Printer Friendly Forum Posts - dealing with insurance adjusters

i need some solid advice about dealing with an insurance adjuster ,my truck was wrecked and while it is phisicaly repairable it will probably be toataled out as far as insurance goesso what should I do if i want to keep it and fix it my self (its a very cherry 1990 ranger xlt)

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MCKEERFD

I would check local junk yards for prices on repair parts and then tell the adjuster that you only want to claim as much as you can without "totalling" the truck. Because if the insurance company totals the truck and you "buy it back" from them, it will have a "salvage" title and only be worth about half of book value. Depending on the damage, you stand to make out very well profit wise.... I wrecked my first truck, and after it was all said and done i got an $8K paint job, all new aftermarket parts, and a little extra spending cash, all on my insurance companies tab. OH, do as much work as you can yourself!!! you will save hundreds on labor charges and be able to buy more parts!!! Hope this helps.....

get outta here. if the truck is wrecked that much too need that much work, most likly the insurance company is goin to want an invoice from a body shop showing that they fixed it. i used to work in a body shop, and went to college for it. They may let you buy it back and fix it, but i highly doubt they'll do what layinframe suggests. plus... im not even sure if you can spend $8K on a paint job? unless you get hosed? maybe, i dont know. i do all my own work, and never seen one even close to that. as for aftermarket parts. i dont know where your truck was hit, but do yourself a favor. most likly aftermarket parts DO NOT fit like factory. especially fenders and bumpers. seriously ive fought with these things for hours, only to drill new holes to make them fit. if you do do it yourself. just either use mostly factory parts or parts out of a junk yard. hope this helps.

i work at a body shop so i know a great deal about this. The insurance company can sell it back to you and you can fix it up yourself. If you buy it back from them you can do the work on your own and get it looking real good, the only problem is the salvage title but if you plan on keeping the truck, that shouldnt matter. If you dont plan on keeping the truck then i would just let them total it out and not go through all of the hassle, but that is just me.

hey guys i think i should tell you that I have experience with this ranger it was wrecked once before and it cost $2200 to fix in a body shop and they missed things that mattered like the ball joint that was damagedand the front end wouldnt aline because of it I had to trouble shoot the problem my self and fix it

the truck went into perfect alinment imedeatly on the replacement and the damage was similar to what happend this time a good freind of mine tells me that i can have it drivable for about $500 w/o paint $1100-1300w/paint,provided I do the work my self.

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MCKEERFD

noakes75- yes it is very easy to spend 8k on a paintjob with the right kind of paint the base coat alone can be around 250/ pint of paint so it is very easy to spend 8k on a piant job

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Madison Davis

Davis Kustomz'

1995 Ford F150 Ext CAB
Panasonic CQ-HR1003U
Pioneer 6.5s and 6x8's
(4) Memphis Audio POwer Reference 15" subs
(2) Memphis Audio MC-1500D
SPL reading TBD

oh and as for your truck if you decide to buy it back from them with a salvage title then in order to sell it all or even for a trade you must have a dealers' license and its expensive so good luck

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Madison Davis

Davis Kustomz'

1995 Ford F150 Ext CAB
Panasonic CQ-HR1003U
Pioneer 6.5s and 6x8's
(4) Memphis Audio POwer Reference 15" subs
(2) Memphis Audio MC-1500D
SPL reading TBD

first, i'm not a pro.
2nd, i'd talk with your insurance company about it; they may allow you to buy it back without the salvage title, i know it's possible.
as far as a dealer's license to sell a salvage title car, that must be a thing in a state, but not most states. My father in law has bought, fixed, and sold salvage cars in quite a few states.

so, check w/ the DMV about selling salvage title cars, your insurance company about buying it back w/ out salvage title

good luck! :)

yea, ive wrecked cars and bought them back myself, and repaired them. so, i dont know if youd have to have a dealers license. proberly a state thing. and gangaspeed, im kinda curious, what comany makes 250/pint paint? the most expensive i know is HOK and their most expensive stuff is 375/quart but thats not base. its the camilion (sorry i cant spell too good lol)

sikkens makes paint that is that expensive it is a heat sensitive ( i mean that when you touch it and make it hot it changes colors some very trick stuff for a very trick price) but it is easy to have an 8k paint job

i just painted a 1073 corvette and all it was was a base clear operation and it was nothing special just a deep red no metal flake or nething and the bill cam up 1375 not including labor or nething just materials

and as for the dealers title thing yes it is a state thing i looked into it today it is for basically MO only

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Madison Davis

Davis Kustomz'

1995 Ford F150 Ext CAB
Panasonic CQ-HR1003U
Pioneer 6.5s and 6x8's
(4) Memphis Audio POwer Reference 15" subs
(2) Memphis Audio MC-1500D
SPL reading TBD

and sorry i meant per quart not pint wtf was i thinking

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Madison Davis

Davis Kustomz'

1995 Ford F150 Ext CAB
Panasonic CQ-HR1003U
Pioneer 6.5s and 6x8's
(4) Memphis Audio POwer Reference 15" subs
(2) Memphis Audio MC-1500D
SPL reading TBD

umm. never heard of that heat paint your talkin of. id like to see that. sounds sick as hell

8K on a paint job is nothing....I was at world of wheels last year, and the House of Kolors truck had over $20K worth of paint!! like gangaspeed said, it depends on what the paint job entails... As for aftermarket parts, i agree, they take a little more work to fit, sometimes, but if you buy name brand aftermarket the most you should have to do is make a new pilot hole, or shim a bolt or two... I've never heard of the insurance company asking for a receipt from the body shop, only estimates, but thats not to say they won't...every company is different.

a little feedback on what you wanna do would help narrow things down and get you better advise, instead of us throwin out ideas you may not even like.....

i cant find a website on the heat sensitive paint but the phone number is 1-816-221-9660 the name of the business is Spray Paint and Equipment the address is 1908 Truman Rd IN Kansas CIty, MIssouri

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Madison Davis

Davis Kustomz'

1995 Ford F150 Ext CAB
Panasonic CQ-HR1003U
Pioneer 6.5s and 6x8's
(4) Memphis Audio POwer Reference 15" subs
(2) Memphis Audio MC-1500D
SPL reading TBD