotes from mechanics who are qualified to work on your vehicle model.
Remember though, vehicle owners are often shocked to learn that their vehicle has depreciated significantly since they bought it. Remember that the resale value of your vehicle, not the price you paid for it, determines its worth. Don’t get a shock!
You can see now that what I am showing you will make sure you are not taken advantage of by any insurance companies. Knowledge is power my friend. After this next segment, you’ll be armed with what you need to get your insurance company reverse their decision.
The next step is to submit all your research to the insurance company. At this point, they will either agree with your findings or they will deny them.
Submit all of the records, evidence, and research
Submit all of the records, evidence, and research that you have done on this claim and see if it matches up with what their adjuster’s records show as well, then wait for a response from the insurance company before moving forward in any other way. At this point, they will either agree with your findings or they will deny them. The insurance company will then send you a letter in the mail with their decision. If they deny your claim, then move onto this next step. Keep watching, as if all these steps come up blank for you I’ve got a BIG trick up my sleeve for you that should only be used as a last resort.
Call your insurance company and negotiate.
Never accept their first offer. Insurance companies are powerful people. They have money and that’s what you need to decide to either repair your car or buy a new one – if they deem yours as totaled, but the thing is if you can wait it out then there might be some power in waiting them out because insurance adjusters are often under pressure to settle cases quickly and when adjusting for negotiations, their discretion has been reported to increase settlement amounts by up-to $500!
Use this against them. Read : 10 Best Tips to Get Settled To Pay Insurance Adjuster
You are now forcing them to do more research and be more thorough in their work or face penalties. What I am going to tell you now is gold. You are now forcing the insurance company to do more research and be more thorough in their work or face penalties. IE – give you what you want.
In your negotiations say you are sick and tired of going back and forward and your time has a monetary value on it and you’re considering filing an official complaint at the Department Of Insurance if they don’t come to some sort agreement with what is fair for both parties involved in this situation.
Insurance companies are required by law to settle claims in good faith. If you believe that your insurer has acted in bad faith, submitting a complaint with the state’s Department of Insurance is an excellent way for them to take action on it and investigate potential fraud or violations of statute. Insurance Companies can be held liable if they act unreasonably when settling their customers’ insurance disputes; however, complaining about this unfair treatment doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth when you know you are in the right. Patience is key!
Want another quick tip on How to Dispute an Insurance Total Loss on a Car? This one is good. Use emotion when contacting the insurance company.
Another subscriber, Jenny told us this story on how she got on her insurer’s good side..
My car was totaled and I’ve been paying for my insurance on time every month, but apparently that wasn’t enough. The insurance company said they weren’t going to pay anything because the accident was my fault! It’s hard enough getting around without a vehicle as it is, so I can’t afford not having one either.
But when I talked to them about how much this meant to me, suddenly the tone changed and it seemed like they were understanding what this situation meant for me. They told me that in these situations their concern is always with the customer first and foremost which helped ease my mind. Whilst I wait they have been given a courtesy car whilst mine is in the shop.
Now we’re just waiting for an estimate of repairs from our mechanic so we can move forward with everything – hopefully soon things will be back to normal” When you emphasize the emotional aspect of your argument, Value Penguin says that people are more inclined to believe what you’re saying. Talk about how it’s hard for me to get around without my vehicle, such as picking up the kids, going shopping and getting to work.
Get the protection you deserve and have been paying for.
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