Need advice! Insurance Q's, Here's one I wish I didn't have to ask! Options

[East coaster]

My nephew was involved in an accident with his (my old) really nice pristine '71 914. This is a really clean original car. The only things non-stock on this car are the 914-6 front end/rear hubs and the fuchs. It was original paint and was in really sweet shape. Today, someone backed into it with a mini-van while he was waiting at a light. It looks like it needs at least a hood, bumper, bumper rubber, foglight grills and the obvious body work to the front end. The alignment still feels OK, but the lights have popped up indicating the unibody was bent. I can't open the hood to investigate further without removing the bumper and I didn't want to mess with anything until I figure out how to deal with this from an insurance perspective.

I'm looking for advice on how to proceed with the insurance company. The other driver readily admitted he was in the wrong and received a ticket. So how do we make sure that it gets repaired correctly?? I can just see some hacker shop throwing a resprayed non color matched hood and trying to straighten the bumper and saying it's OK. This car really deserves to fixed correctly and I need advice on how to get that accomplished. I'm also afraid that if the repair estimate is too high, they'll want to total it?? How do you walk that thin line??

If it comes down to needing a professional appraisal of this car to fight with the insurance company, is anyone here qualified to do this??

Help! Here's pics.......

[East coaster]

another (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[East coaster]

mbmbn

[East coaster]

This pic shows a crease in the hood trim rail behind the headlight. This was caused by the whole center of the front end being pushed back. The gusset where the headlight motor attaches didn't give and the crease occured there.

[East coaster]

last one.......

[4WheelDrifter]

Sorry about the car, sucks when some braindead driver ruins a nice car.



Have the car repaired at a restoration shop would be my bet and not some regular autobody shop. One that specializes in P cars would be good too.

[iiibdsiil]

Talk to the body shop. Have them find out what the line is between totaled and not, and have them work with you.

For instance, my body shop once was soldering a wiring harness together because the harness would have thrown the car into totaled zone. So, the customer talked to them, and that's what they did for him.

Maybe you can do something similar. Like find a hood here, then have the repair shop say "Oh, we have a hood for $50" or whatever the case may be.

- Brett Smith

[TheCabinetmaker]

20 years ago a guy hit me from behind. I was at a stop turning left. His brakes went out( yes, I checked myself). His insurance co. totaled my car, and offered me 2300 bucks. My body shop said 4300 to repair. They refused to offer to settle, but said
"we'll find you a replacement". I said ok. Heres a pic of my car before. find me one just as nice. Five days later they called and said "We can't even find a 914 for sale". My next question was " If you can't find a replacement, how can you put a value on the car? your client just ruined a car that could increase in value every year". They asked what I wanted. I answered, "fix my car". they said no way. I said ok, my next pjone call will be to my atorney. The next day they called back and told me to "take the car to the shop of my choice, and send then the bill". They don't want to get attorneys involved.

Contact Rich918s.

Best of luck, Curt

[Rouser]

If the repair estimate exceeds the minivan knucklehead's insurance company's repair/value cutoff (around 50% of the vehicle's true value; some are higher, some lower) for the year/make/model, they're going to write it off as a total.

The insurance company's ready to lowball the 914's value (it's not like it just rolled out a restoration shop's garage) to under-$4K as it is, and you're going to argue it's worth more than that. They don't want to cut a check for damages that might creep up once the body shop gets to fixing it, and if they can write-off the vehicle (remember the lowball), they probably already have some P-car wrecking yard lined up to bid on the hulk.

With insurance companies, it's all in the numbers ...

[tod914]

There is John and Ray Paterak in Chatham NJ. Think that is abit far. But, they specialize in restorations.
John does PCA National concours, and has a few Pebble Beach tropheys. Mostly 356's though. Hourly rate I think is around $80. Much higher than what your insurance will allow. Creative coachworks in Dover, NJ also does decent work. Scott Lennon is the owner. They do alot of Porsche stuff.
I would be addiment about new parts too. Can always take the person to small claim courts to recoop your losses/dimishing value of car. If they decide to total it, you can usually work out a very good buy back. Maybe $250 or something.
Sorry for your misfortune. If you can't find the numbers I get them for you.

GL

Tod

[EdwardBlume]

My advise is take it or ship it to a Porsche specialist or a shop that specializes in 914, 356, 911s etc. Otherwise, you may be spending whatever cash you get for a so so job, and then end up redoing it. Even if you have to come out of pocket some, get it done right.

$0.02

[GWN7]

Up here the writeoff point is 75% of the appraised value. So if the car is $5,000 you should be good to $3,750 worth of damages. Plus the other driver was a fault so, he could be held responsible for all damages.

