Insurance settlement question
Here’s my story. Three years ago, I bought a 1993 Ford escort wagon with 48,000 miles on it. It came from South Carolina, so there was no rust on it and when you opened up the hood, it looked brand new. The guy at the shop where I get my oil changed, always remarked how clean it was. It was in great shape and everything worked. Last month, I was sitting at a stop light and got rear-ended by an SUV, and then pushed underneath the pickup truck that was in front of me. Needless to say, my wagon was totaled. At the time I had 87,000 miles on it and was hoping to keep it for as long as I could. I averaged 35 miles per gallon and sometimes I could get as good as 39. I paid $2600 for it, and $400 for it to get it shipped up to Pennsylvania for a total of $3000.
With a car like that I was going to keep it as long as I could with the gas prices the way they are.
I got a letter from the insurance company yesterday, offering me $2100 for the car. And I don’t think that’s fair. I did not ask to get rear-ended and have my car totaled. Where am I going to find a car as nice as what I had for $2100?
And I have read that people are paying top dollar for cars like the one that I had! You almost can’t get a new car today with the mileage I was getting on my wagon!
So, does anyone have an opinion on this?
On a sidenote, I did find another 1993 escort, four-door sedan in Baltimore with 49,000 miles on it. The interior is perfect. The body is kind of dinged up a bit, but it’s not too bad. I had to clean the airflow sensor, and put new struts on the front last weekend, but it’s running really good and the air-conditioning is ice cold!
I had to fly out to Baltimore to get it and drive it back. It cost me $3300, plus airfare and gas to get it back here.
I am not trying to rip anybody off. I just want what’s fair! I think that they should pay me $3500 for the new car. What do you all think?
Thanks,
The insurance companies go off of book value of the vehicle before it was totaled.
A clean retail value of your car is $2200 from nada.com so they are not “ripping” you off, they are giving you the book price. When it says “clean retail value”, that means the car is without major defects, body and interior in good repair for age of vehicle.
Remember, you had a 93 Escort…..it’s no Beamer….no offence..
