Last Updated 26th of August, 2010

What if my car insurance provider totals my car for less than I think it is worth?

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Your car insurance company claims adjuster might have years of experience determining the value of a vehicle that is involved in a car accident. Notwithstanding, your auto insurance claims adjuster can still inaccurately access the actual cash value of your car following an auto accident.

Auto Claim Settlement Options

Contact the claims adjuster who was assigned to review your accident claim if you believe that you received an unfair settlement. Ask to review the below areas on your car accident settlement:

  • Auto evaluation report.
  • Vehicles used as comparisons (to determine the value of your car or truck).
For example, if you placed a new stereo or security system in your Ford Mustang, ask the claims adjuster to compare your car to Ford Mustangs that have similar systems.  You can also ask the claims adjuster to base the settlement on the top three comparable vehicles used to determine the value of your vehicle.

Car Insurance Comparables

Comparables are used to help claims adjusters determine the average value for your vehicle. In other words, if your auto is worth $35,000 and the claims adjuster stated that it is only worth $30,000, ask to review the list of comparables.

When you review the comparables, you might find that five cars similar to yours were used to determine the value of your vehicle. These five autos could be worth:

  • $38,000
  • $32,000
  • $30,000
  • $28,000
  • $25,000
Ask the adjuster to only use the three highest valued vehicles to determine the value of your auto. This could increase your settlement amount. Reviewing the comparables will help you to negotiate a fair settlement whether your auto was declared repairable or a total loss.

Contacting Insurance Attorneys

Should you not be able to change the settlement by working directly with your car insurance claims adjuster, contact an accident lawyer. Look for insurance attorneys who have several years of experience handling auto insurance settlements.

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