State Farm wants to total my car - how can I prevent this?

Went through something similar with my e46. Had minor bumper damage and needed a small rear frame pull but exhaust and downpipes with cats were bent. Totaled. I had to jump through about a million hoops to prove value of a low mile, fully equipped car even having the dealer pull the full options sheet, original MSRP, etc. Eventually I got a check I was happy about, but it took awhile. I had taken it to a friend's shop so I had control over the car, got it out after estimates done, etc to avoid storage. I was going to buy-back but didnt have the time to go fix it and just rolled the money into another car.

Good luck.

John Welsh said:

Slippery said:

I can't for the life of me see what's wrong in what you highlighted. I'll have to wait for my wife to get home and compare. 
 

If you're talking about the underhood shot of the white car above, that photo is just a stock photo, copywrited 2012 of a brand new and perfectly fine BMW.

I missed the copy write part. I guess I was expecting a picture of the actual damage.

Duke said:

In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :

At the very least, if he does accept the total, he wants comparable value for it, not a number based on comps that are not the same equipment level and condition.

 

Which we had like an 8 page thread on that the insurance people did not want to listen to...

In reply to Javelin :

I'd beg to differ with you on that one.  Go back and re-read it.  Not only did I listen, I provided a TON of insight and feedback.  I can understand if you didn't like or agree with the answers, but don't think it's accurate to say that we didn't listen.  I always have, and always will, give very straight and honest answers on how insurance claims work.  There's nothing to hide, no giant curtain to pull back.

Sorry for the delay, but I did go up there on Monday and the manager recommended I open my open claim through progressive and then when the adjuster is there they will work together to keep the total below the amount that would "total" out the car, and the rest will be on me. He said since everything had been entered into SF already, there was no going back. It sounds like what ddavidv mentioned probably happened where they added a bunch of repairs once it was apart and it went over the limit.  

I tried to put it into context to them that I'll put it all back together I just need the frame pulled and the parts painted. 

I'll keep everyone posted as I continue going. 
 

In reply to Chaulklet :

So you are going to tell Progressive to only fix as much as they can without totalling it? And Progressive is going to be ok with that? They will probably have you sign some form of liability release form I guess ... 

Anyways, keep us posted. Hope you can get your car back the least painful way. 

Progressive may let their appraisers have more latitude. SF is very by the book; that "let's make a deal" approach doesn't work with them.

I've done that a few times for people over the years but about every 5th time I get some jerkweed who agrees to a just-under-total settlement and then tries to come back for more on a supplement. No mercy then; it's totaled, genius. And I report it to the state as such so you HAVE to get a salvage title.

People are stupid, even when you try to help them.

Remind me again why you don't want them to total the car, then go buy one that isn't all damaged?  I'm not following your thought process here...

docwyte said:

Remind me again why you don't want them to total the car, then go buy one that isn't all damaged?  I'm not following your thought process here...

He has a unicorn.

Slippery said:

docwyte said:

Remind me again why you don't want them to total the car, then go buy one that isn't all damaged?  I'm not following your thought process here...

He has a unicorn.

And to go a bit further, the insurance company is undervaluing it because exact spec'ed comps are impossible to find in the current market... That's the crux of the issue I think really-  he wouldnt be able to buy an apples-to-apples replacement for what the insurance company is willing to pay out. 

He needs to try harder to get the insurance company to pay more.  It may be a unicorn but it's not the only fish in the sea