> I used to go through this all the time when my daily driver was a 1970
> Cadillac. I also have Geico and I wound up doing the NADA value thing. In
> the unlikely event of a total loss you might have to fight with an
adjuster
> but those fights can be won by producing evidence as to the actual value
of
> the car. I've heard several first hand stories of insurance companies
trying
> to give insureds with totaled classic cars WAY less than the real world
> value of the car.
I used to have GEICO(now I have USAA) and I had to laugh when I had an
accident with my 1985 Police Package(9C1) Chevrolet Impala. The basic damage
was a "Daytona Stripe" down nearly the entirety of the passenger side, and
area 10 feet long by about 6 inched high, mainly scraped paint with a small
crease. The only damage which required absolute replacement was the cracked
corner lamp lens on the front! They stated the current value of my car was
$200 more than the damage, and they were going to total the car, and give me
a check for $700! They actually expected to do this with the car drivable,
and only cosmetically disrupted! I looked at the appraiser as if he was
crazy, told him where to go, and what to do with the check(involved some
blowing out of a sensitive area...) and that my car still had life left in
her. That car now has in the area of(and probably more than) 300k miles on
her! About 75k more than when the accident occurred! I repaired her with
some touch up paint, and drove her till a friend bought her. (Wish I hadn't
sold that car.)
Scott
(PS- the car I sideswiped while trying to avoid, which had caused the whole
4 car wreck, was totaled- the front end smashed in, and I took off the left
rear corner clean! That girl's 3rd major accident in several months!)
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