Bronco Possibly Totaled

[dpAtlanta]

You can always buy back a total loss vehicle from your insurance company and do the repairs on your own.

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[HoosierDaddy]

If you turn a "Their fault" accident into your insurance, even though it was their fault, it is a damn near certainty that they will raise your rates because of the "activity" on your account.

I never would have thought I'd say this, but insurance companies made me into this monster ... if there is an injury, get a lawyer and start the process for a lawsuit immediately.

If you are hit by an uninsured/underinsured driver, you will have to sue your own insurance company.
Sounds crazy, but that's how it goes these days. Otherwise, these powerful companies will have their way with you.
We are learning this the hard way.

My agent was the one who first suggested this, as he had just gone through the same thing with his wife (hit by uninsured driver) and had to sue the company he sells for.
We're talking about one of the majors with some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings ... State Farm.
Yeah, the State Farm that currently has a class action against it for knowingly under-valuing the cars and shafting their own customers.

 

[Steve_In_29]

If you turn a "Their fault" accident into your insurance, even though it was their fault, it is a damn near certainty that they will raise your rates because of the "activity" on your account.

I never would have thought I'd say this, but insurance companies made me into this monster ... if there is an injury, get a lawyer and start the process for a lawsuit immediately.

If you are hit by an uninsured/underinsured driver, you will have to sue your own insurance company.
Sounds crazy, but that's how it goes these days. Otherwise, these powerful companies will have their way with you.
We are learning this the hard way.

My agent was the one who first suggested this, as he had just gone through the same thing with his wife (hit by uninsured driver) and had to sue the company he sells for.
We're talking about one of the majors with some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings ... State Farm.
Yeah, the State Farm that currently has a class action against it for knowingly under-valuing the cars and shafting their own customers.

I have NEVER had that happen

That is why you carry underinsured/uninsured coverage. Just have to be careful of the fine print. For instance in California you have to carry at least twice the coverage of the underinsured driver for your policy to pay. So if you carry the state minimum and the other driver does as well, you are screwed.

 

[CalvinT]

If you turn a "Their fault" accident into your insurance, even though it was their fault, it is a damn near certainty that they will raise your rates because of the "activity" on your account.

I never would have thought I'd say this, but insurance companies made me into this monster ... if there is an injury, get a lawyer and start the process for a lawsuit immediately.

If you are hit by an uninsured/underinsured driver, you will have to sue your own insurance company.
Sounds crazy, but that's how it goes these days. Otherwise, these powerful companies will have their way with you.
We are learning this the hard way.

My agent was the one who first suggested this, as he had just gone through the same thing with his wife (hit by uninsured driver) and had to sue the company he sells for.
We're talking about one of the majors with some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings ... State Farm.
Yeah, the State Farm that currently has a class action against it for knowingly under-valuing the cars and shafting their own customers.

My insurance company didn't raise my rates when I turned it into them under my collision insurance. They went after the other insurance company and my rates did not go up. But then I'm not with Geico, Progressive, Allstate, State Farm or Farmers. Don't know what their policies are.

Before you buy insurance, it's a good idea to talk to a good unaffiliated body shop and ask them which companies they prefer working with. There are huge differences. Of the majors, my shop preferred American Family and USAA. But that's here in Phoenix.

 

[BluebroncoNC]

Be glad the air bags did not deploy. My wife had a similar accident while driving, but the air bag deployed... It broke her left arm.

 

[Iceman62]

FWIW, back on the insurance topic, we've had many hail claims and a few accident fixes (flying debris & other drivers). Rates have never gone up...USAA does a great job for us. Another reason to have good coverage/agency. Hope all works out as you navigate the claim process.

 

[CitrusBronco]

Glad you’re ok and hope your wife is also.
Sucks to see a 2dr v6 go down like this.
I’d push for repair or a buyback price. I’ll be looking for a Bronco in this condition when I’m ready to build a 2dr.

 

[Beach_Bum]

Also not a big fan of the color scheme. Don't hate it, just not for me. I'm pretty sure I've seen a photo of a wrapped Stroppe that didn't look anything like a Stroppe. You also get the painted top, so that's a plus. As a 2dr 2.7 owner, I have run through this exact scenario in my head. Knock on wood. Glad y'all are safe.

I'm a firm believer that people shouldn't be beholden to the livery. I'd buy the Stroppe and send it to be painted.

 

[Roger123]

If you turn a "Their fault" accident into your insurance, even though it was their fault, it is a damn near certainty that they will raise your rates because of the "activity" on your account.

I never would have thought I'd say this, but insurance companies made me into this monster ... if there is an injury, get a lawyer and start the process for a lawsuit immediately.

If you are hit by an uninsured/underinsured driver, you will have to sue your own insurance company.
Sounds crazy, but that's how it goes these days. Otherwise, these powerful companies will have their way with you.
We are learning this the hard way.

