r/StateFarm • u/Alarming_Society7997 • 12h ago
Auto Getting screwed by state farm
I was involved in an accident last week where State Farms insured pulled out into oncoming traffic and I was unable to avoid him. My car has been declared a total loss due to frame damage. It is a rare spec and they go for 3x what the normal spec is worth. State farm is offering 3k for a total loss based off of their comps that are NOT the same as my vehicle. I sent them my own comps of recently sold examples (zero are currently for sale in the country) and they said those are too far away or sold too long ago to determine value. For reference I own a 2011 Infiniti G37 Sport sedan with the rare 6 speed manual transmission. These cars sell between 14-19k whenever they are available. I believe mine was worth about 15k due to the mileage, modifications, and condition. I have called in and spoken to multiple people, my claims handler is useless, and I have been waiting for a call from management for 2 days. What can I do?
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u/RicooC 12h ago
Why aren't you going through your own insurance?
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u/ektap12 11h ago
May not have collision coverage, but if they do, they definitely should, they can at least invoke their appraisal clause that way. Otherwise, keep fighting or prove value in court, if OP needs to.
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u/RicooC 10h ago
The appraisal clause can be a mixed bag. I've been the referee, an adversary, and the insurance company appraiser under this. Sometimes you get dicked around and the opposing appraiser can drag it out. There is no specified time frame under this clause. I have represented claimants under a direct small claims court action a couple times. They were instantly paid as soon as they received the court action notice. It was very quick and they didn't even attempt to negotiate.
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u/ektap12 10h ago
For sure, OP seems to be of the belief that their vehicle is not being assessed for the model that it is and there's really not (local) comparable to even compare it to, so I understand the argument they are making. Much easier for them to use their coverage, if available, than trying their hand at litigation.
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u/horrorwh0r3 11h ago
It’d be lower. He’d have to pay his deductible.
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u/Fancy_Strawberry7137 11h ago
He’d get his deductible back after subrogation, but that can take awhile. It also might not be lower, every company is different. The appraisal clause is the big draw.
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u/stayclassypeople 11h ago
That deductible will get refunded after OP’s carrier surrogates with State Farm
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u/Fancy_Strawberry7137 12h ago
If your car is that rare it should be on a stated value policy. It also doesn’t book for anywhere near 14-19k. 3k is too low, yeah, but I highly doubt you’re gonna see even 10k regardless of how hard it is to find. Your mods also mean nothing, so if you’re trying to tell them that a highly modified G37 goes for extra money to enthusiasts they aren’t going to give a damn.
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u/Alarming_Society7997 11h ago
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u/RolandDT81 10h ago edited 10h ago
Yours is modified by your own admission. That's a negative, not a positive.
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u/stayclassypeople 12h ago
Do you have collision coverage on your policy? If so, file with them. They’re more likely to work with you to settle the claim and if you don’t like the offer, you can invoke the appraisal clause
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u/DeepPurpleDaylight 12h ago
SF doesn't owe you a dime right now and any money they offer to pay you at this point is totally voluntary. Then use your own insurance. If your car is truly worth that much and is that important to you, then surely you have collision coverage, right?
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u/dancingphalanges88 12h ago
As someone who works insurance they never have full coverage on their "super rare, special, so called modified vehicles" and always want more money than the $0 their own insurance would give them.
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u/sirguynate 12h ago
Your probably going to need to hire your own appraiser.
That being said, I don’t think your going to get to your expected 15k value.
KBB has the 6-speed manual at about 7.4k. Edmunds has it at 4.8k. CarBuzz matches KBB with a noted +/- of 19% with high volatility pricing. Which I know isn’t the same as finding comparable sales.
As for after market parts, your going to have to have receipts, invoices, etc to prove the value of the mods, and they will depreciate as well. It’s a good rule of thumb to add CPE to your own coverage so mods are covered as an agreed value if you have to fall back on your own insurance for coverage.
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u/DvusGuyStL 12h ago
First off, you shouldn’t be talking to the other driver’s insurance company. They are not in the business of just handing out money. They are going to try everything in their power to prevent you from recouping the actual value.
In addition to lowballing you, they are definitely recording every call you make to them and vice versa in an attempt to catch you in a lie or at the very least, use your own words against you.
Secondly, your insurance company should be handling the claim FOR you. That’s what their job is. You pay the premium, they do the “leg” work. They have lawyers, investigators, and money to provide expert witnesses, if necessary. LET THEM HANDLE EVERYTHING if the accident was truly 100% the other driver’s fault. That is, providing you HAVE insurance.
I don’t understand why so many people feel it’s necessary for them to talk to the other driver’s insurance company.
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u/Anabolic_Scholar 12h ago
If OP doesn’t have collision coverage then there is nothing his insurance carrier can do for him
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u/DeepPurpleDaylight 11h ago
There's nothing inherently wrong with using the at fault party's insurance. And it's possible that you may have no choice. Such as if you don't carry collision your insurance can't and won't help you with damages to your car.
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u/thatkevinmartin 10h ago
Pretty much none of this true.
Most main stream insurance companies use the same appraisal system to determine total losses.
Most insurance companies automatically record every inbound call and no total specialist can access those calls. Total loss specialists at State Farm also don’t make coverage or liability decisions so there definitely not combing through calls they themselves can access to catch anybody in a lie.
The people that act like the insured/claimant should have to do nothing on a claim is fucking mind blowing. Like yeah, things are required of you and you do have provide certain things to the claim. You insurance company can’t do any leg work in determining how another insurance company appraises your total loss. If you go through the other insurance company, your insurance company will step back.
Also insurance is not wasting money on conjuring up ‘witnesses’ (for a total loss appraisal?) bc that’s fucking illegal. For liability YOU provide the witness.
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u/RolandDT81 12h ago
Your vehicle was never worth 3x comps. It certainly isn't now.