What is the Total Loss Threshold for Damaged Cars in Ohio?
Filed under: Auto Dealerships, Body Shop, Insurance Companies, Ohio
What’s the rule of thumb on deciding whether to repair or total a car?
My Mom was just in an accident with a 9 year old car. I’m looking for something like “if damages exceed ___% of value, you shouldn’t repair.” Should I go by trade-in value, private party sale or suggested retail?
I’m certain body shops would say fix the car at any price and car dealers will say “junk it” and buy another car. I don’t trust the advice of either. The car was previously mine so I have a sentimental attachment to it, but I want to be smart about this, too. What’s the rule of thumb on deciding whether or not to fix a car?
Kim
Portsmouth, OH
Frame Damage Contributes to Diminished Value
Filed under: Body Shop, Diminished Value, Frame, Insurance Companies, Original Equipment (OEM), Salvage Parts, Third Party Claims, West Virginia
I was recently in an auto accident that was not my fault. I am dealing with another person’s high risk insurance company. I would like for my vehicle to be totaled as there is extensive frame and suspension damage, and I use the vehicle as a towing vehicle. The insurance company refuses to do this because the damage is less than 75% of the vehicle’s value.
Can I make a claim that for the diminished value as part of the initial claim when fixing the vehicle or do I have to wait until the insurance company fixes it? I will not be keeping the vehicle and suspect I am going to take a major loss on it. I also wonder if I can demand a new frame rather than just fixing the current one? They were quick to send me a check with the estimate, but I have returned the rental car and am not agreeing to anything without thinking my options through!
Thank you for any information you can give me in proceeding. This is my first wreck and is all very new to me!!
Amber
St. Albans, WV
Prius Structure Shouldn’t Be Repaired With Junkyard Parts
Filed under: Auto Parts, Body Shop, Diminished Value, IIHS, Prius, Salvage Parts, Toyota
Do insurance companies really repair seriously damaged cars by splicing in reinforcement parts from other damaged cars? And if so, how would a person ever know that their car had been repaired safely and would not collapse if wrecked again?
A few weeks ago I was involved in an auto accident that caused a lot of damage to my Prius. The insurance company at first wanted to replace the reinforcement panels behind the fenders, bumper and other front sheet metal panels with parts that had been salvaged from previously wrecked cars like mine. I was told the salvaged parts could be welded to the structure just like the originals and the car would be a safe as ever following repairs.
I wasn’t convinced that this repair technique was sound even though the adjuster said it was routine. So, I balked at the notion that my car would be repaired in such a questionable fashion. A few days later, I got word my car would be totaled out.
Do insurance companies really repair seriously damaged cars by splicing in reinforcement parts from other damaged cars? And if so, how would a person ever know that their car had been repaired safely and would not collapse if wrecked again? This seems like a horrid way to do things.
Kenny
Batavia, OH
Cell Phone Use Not Illegal While Driving In Ohio
Filed under: Cell Phone, IIHS, Ohio, State Specific Information, West Virginia
Is the cell phone law in Ohio such that it allows officers to ticket fully-licensed, experienced drivers for using their cell phones while driving on Ohio roadways?
My 20 year old daughter who is attending college at Ohio State University recently got pulled over by a patrolman in Columbus, Ohio. She told me the officer raked her over the coals for talking on her cell phone while she was driving her car. He didn’t give her a citation, but claims he could have. She was a wreck after the encounter, and scared out of her wits. My daughter and I are from West Virginia and I am not familiar with Ohio traffic laws to any great degree. I know in WV a driver can’t use a cell phone while driving on a learners permit. But it is not against WV law to use a cell phone while driving once fully licensed. Is the cell phone law in Ohio different in that it allows officers to ticket a fully-licensed, experienced driver using a cell phone?
Sandra
Morgantown, WV
Are CAPA Certified Parts Better than OEM Replacement Parts?
Filed under: Aftermarket Parts, Auto Parts, CAPA Certified Parts, Ford, Headlamps, Original Equipment (OEM), Recalls
I recently visited an auto parts website called partstrain.com to shop for replacement headlight assemblies. I have a 1997 Ford Taurus with the nagging oxidation problem on the plastic headlight lens that Ford has allowed to continue for years. I located the assemblies for $65.15 each and was going to make the purchase. That’s when I noticed that they also listed the same part, from the same aftermarket manufacturer, with a CAPA statement in the description. The price for this part was $125.00 each. The only difference I could find in the descriptions was a letter “Q” at the end of the Sku number. All other numbers were the same.
I entered into a live chat session with their customer service and asked for the difference between the two items. The representative would not say that the CAPA part was made better or contained higher quality material. He would only say that either part would be a perfect fit. He would not say why the so called CAPA part had a price that was double the other part.
