Helping relative Vehicle shopping / accident

[Andrew1972]

My wife’s aunt got into head on accident with a 2016 Caravan. She shattered ankle so has time to shop which I will assist with or really do.

Questions;
1) since used prices up does car insurance payout follow that?
2) any tips for Grand Caravans , they seem terrible mechanically at 100k+ when she acquires them however she ruins their interior/exterior condition

 

[supton]

Seems payout has gone up, matching what is going retail. I would not expect miracles but it won’t be pre-pandemic pricing either.

Seems everything is in short supply—and top dollar at that. Might want to open up the net and search more than one model.

 

[JustN89]

Best thing you can do is look for similar year, mileage, and trims and what their asking price is online. Print those out and use those as a negotiation piece. You aren't likely to get a dollar-for-dollar match, but it at least will give you some ground to stand on if the insurance is offering a low payout initially.

 

[chemman]

Well, in my case, our 1999 Silverado with ~31,500 (actual) miles on it was stolen in early May and then recovered by law enforcement 21 days later. Interior was trashed. Steering column had significant damage, ignition had been punched, driver's seat frame was broken, pop poured everywhere, various things smoked in it (tobacco, weed, etc.) from the stench, layer of dust and pollen over everything, etc. Anyway, Kelly Blue Book and Edmond's put the value around $7500 give or take about $1000.

Well, insurance company totaled the truck and offered around $12,100. I was shocked that I did not have to fight them for the ~$7,500 I was hopeful for. Two days ago I met a gentlemen at a meeting who had a 7 to 8 year old Malibu totaled in an urban flood. He got just under $11,000, and had been expecting around $5,000.

Good Luck!

 

[atikovi]

Best thing you can do is look for similar year, mileage, and trims and what their asking price is online. Print those out and use those as a negotiation piece. You aren't likely to get a dollar-for-dollar match, but it at least will give you some ground to stand on if the insurance is offering a low payout initially.

What someone asks for has nothing to do with it's value. Just go to the NADA site and look up the value. Without knowing the miles and equipment, I'd say you should get around $15K.

 

[Silver]

Payout is based on market prices, but all insurance companies are sleazebags. Oh yes, some will argue but pay no attention, it's just that their relative or friend works in insurance so they feel slighted.

I would not get another Caravan. Too many potential big problems. However, they are bringing very high numbers right now so theoretically you should be fine on the payout.

 

[BornSlippy]

Never take the insurance companies first offer. Look up what current ones are selling for in your area and don't accept a penny less. Don't forget things like taxes and admin fees and registration fees a dealer may charge. That all should be included in the payout.

The entire premise of insurance is to put you back to the same position you were in before the accident. So whatever it would cost to go out and get a similar vehicle with similar mileage is what the insurance company is required to pay.

Also, any maintenance completed on the vehicle within the last three months should be 100% reimbursed by the insurance company. New tires? Major repairs?

 

[dishdude]

Well, in my case, our 1999 Silverado with ~31,500 (actual) miles on it was stolen in early May and then recovered by law enforcement 21 days later. Interior was trashed. Steering column had significant damage, ignition had been punched, driver's seat frame was broken, pop poured everywhere, various things smoked in it (tobacco, weed, etc.) from the stench, layer of dust and pollen over everything, etc. Anyway, Kelly Blue Book and Edmond's put the value around $7500 give or take about $1000.

Well, insurance company totaled the truck and offered around $12,100. I was shocked that I did not have to fight them for the ~$7,500 I was hopeful for. Two days ago I met a gentlemen at a meeting who had a 7 to 8 year old Malibu totaled in an urban flood. He got just under $11,000, and had been expecting around $5,000.

Good Luck!

I have generally found insurance companies to be very fair (more than fair, tbh) with valuations on total loss payments. Generally complaints seem to come from people who don't know what they're talking about.

 

[JustN89]

What someone asks for has nothing to do with it's value. Just go to the NADA site and look up the value. Without knowing the miles and equipment, I'd say you should get around $15K.

I understand that. I’m glad to see we learned a lesson from the Sequoia.

It’s at least a start and as I said, it’s some footing to negotiate on.

 

[OilSwine]

Well, in my case, our 1999 Silverado with ~31,500 (actual) miles on it was stolen in early May and then recovered by law enforcement 21 days later. Interior was trashed. Steering column had significant damage, ignition had been punched, driver's seat frame was broken, pop poured everywhere, various things smoked in it (tobacco, weed, etc.) from the stench, layer of dust and pollen over everything, etc. Anyway, Kelly Blue Book and Edmond's put the value around $7500 give or take about $1000.

Well, insurance company totaled the truck and offered around $12,100. I was shocked that I did not have to fight them for the ~$7,500 I was hopeful for. Two days ago I met a gentlemen at a meeting who had a 7 to 8 year old Malibu totaled in an urban flood. He got just under $11,000, and had been expecting around $5,000.

Good Luck!

Yes, they will pay you comparable retail. They will also pay you sales tax for the purchase.

 

[Andrew1972]

Thanks for info. She likely will do another Caravan as she drives 100k-200k range trashing them and buys another.

This is a rough photo of it and other vehicle in head on: https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.tow...b8b66b/62d9d9101e0d4.image.jpg?resize=415,500

 

[wtd]

My fiancé's son's 2008 Ford Focus was parked at his house on the street and was hit by someone who had a seizure. She had bought the car two years ago for $4,000 with 89,000 miles on it. The insurance totaled the car and was going to give her $5,900 for it with 125,000 miles on it.

Since most of the damage was cosmetic and it just needed a few suspension pieces for the left rear wheel because they were bent and a new RR wheel because it got cracked when it hit the curb, she chose to buy it back and they gave her $5,100 instead. About $500 later, the suspension stuff was fixed, and a used wheel was installed, and he had a drivable car again. He didn't care about the damage and the body shop did pop out some of the dents.

So in her case, this market definitely was taken into consideration when they estimated the value of his car.

 

[zzyzzx]

My wife’s aunt got into head on accident with a 2016 Caravan.

Got any 2016 Caravan wreck pictures?

 

[Andrew1972]

Got any 2016 Caravan wreck pictures?

Just this one above, the end result was engine pushed back into firewall and crunched her foot breaking foot and ankle bones. Crazily she was able on her open door (a bit hard) check her passenger and get/check her dog as the hatch worked fine. The speed limit was 35mph but guessing other vehicle driving much faster. 2006 Focus clearly is not the choice vehicle for a head on based on damage and occupants injuries.