Those of you who have been following the Death of Pamela know I'm still fighting with my insurance co. I have my own appraisal of $19,500... the appraiser SGI (the insurance co.) hired pegged my car's value at $22,000... SGI says 'book value for the car is $4,505. That's what we'll give you'. NO credit for any of the improvements, no consideration for the condition of the vehicle... nevermind that the spirit of insurance is to restore what you had when it's lost.

I, of course being a reasonable and articulate individual, told the guy to go **** his hat.

So they sent me paperwork to take their decision to arbitration. I scrutinized the documents and buried in a little paragraph was a clause that, in effect, says "nevermind what the rest of this agreement says, we reserve the right to pay you the $4,505 at any time and you have to take it and smile, pal"

Having spent some time living and working in the US of A, I reached for the 'phone and called my lawyer. More to come as the situation warrants.

 

Sorry to hear about your hassles but honestly it probably is worth $4,505. How much did you pay for it? If you paid $19,500 for it and have the reciepts, maybe just maybe that would help your case. I wish you best of luck collecting.

 

If you have an official appraisal for a certain amount... then you should get that amount, no questions asked. Definitely get your lawyer involved, they are trying to cheat you.

 

$19,500?
All I can say is "good luck!"

 

how is it worth that much?

 

That $19.5k figure is Canadian dollars, right? So it'd probably be around $10k American... from the condition that car was in and the upgrades you did to it, I'd want at least $8k from the insurance...

--Danny

 

8k, i can see. that car was in amazing shape. but anything more, i doooont see it.

 

Manntis,

Let's hope your Lawyer is one of those stereotypical ruthless, money-and-bloodthirsty american ones They're the best kind to have on your side.

Yeah, if there have been two different appraisals that pegged it near 20g, you should get at LEAST 15. Ya gotta think, in 1984 dollars it was worth 16g USD (which is WAY more now due to inflation), and yours still had the STOCK BATTERY! You could have eaten off your intake manifold.... I hope you can get some good money for it.

Good luck
Jon

 

Aww c'mon guys, be optimistic.

Manntis, I hope that you get everything you think the car is worth. I know money cant replace it, but it sure can help when you know that youre getting what shes worth rather than knowing that not only did you loose your beloved car, but your insurace is screwing you saying that it wasnt worth anything after all.

~T.J.

 

I'd like to be optimistic and say that if you fight them you'll get it, but come on, $19.5k? Even if thats canadian dollars is a rediculous amount. Thats several thousand dollars more than the car went for new. I'm sorry for sounding like an *******, but these cars aren't worth ****, granted they may hold sentimental value, and our little band of enthusiests here value them, but to the rest of the world its a worthless piece of metal. Even thought I believe its a lost cause I'll say good luck to you Manntis.

 

One NEVER, NEVER ! gets back ,what one has spent on a car. To restore even, it's blue book, baby and thats it !
Of coarse in almost every contract, there is written somewhere, a provision to protect the insurance co.
giving them absulute last word. and is very legal.
If they give you $ 5K i'd be surprized,,,but keep the faith ,,man.

 

Just FYI.. My SE was "totaled" due to a rear ender by a drunk driver this past April...they didn't want to fix it... I had to SQUEEZE $2.7K out of Mercury... granted of course mine wasn't appraised or valued nearly as much as yours Manntis..I wish you all the luck with $19.5k...

 

The difficulty with SGI is two fold. Firstly, they're govt owned and operated, which means there's sixty layers of red tape to cut through, and a thousand civil servants attempting to cover their asses in the way. Secondly, they're an insurance company, and therefore, crooks of the lowest order.

I sincerely think that Manntis can get 8k CDN, but only if he kicks and screams for a year. SGI will attempt to wear him down, and force him to take the piddly assed 4.5 k, which could barely buy a SE at going market rates here in Sask.

We're all pulling for ya buddy.

 

Hey

I tried to increase the value of my car with my insurance company.........To a higher level then what I paid for.........They always ask what you paid for the car....

They would not increase it.......I would have to pay a higher premium to insure the car at a higher rate........


If your insurance company valued your car at the 19k
rate you stand a chance.........If not your fight is going to be down hill...........

I know my car is worth more than the 1800.00 US that I paid for but I will only get 2500.00 if it is totaled.........

Read the fine print of your agreement...........Your lawyer might be able to get a little more........but weigh the fees in order to get more.......might be a wash.....


Take the money...........transplant the parts...........

Piece out...........A

 

Manntis -
yeah ... definitely keep posting on this, i, for one, am pretty interested.

i've gotta say, although i'm the consummate pessimist (pronounced, "REALIST") and i know how these insurance companies work (they are worse than child molesters), so i don't expect you to get paid, but nonetheless, i think you should fight this thing to the very end, if for nothing more than principle! they are the ones that appraised it, and "****-me-in-the-***"-clause or not, if they appraised it, then they should pay you. after all, i'm willing to bet that after the appraisal they squeezed a few more cents out of you on your payments, right?

so go for it ... i'm sick of them!

 

Take what you can get before they take you to court. You're not going to get as much as you want so deal with it.

 

Wow.

Don't you all have 'classic' car insurance companies in the US? Here in Oz there are a number of places that will give you an agreed value policy. Get the car valued and the insurance co. will write in into your policy.

Good luck, Manntis!

 

I almost got side swiped tonight on the way home...Kinda makes me wonder what my insurance company would do for my baby . Anyone know of anything I can do to get it insured for its "full value"?

Manntis, I hope that you do keep us posted so we can follow the steps a long the way. Besides, what good is a swordfight without steps .

~T.J.

 

you can buy the wrecked car back for 15% too if theres anything salvageable.

 

I got mine back at a steal..... only 10 %..

 

you have to buy your own car? what?

 

If you don't know this stuff, any insurance company is going to rob you blind if there's a problem...I strongly suggest you bookmark this thread, ioTus....

Manntis...I have documentation that a modded '80 RX-7 GS with a 12A, perfect body, perfect interior with Weds rims is worth $4480 US....I know that's off the mark you're aiming for, but this one is modded vs. your stock condition, and it doesn't even have the more desirable EFI 13B mill...

 

mercury insurance is cheaper than anyone else. but when it comes to any claim, they are as tight as you know what.

Good title...The swordfight begins.....
It caught my attention. For a minute, I thought you guys were referring to escrima/kali. I need to practice.. this old man is getting a little rusty.

good luck with your claim.

 

damn, sorry to hear manntis. however with most all insurance companies i know of, you have to go in and have the car appraised then the insurance set to that appraised rate. paying insurance on a car that in their eyes was 4.5k is going to net you 4.5k when you total it. so to anyof you out there that have normal insurance on a modded car, if you want to have good coverage then get it appraised with the new stuff. you can't expect coverage of a 10k car at a 2k car's monthly rate.

 

Exactly.

You have to tell the insurance co. What the mods and car are worth, then haggle w/them over the new premium amount. If they aren't charging you higher premiums to cover the extras, you'll never collect enough money from them to get back what you had in the sad event of a total loss.