[Howard]

Here you go. I'm an insurance broker in CA and while the policy forms and laws may be a touch different, same basic stuff applies.

First question. Do you carry collision coverage on the car? If so, it may be easier to collect from your own company since they're not an adversary. You pay the deductible, they pay the rest, then you give them the right to go after the other party (subrogate, in insurance BS). They collect all from the other company, including your deductible.

Even if you deal with the other company, the SOP is pretty much the same. They try to find the 'actual cash value' of the car. You can help in this regard by visiting collectorcar.com or similar and find out what the asking price on a car of like kind and quality. Figure you could probably get it for 15% by haggling, add tax, license and any other fees and you will be able to give them a number.

I don't advise fixing the car if the damage exceeds 70% of that number, since once they take it apart, you may find some previously unseen old car issues.

Love doing estimates from 3000 miles away, so take this FWIW. A nice 71 would have an ACV of about $5000. Your's looks better than that, but that's a good starting point. You have about $2200 damage at body shop rates, so car should not be anywhere close to a total.

Here's a $2500 job. Suzi lost the battle to a Ford Pickup. New hood, bumper, and valence. Pull unit pody straight, one new headlight assy, marker lites, front grills, etc. Since the paint was over 10 years old, I sprung another $900 to paint the rest of the car.

I can't legally represent you in this, but email if you want more help. I can certainly talk to the adjustor and provide values.

[Howard]

Here's the after. Car was orig yellow so returned it. Sure glad I sprung the extra $$

[rick 918-S]

If your unlike most of us you have a stated value policy with Haggerty or someone,, ya right. Most likely you only have a liability policy on your old car like the rest of us. So Your best bet is to contact the other drivers carrier. They may ask you for a recorded statement, maybe not.. I always do. This is to determine the extent of liability and or comparetive neglegents. You should have information about value. Don't bother with Kelley online or NADA online. they are generic prices for across the country not area specific. check the library for an NADA for your area. Get real pricing for cars currently in the market. Classifieds here, Pelican, collectorcartraderonline, any othe sources . This will make it easier for the adjuster. You are entitled to retain salvage if it totals. You can counter offer but base your counter on facts don't counter just because you don't agree with the offer to settle. Let us know what happens as things progress.

[Don Wohlfarth]

CAUTION, you may not want to hear this.
Depends on your nephew's insurance policy. If it's a standard policy he's got a big problem. The dumbass driver's insurance company will total the car. ACV will make you cringe when it comes into the settlement but that's what's written into the standard policy and that's all they'll pay. After the insurance company sets ACV they have a very little wiggle room for a nice car or a rust bucket.
Ins co will say the car is 33 years old and is worth X dollars. If the car was worth XXX dollars you should have had a stated valve policy as the policy you purchased only covers ACV.
Someone posted Paterik charges $80 but the ins co will only pay $30, anything else and you need a stated value policy.
Howard made some good points but IMHO you start getting into $2500 range and the ins co will total the car.
The absolutely worse thing is we get emotionally attached to these cars and we're dealing with someone who could care less. At 5 o'clock they go home while we sit and sweat about getting our baby back on the road.
I hope things work out to make you whole but I think your chances are better winning the lottery.

[East coaster]

Howard, Would I be jeopardizing anything by removing the bumper and pulling the front end out a little to be able to open the hood and better gauge the damage? I'm concerned about doing this before someone from the ins co looks at it?????

BTW - I really appreciate everyone's advice, whether it's good news or bad!

We'll figure out a way to put this car back to what it was.

[Howard]

Remove the bumper if you can do so without causing any additional damage.

Rich hit it right on. Lots of options. Figure out what you want before negotiating, get prepared, and give the adjuster a good reason to settle for what you want and not be critcized by his supervisor.

As Don says, he just wants to go home at 5 and could care less about your dilemma. But remember, you are chasing the other driver, not his insurance company. If his company makes a lousy offer, you can refuse it and go to small claims court against the driver.

[914werke]

If your unlike most of us you have a stated value policy with Haggerty or someone,, ya right.

So *newsflash* go out a nd get one! Guess what it likley will turn out cheaper that your standard policy.
I have one with Haggerty. True Ive never had to test thier service yet, and the only restrictive stipulations are the # of miles that you can put on the car in any given yr. but it was like 10K if I recall and I ve never had any issues as I have a few vehical to drive.

[anthony]

Yes, go get one. Rich, companies like that even insure projects that are in-progress. My Hagerty policy is insanely cheap: $86/year.