Crashed JLUR needs new frame (backordered until at least March)

[Freeballs]

Looking for advice/needing to vent. Long story short: on 12/10/19 a kid cut me off and I T-boned him on his front wheel. He was found 100% liable. Collision center estimates repairs will cost at least $11k and needs a new frame. But JLU frame is backordered with earliest shipping date to be 2/28. Add minimum of 20 working days to repair (per collision center) and I won’t be in the Jeep until April at the earliest. I was hoping that the insurance company would just total it at this point due to the excessive repair time, rental car cost, etc. but they have deemed it repairable. I think it’s somewhat ridiculous to have to wait So long get back behind the wheel of my jeep. I live in Texas, so I can claim diminished value loss. Does anyone have any experience with diminished loss value claims and whether or not I should play that card with my insurance company to force the issue?

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[Karl_in_Chicago]

Looking for advice/needing to vent. Long story short: on 12/10/19 a kid cut me off and I T-boned him on his front wheel. He was found 100% liable. Collision center estimates repairs will cost at least $11k and needs a new frame. But JLU frame is backordered with earliest shipping date to be 2/28. Add minimum of 20 working days to repair (per collision center) and I won’t be in the Jeep until April at the earliest. I was hoping that the insurance company would just total it at this point due to the excessive repair time, rental car cost, etc. but they have deemed it repairable. I think it’s somewhat ridiculous to have to wait So long get back behind the wheel of my jeep. I live in Texas, so I can claim diminished value loss. Does anyone have any experience with diminished loss value claims and whether or not I should play that card with my insurance company to force the issue?

Well, first off, that sucks but glad you are OK. I know insurance laws vary by state but when somebody wiped out my car here (Illinois) and she was 100% at fault (fell asleep and crossed over from opposite oncoming lane) her insurance company was on the hook for everything - I never filed with mine. Now they didn't put me into a loaner Acura RL for the duration (which my insurer, State Farm, wouldn't have done either - there's a cap) but they did have to pay for the rental I had for the months it took to get fixed. Again, maybe it's different in TX so filing with your own insurance is the way to go there. So for the diminished value claim I would be putting that on whichever insurance company I'm dealing with (in this case yours).

 

[DonBindas]

-Diminished Value-
This is a HUGE issue!​

I've heard dealers say that a "Reported" accident is something like an automatic 20% loss in resale value?

Repaired frame damage could add another 15% on top of the 20%?

May I suggest that you go to one of those Internet sites and get a trade in value twice?

Once, with a reported accident with frame damage report and one time clean.

Pretty amazing difference in value!

I would consider hiring a lawyer to inform the insurance company that you intend to sue them and that might turn the tables in your favor

Bottom line, if you should ever trade that Jeep, those may be the diminished value dollars coming out of your pocket.

Better yet, let it be out of the insurance company's pocket.

 

[TrailTorque]

I’ve had a vehicle totaled a few years back.

Things I learned and it worked out for me:

1. DO NOT talk to their insurance company directly and if you have STOP.

2. DO NOT accept any checks mailed to you from their insurance company. Return to sender.

3. Deal ONLY through YOUR insurance company.

4. They should give you the option of one of their approved repair facilities OR one of your choice.
-I chose one I knew that was within their network.
-Had it delivered there and spoke with the guy. Asked him to go through it with a fine tooth comb and reasoned with him as I know they make money on repair vice totaling it out.

He ended up having just enough to total it out for me and I got a new vehicle. I personally did not want to drive a vehicle that was basically worthless at that point and would never drive the same again.

Moral of the story, take it somewhere else. Yeah, it’s a hassle to have it towed all over but in the end it’ll pan out. You shouldn’t have to pay for shit, I didn’t.

Glad you’re ok!!!

 

[DonBindas]

I’ve had a vehicle totaled a few years back.

Things I learned and it worked out for me:

1. DO NOT talk to their insurance company directly and if you have STOP.

2. DO NOT accept any checks mailed to you from their insurance company. Return to sender.

3. Deal ONLY through YOUR insurance company.

4. They should give you the option of one of their approved repair facilities OR one of your choice.
-I chose one I knew that was within their network.
-Had it delivered there and spoke with the guy. Asked him to go through it with a fine tooth comb and reasoned with him as I know they make money on repair vice totaling it out.

He ended up having just enough to total it out for me and I got a new vehicle. I personally did not want to drive a vehicle that was basically worthless at that point and would never drive the same again.

Moral of the story, take it somewhere else. Yeah, it’s a hassle to have it towed all over but in the end it’ll pan out. You shouldn’t have to pay for shit, I didn’t.

Glad you’re ok!!!

Wow!

Well written

 

[TrailTorque]

Wow!

Well written

I blacked out what happened?

LOL

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

The body shop performing the work may be your best source of reliable information on how much diminished value you can recoup and how to best go about making the claim. Sometimes you might have to fight to get it. I’m in Texas and had to go through the process once. The body shop I dealt with were experts in it and did everything on my behalf, including fighting with the insurance company to be allowed to use OEM parts instead of LKQ as insurance laws allow in Texas because the insurance lobby here is so powerful and corrupt.

Good luck.

 

[DonBindas]

Just go to AutoTrader.com or where-ever and punch in your jeep's information as a trade in with and without the reported crash history information and contrast the difference and it will be a no-brainer

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Just go to AutoTrader.com or where-ever and punch in your jeep's information as a trade in with and without the reported crash history information and contrast the difference and it will be a no-brainer

 

[DonBindas]

?
What are you saying?

Trust me when I tell you that you are operating above your pay grade on this one, as I do this kind of stuff for a living...

 

[TrailTorque]

Something else I’d like to add for you to think about especially if the body shop it’s at isn’t playing ball.

Body shops are like the dentist office, they think because they’ve got your shit on the table you won’t spend the time, get up and go get a second opinion.

Wrong.

It’ll cost ya probably $50 bucks to have it towed down the road for a second opinion.

Might end up being the best $50 bucks you’ve ever spent.

 

[The Acme Company]

The labor to separate the body, pull the drive train and axles, re- install everything plus fix the body damage would be horrendous. Are you sure they are not changing a section of the frame rail?

If it’s fixed, you are entitled to diminished value. There are independent certified insurance adjusters available for hire to establish a true diminished value claim. I’d also get the same independent appraiser to see if he can get the vehicle totaled.

 

[Shooting or Jeeping]

I think we need to clarify diminished value. I have a lot of experience with this, as that’s essentially my wife’s job. That term relates to how much you lost by comparison to a non wrecked vehicle. It’s not a set figure, and certainly is never near 20-30%. Insurance is to make you whole, not pay you in advance. If you keep your vehicle- in theory- you don’t have any diminished value. The conversation is only to address the hypothetical situation where you sell it and at what point in time (your diminished value is much less if figured over time).

The best answer is to have the conversation and do some calculations based on comparable you find in the area. My wife says that dealerships are actually a source of information, but ultimately it’s based on several items, including state caps and policy limits. Some areas don’t even allow it.

Summation- you should get something, but you likely won’t see more than 10-15%. She also says you might be surprised to find out they total it once they dig deeper. Most frame repair situations lead to that, including those that started without being totaled.

 

[Shooting or Jeeping]

Also, I also live in Texas, and she says you can pm and help you out through this if you like.

 

[Ruri]

If you don’t need the rental, make the insurance pay you out per day for the rental instead of taking the rental. The rental has to a comparable car too.

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