My agent was the one who first suggested this, as he had just gone through the same thing with his wife (hit by uninsured driver) and had to sue the company he sells for.
We're talking about one of the majors with some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings ... State Farm.
Yeah, the State Farm that currently has a class action against it for knowingly under-valuing the cars and shafting their own customers.

Our insurance paid out $44K plus on our not at fault accident and our rates dropped $50 at the next renewal. I was shocked, but in a good way, haha.

We did not have to sue our company, we had uninsured motorist coverage and that's what they paid our claim out on.

Every situation is so different and I learned a valuable lesson that 107% of all advice you read on the internet is false.

The only good advice I got, and unfortunately didn't follow, was no matter the circumstances use your own insurance company. But that's internet advice from me so take it for what it's worth.

 

[Steve_In_29]

Glad you’re ok and hope your wife is also.
Sucks to see a 2dr v6 go down like this.
I’d push for repair or a buyback price. I’ll be looking for a Bronco in this condition when I’m ready to build a 2dr.

This is a daily driver and not a dedicated trail rig so no time to spend rebuilding it. Plus I'm only 10 payments into the note so need entire loan paid off

After I got another close up look at my Bronco in the tow yard you can see the damage is worse than it looks in pictures. The front frame rails are both pushed hard over to the passenger side and every body panel and support on front is damaged.

 

[GoHawks63]

I have NEVER had that happen

That is why you carry underinsured/uninsured coverage. Just have to be careful of the fine print. For instance in California you have to carry at least twice the coverage of the underinsured driver for your policy to pay. So if you carry the state minimum and the other driver does as well, you are screwed.

My insurance company didn't raise my rates when I turned it into them under my collision insurance. They went after the other insurance company and my rates did not go up. But then I'm not with Geico, Progressive, Allstate, State Farm or Farmers. Don't know what their policies are.

Before you buy insurance, it's a good idea to talk to a good unaffiliated body shop and ask them which companies they prefer working with. There are huge differences. Of the majors, my shop preferred American Family and USAA. But that's here in Phoenix.

I worked for two major insurance companies (in IT) before retiring from corporate life five years ago.

Most, if not all, insurance companies will look at a claim (regardless of fault) as an "occurrence", along with any moving violations. Depending on the insurance company, and local (state) insurance regulations, the combination of occurrences and moving violations will result in premium increases. This includes even comprehensive claims such as glass.

So, depending on the insurance company and their rating policies, you may not see an increase with your first occurrence, but the next one, again, regardless of fault, will most likely result in an increase. Each occurrence will eventually drop off (i.e. 5 years for a claim and 3 years for a moving violation). I experienced this first had recently when my son was in an accident which was not his fault. The vehicle was fixed with no rate increase. A couple of years later he got a speeding ticket. It was for 10 miles over, so only a couple points. At the next renewal my rates shot up, almost double. When I called my agent, he explained that there were two occurrences within 5 years, the accident and the speeding ticket. At my last renewal the accident from five years ago dropped off and the rates came down significantly.

Some insurance companies offer accident forgiveness for the first claim, but it still gets logged as an occurrence.

Their rationale is that if you are racking up these occurrences, it is a result of a combination of where you live, the roads you drive on, and/or your driving habits that make you a higher risk.

Hence why people who live in urban areas pay higher rates than those who live in rural areas for the most part.

I know because I worked on and led projects that programed those rating algorithms.

 

[dpAtlanta]

I worked for two major insurance companies (in IT) before retiring from corporate life five years ago.

Most, if not all, insurance companies will look at a claim (regardless of fault) as an "occurrence", along with any moving violations. Depending on the insurance company, and local (state) insurance regulations, the combination of occurrences and moving violations will result in premium increases. This includes even comprehensive claims such as glass.

So, depending on the insurance company and their rating policies, you may not see an increase with your first occurrence, but the next one, again, regardless of fault, will most likely result in an increase. Each occurrence will eventually drop off (i.e. 5 years for a claim and 3 years for a moving violation). I experienced this first had recently when my son was in an accident which was not his fault. The vehicle was fixed with no rate increase. A couple of years later he got a speeding ticket. It was for 10 miles over, so only a couple points. At the next renewal my rates shot up, almost double. When I called my agent, he explained that there were two occurrences within 5 years, the accident and the speeding ticket. At my last renewal the accident from five years ago dropped off and the rates came down significantly.

Some insurance companies offer accident forgiveness for the first claim, but it still gets logged as an occurrence.

Their rationale is that if you are racking up these occurrences, it is a result of a combination of where you live, the roads you drive on, and/or your driving habits that make you a higher risk.

Hence why people who live in urban areas pay higher rates than those who live in rural areas for the most part.

I know because I worked on and led projects that programed those rating algorithms.

Good stuff George... reliable knowledge from the inside.

