I was rear ended - other driver at fault. Insurance has accepted responsibility. I’m worried they will want to total the vehicle.

[zionxleep]

@ambc You had me confused for a minute when you said "vehicle payment". You mean the insurance payout to the insured for the value of the vehicle, not a loan payment. Got it...

Buy back vs owner retained. Same net effect, different terminology.

 

[ambc]

@zionxleep yeah I went back and added some clarification.

It's just that I've had more than one occasion where people have brought me cash or their checkbook to write a check to "pay" me for their vehicle that they are retaining.

 

[ngillfil]

@caymele Do you have collision coverage on your auto policy?

Follow-up, do you have an agreed value policy?

You don't get a say in whether or not the vehicle is totalled

 

[silvamay]

@caymele Just because they “total” something out doesn’t mean you have to “let them take it away”. You just would get less money to “replace it”. I believe.

 

[squishygiraffe]

@caymele Make sure the insurance company knows the amount of work you have put into the car. I had a Mustang that I had just put $5,000 into it within the last 3 months. Once they knew what was put into it (I had all of the receipts) they gave me more money and I kept the car. The body was totaled but the engine and trans had less than 500 miles. That was the last time I built up a car.

 

[mm17]

@caymele omg I’m going through this same thing. I got an estimate from a shop, it was approved by the other person’s insurance, and I thought I was good to go. WRONG.

The shop found more damages once the bumper was taken off and they were going to total it. I did not want to do this bc the car only has 58k miles on it and it’s definitely drivable. I really just need my muffler fixed for me to feel safe.

Well, no shop is going to fix my car for me bc of liability reasons. I’m just taking the check from the estimate ($3,000) and my dad is gonna try his best fixing the muffler himself. We may try a muffler shop if he doesn’t think he can do it once he takes a look.

This was a 2013 Jeep Patriot, which not a great car, but with only 58,000 miles on it and completely paid off, I’d like at least another 3 years.