Is it common for the CAPA parts to cost so much more? Would the CAPA part eventually cloud over like the original factory part did? Or, do you think that this site may be using the CAPA name to collect an additional 100% profit on their parts? If the CAPA parts really are so superior, I would shell out the extra to keep my family safe at night.
Thank you for your time. I would appreciate your opinion.
Don
Cincinnati, OH
Which States Have Laws That Support Diminished Value?
Filed under: Diminished Value, First Party Claims, Insurance Companies, State Farm, State Specific Information, Third Party Claims, West Virginia
Is diminished value recognized in all states or just in Georgia and California as I have been told?
Diminished value, in my opinion, is a very legitimate auto insurance claim. I am one of a majority of people reflected on surveys who wouldn’t buy a car that had been wrecked unless I received a huge discount to compensate for the added risk and aggravation I would likely encounter. Some folks, I’ve found, don’t share my view. A few days ago my brother-in-law who is a retired insurance adjuster (someone who should know what he is talking about when it comes to auto insurance claims) says claims for diminished value are wrong and shouldn’t be brought against insurance companies. He says the premiums we pay for our insurance policies don’t take these losses into account. Please tell me he is wrong, and tell me which states accept diminished value claims so I can straighten out my insurance-biased brother-in-law.
Jo Ann
Charleston, WV
Insurance Company Direct Pays Body Shop Instead of Car Owner
Is it acceptable for an auto insurance company to pay a body shop directly instead of paying the person whose car was damaged?
I’ve had three car wrecks in the past five years. Only the most recent one was my fault. In every case where I had the damage to the car repaired, the insurance company gave the check directly to the shop instead of paying me. This happened both when my insurance company paid and when I got hit by someone else and their insurance company paid. In the end I never really knew the cost of the repairs, and I always felt like I was victim of an underhanded, backroom deal between the body shop and the insurance company. Is it acceptable for an auto insurance company to pay a body shop directly instead of paying the person whose car was damaged?
Ted
Cincinnati, OH
Auto Insurance Adjuster Blatantly Lies to Third Party Claimant
A dim-witted driver hit me last Saturday causing an auto accident that tied up four lanes of rush hour traffic and nearly destroyed my new 2007 Ford truck. The body shop I had it towed to estimated more than $20,000 in damage and said the truck might not even be repairable.
Of course the accident left me pretty aggravated since it wasn’t my fault. Then the claims adjuster for the other guy’s insurance company took my rage to new highs when he told me the truck WAS repairable, but I couldn’t go to the auto body shop I wanted to go to! I had to go to an auto repair shop the insurance company recommended.
I thought there was a law that gave me the right to choose the auto repair shop instead of the insurance company. Not being certain of my rights I didn’t argue much. But if you tell me to the contrary that I am allowed to go wherever I want to have my truck repaired, I’m going to be calling that insurance company back and eating that guy’s lunch.
Rick
Akron, Ohio
Oops! I Spent Insurance Money for Auto Repair on Other Stuff
About a month ago I had a fender bender with my car, a 1999 Ford Taurus. It wasn’t my fault. Fortunately, there wasn’t much damage and there were no injuries. I signed a release and settled quickly with the other guy’s insurance company. They wrote me a check for $844, the amount the auto repair shop said it would cost to fix. The next day I put the insurance check in my bank account. With school and everything I had a lot of bills to pay and I had to dip into the money I received for the car repair to make ends meet. Now the money is gone and the car isn’t repaired. I don’t want to get in trouble for spending the insurance check and not fixing my car, but I didn’t have much choice. Things were really tight. I wondered how long I have before the insurance company gets upset with me and demands I pay them back or get the car fixed? Eventually I should be able to put the money back, but it will be three or four months down the road. Is that too long?
Brian
Pittsburgh, PA
GAP Insurance - Is GAP Necessary on Auto Loans and Leases?
Filed under: Auto Dealerships, Auto Leasing, Auto Loans, GAP Insurance, Ohio
I’m uncertain what GAP Insurance is, or if I need it.
My wife and I have been shopping for a new minivan in Columbus, Ohio where we live. We haven’t yet agreed on a particular model, but we have narrowed our choices to three so the dickering won’t be far off. I’d prefer to buy the vehicle outright with 60 month financing, but leasing is not out of the question. My wife prefers the lease since it will allow us to drive a nicer vehicle while enjoying cheaper monthly payments than if we’d bought. Ideally, we would like to put 10% or less down on a new minivan priced around $30,000.
I am told GAP insurance is a must-have on a lease, but unnecessary when buying a new car outright. I need to know the purpose of GAP Insurance and if you would recommend it in my situation. If you can, please give me enough facts about this coverage to keep the dealership from sticking it to me. Your help is appreciated.
Paul
Columbus, Ohio