 

[timhood]

I worked for two major insurance companies (in IT) before retiring from corporate life five years ago.

Most, if not all, insurance companies will look at a claim (regardless of fault) as an "occurrence", along with any moving violations. Depending on the insurance company, and local (state) insurance regulations, the combination of occurrences and moving violations will result in premium increases. This includes even comprehensive claims such as glass.

So, depending on the insurance company and their rating policies, you may not see an increase with your first occurrence, but the next one, again, regardless of fault, will most likely result in an increase. Each occurrence will eventually drop off (i.e. 5 years for a claim and 3 years for a moving violation). I experienced this first had recently when my son was in an accident which was not his fault. The vehicle was fixed with no rate increase. A couple of years later he got a speeding ticket. It was for 10 miles over, so only a couple points. At the next renewal my rates shot up, almost double. When I called my agent, he explained that there were two occurrences within 5 years, the accident and the speeding ticket. At my last renewal the accident from five years ago dropped off and the rates came down significantly.

Some insurance companies offer accident forgiveness for the first claim, but it still gets logged as an occurrence.

Their rationale is that if you are racking up these occurrences, it is a result of a combination of where you live, the roads you drive on, and/or your driving habits that make you a higher risk.

Hence why people who live in urban areas pay higher rates than those who live in rural areas for the most part.

I know because I worked on and led projects that programed those rating algorithms.

This is the most accurate information I have read, and follows my understanding, which is why if an accident is not my fault, I don't want my insurance company involved.

Adding to this: insurance companies cannot make you choose their preferred repair shop. They can't pay you less if you don't. Usually their preferred shops provide them with better rates in exchange for increased business. Rather than involving my own insurance company, I'd rather use the "L" word if another insurance company was not being cooperative. ("It's sounds like we are having trouble coming to an understanding. I wonder if I need the assistance of a lawyer to get this resolved." ) Fortunately, I've not had to do that.

Sidebar: If your vehicle is determined to be a total loss, an auto insurance company only has to pay you on the fair market value of your vehicle, plus the sales tax required to purchase a replacement. They search for the most similar vehicles as close to your area as possible, and adjust for mileage, condition, and options. This can mean that you might owe more on your vehicle than the payout you receive for total loss reimbursement.

Also note that if you choose to keep a vehicle that has been deemed a total loss, your payout will be reduced by the salvage value of the vehicle, and the title will be branded as salvaged. This reduces the resale value of your vehicle, but more importantly, might affect how you get it insured, as some insurance companies will not insure branded-title vehicles.

 

[GoHawks63]

Sidebar: If your vehicle is determined to be a total loss, an auto insurance company only has to pay you on the fair market value of your vehicle, plus the sales tax required to purchase a replacement. They search for the most similar vehicles as close to your area as possible, and adjust for mileage, condition, and options. This can mean that you might owe more on your vehicle than the payout you receive for total loss reimbursement.

Also note that if you choose to keep a vehicle that has been deemed a total loss, your payout will be reduced by the salvage value of the vehicle, and the title will be branded as salvaged. This reduces the resale value of your vehicle, but more importantly, might affect how you get it insured, as some insurance companies will not insure branded-title vehicles.

Correct. I was going to mention this, but my post was already getting we bit long.

Buying back a vehicle will almost always result in the title being branded as salvage and many companies will not insure a vehicle with a branded title. Those that do may make you may make you jump through hoops to ensure the vehicle is road worthy for obvious reasons. They don't want to assume the risk that if not repaired properly.

A vehicle totaled because of hail damage is different than a vehicle that was in a major accident may be treated differently. Again, depends on how risk-averse a company is.

 

[GoHawks63]

This is the most accurate information I have read, and follows my understanding, which is why if an accident is not my fault, I don't want my insurance company involved.

Adding to this: insurance companies cannot make you choose their preferred repair shop. They can't pay you less if you don't. Usually their preferred shops provide them with better rates in exchange for increased business. Rather than involving my own insurance company, I'd rather use the "L" word if another insurance company was not being cooperative. ("It's sounds like we are having trouble coming to an understanding. I wonder if I need the assistance of a lawyer to get this resolved." ) Fortunately, I've not had to do that.

Forgot to comment on this part as well.

What you stated is correct. The advantage you as the insured get by going to a preferred shop is what is intended to be a no-hassle experience. When picking up your vehicle, all you do is pay your deductible. The body shop bills the insurance company for the rest. Whereas if you go with your own shop, you have to wait for a check from the insurance company and depending on if there is a lien on the vehicle, might be made to both you and the lienholder. You then have to sign over that check, along with one for your deductible to the body shop.

Also, most insurance companies (at least the ones I worked for) will offer a lifetime warranty on the repairs if you went to their preferred body shop. If you go to your own shop and the workmanship wasn't right, it's between you and the bodyshop.

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