Hi,I was in a car accident with my 2003 camry on thanksgiving.Tried to avoid hitting the driver ahead of me when he suddenly stopped on the freeway, and instead lost control and hit another car.I have not been told yet if the car will be totaled, but with both air bags out and the front badly damaged, I think that it will be.I just wanted to know the kind of payment I should expect since I was told by a lawyer already that my insurance comp.(infiniti) is the worst ever.My car is in good condition with 74000 miles.Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Answers from the Automotive Experts
Dear Janeviv,
You may need to remind your attorney that he/she is working FOR you as a client. Your insurance is also supposed to indemnify you in cases such as this. You are entitled to the $$ to replace the like kind and condition of your vehicle. Not what the insurance company always thinks. Do your own research on the value to replace your car. In some states you may also be reimbursed for the sales tax payable for a similar replacement vehicle. Your attorney should know this information. Also rely on your agent (that sold you the policy in the first place) to work on your behalf to see that you are "indemnified" to cover all that the policy covers. Jennifer
Go to kbb.com and enter the details of your car. This is a good source for the value of your car. If the car was paid for, you should get a check sent to you for the value. You may also want to check NADA for a value for your car. Don*t sign any documents from the insurance company until you are happy with the amount that they will pay you.
You can get this info several ways, first log in to Edmunds.com and input your car info for an estimate value, talk to your local Toyota Dealer to get an estimate for replacement (be sure to ask for it in writing). This can be used for negotiation purposes. You can also check out Kelly Blue Books web site. You don't have to accept the first offer from your insurance company if you have proof that the vehicle is worth more than they are offering. Insist they replace the vehicle in kind or pay you the amount of money it woult take to do so. They will definitely give you a lower offer than you need to accept the first time around, do not be afraid to negotiate...but have all your info in hand to prove your point.