When you drop all coverage except what is required by law, this is exactly what can happen. In accidents that are someone else’s fault, you are on your own.
I guess that depends on the insurance company…I’ve been in a accident…and my car just had liability…and my insurance company (state farm) negotiated for me.
I’ve read through the replies, and here’s what I can offer:
It seems like from what you have said, your car had no previous damage to it before the other party rammed into your car. Is this true? Was there no other damage to the car before the accident?
If there wasn’t any damage, all you need to do is get 2 or three people who know you and your car (your mechanic, your friend at work, your neighbors, etc) who would be willing to either sign a statement that gets notarized, or to talk to the other parties insurance company over the phone, and tell them directly that before the accident, your car was undamaged. Its just that simple.
Once you get that, call the other insurance company, and tell them that you had a real good laugh at their offer of $50, and you are expecting them to send you a check for the full market value of purchasing another equal car, with similar mileage and options, and you have found xx number of cars on Craig’s List near you, and that you want to purchase whichever one has the second highest value. Inform them that you have X number of people that are willing to legally declare that the damage that your car suffered was not on the car prior to the accident, and that are ready and willing for them to settle the issue quickly.
Tell them that if they don’t, you will be forced to go to the State’s Insurance Regulatory Board, and discuss this with them, and determine what other avenues there are to proceed, but that you are not willing to accept anything less than $XXXX, as that is the loss their client has incurred onto you.
Tell them they have 24 hours to accept your request, otherwise you will then immediately contact the State’s Insurance Regulatory Board, and proceed with that course of action.
This has worked me me and my friends countless times now.
BC.
Hi glad you were not hurt. Consider calling 3 to 5 used car dealers in your area an asked them to tell you what they would of sold your car for based on its condition an millage. Be sure to get the sales reps name and once armed with the actual cash/ market value present this to the insurance carrier with a 10 day time demand. "upon receipt of this correspondence pay me X$ and list the dealers information an sales person . This market survey will give you idea what the car was worth. The salvage fee is if you want to retain the salvage car as otherwise the insurance company will sell it for the fee this offsets cost to the insurer. Be sure to include the storage costs too… If there was preexisting damage to the car be sure to tell the used car people so their valuation is realistic.