Dealing with insurance (hail damage)

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

So, Thursday night we had a thunderstorm.

A little bitch of a thunderstorm.

A little bitch of a thunderstorm dropping golf and tennis ball-sized hail across my part of town.

Car's a little dimply. The trunk, roof and hood are dinged up pretty good. Sides, windows and moldings are fine. And I just sunk $800 into it to fix a misfire.

I have to take the car to the insurance adjuster Monday morning. They've set up shop at a local gas station to handle all the cars and claims they'll be getting.

What do I need to bring with me to the insurance adjuster? (besides the title)

What should I say or not say to the insurance adjuster as they're looking over my vehicle?

Since it's an 11-year-old vehicle I figure it will be totaled and I would have to buy it back because I cannot afford a decent vehicle to replace it right now. But I know that will cause me difficulty getting insurance and trading in the car later. So what should I say or do if they tell me that's what they want to do?

How long should I expect before I get the check?

Thanks in advance for any help anybody can give me. I have an uncle who works in insurance and my family goes to him with all their insurance questions because he knows how this all works. But I can't get a hold of him right now.

[Aislin]

Okay, my sister in law just did this. They totaled out her car for 3 grand and she bought it back for 750. She can't get full coverage on said vehicle and it reduced her trade in value to the 750 or below. It is listed on car fax as totaled. If she wrecks it she gets no money from insurance though if she harms another car or property it is covered. Or that is what she explained to me. Hers was hail damage as well. She got a check right away but it varies by insurance company. They also just deducted the price from the check.

[Ophbalance]

Unless it was a really expensive car when purchased, I'd not be all that worried about trade in value at 11 years. You'd be much better off putting an ad up on Craigslist and signing over the title at a bank for the notary. You'll be better off selling private party for anything over 10 years old, as most trades at that age end up going to auction... and getting absolute crap value from a dealer during trade.

You can still title and insure a salvage vehicle. My sister and parents have both owned such beasts, one being a Forester and the other being a Camry. I don't recall them having to get that much in the way of reduced insurance amounts, but my home state (and theirs) is PA. I'm sure it varies from state to state and even county to county.

[kpzra]

The adjustors from my insurance (if I deal with them in person) want the title, proof of insurance, and to see the current registration to make sure everything matched up. With my Impala they had to take the VIN as proof since the glove box was jammed and the back half was in the front (truck was pushing on the drivers seat). I usually don't say anything unless they ask questions but I answer truthfully.

When my Dad bought back his totaled motorcycle he told them he wanted to buy it back, they told him the amount and just deducted it from the check he got in the mail a few days later.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Here's a quick update:

They valued the car at almost $5,000(!). I spent all day Sunday cleaning it so it paid off.

However, the insurance guy pointed out something to me that I missed--the hail cracked one of my fenders about an inch. Probably not too bad now but it could get bigger, especially in winter.

Wound up with $3,000 after buyback and deductible. I will now be saving as much money as I can, with a goal of having enough money for a good down payment on a different vehicle in two years.

[Aethian]

50 a week would be about 2k so in a year you could have 5k and that would be a good 5-6 year used one. In two years you could have 7 which would be close to a 2-3 year old one.

[blas]

When you get a new car, make sure you get a G6, Irvy

[protege]

Irv, you might want to try one of the dent repair services. Dent Wizard is one that's local to me. One of the tools they use looks like a big suction cup. Others, are rubber-faced picks and hammers used to press out dents from behind. Some of those tools can be found at auto-parts stores. Who knows, you might even be able to save some money and put the insurance payment aside for a rainy day.

...and yes, I currently have a car that has some hail damage. My 6-year-old Corolla got caught in a hailstorm a couple of years ago. Most of the damage is confined to the trunk lid. Since it was all minor--lots of little dime-sized dents everywhere--and hard to see unless you're looking directly at the trunk, I left them alone.

[Seshat]

Unless the hail dents have damaged the paint shield (thus compromising the rustproofing), you should be good to keep the dented car. Though do keep an eye on that fender.

[Sapphire Silk]

I'm wondering if you couldn't get a salvage fender and pay someone to mount it for you for a few hundred bucks. Might help the car last a bit longer while you save up for a new one.