Well, on a trip to attend one of our local races not far from our house, M/H broke down, called a towing company to pull us off the highway & while they were towing us the wrecker lost our M/H & trailer, M/H turned over but not the trailer & totaled out the M/H & trailer.
Now we are dealing with the towing companys insurance, which is a pain we shouldnt have to be dealing with, but they are low balling us on the value of everything.
Its strange how a $17,000.00 dollar M/H we only had less than 3 years turned into a $4086.00 dollar one & I didnt crash it.
I wasnt careless in any actions on my part & I did not crash the M/H.
We've gotten two more offers from their insurance just a bit over the $4086.00 amount, but still its no where close to the amount for us to be able to replace the M/H we had.
I can understand our M/H loosing some value during the short time we've had it as well as the trailer, still though it is mighty low what their offer is.
I guess I shouldnt mention any names, far as the towing company or their insurance.
I would like to say to anyone should they happen get into the same spot we are in, check to be sure the wrecker is of the proper size to tow the M/H you have & that the driver has towed something that big before or at least pulled one or two M/Hs.
Another thing, once they tow it, if its in the wrecker yard & your far away, you got no control over what happens to your rig.
In our case, like around a week & a half time, the insurance adjuster had already came & checked it over & next thing we knew the M/H & trailer was sitting at a salvage yard.
Found out later we were suppose to have been contacted before it was moved from the wrecker yard.
What I'm saying, in hind sight, we should of had the M/H & trailer pulled to our house where we would of had some amount of control over what was going on.
Neil
* This post was
edited 11/10/09 03:45pm by C-Leigh Racing *
OP: you don't get a replacement of the destroyed vehicle. You get the depreciated vehicle value from the "blue book". You really don't have much choice in the matter unless you can prove that it's was worth more, and that might take an attorney and going to court. You paid $17,000 three years ago, it's no longer worth anywhere near that amount. Maybe you can get them up to $5,000 but I doubt it. Check the selling prices of RV's of the same year/model/condition. That's what the insurance company is going on just like houses.
You should definitely contact your own insurance company. Could you possibly have had replacement cost insurance? Your insurance company could handle the claim for you. You may or may not get a better offer. They would then subrogate against the other company to get their money back. Definitely check with them. YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO FILE WITH YOUR OWN CARRIER. That is why you pay them. Don't let them tell you that you don't. If you trust your own company more, file with them. You may be subject to your deductible until they confirm that the other insurance company accepts responsibility, or until they get reimbursed from the other insurance company.
Standard procedure is to move a total loss vehicle to a salvage lot as soon as it's deemed a total loss. The storage fees are cheaper for the insurance company. They should have explained that to you. What about your contents? Were you able to get them out?
M/H was an 88 model 3490 GBM Encounter that had been inside most of its years. Not a roof leak nor a delamanation wave in the side walls could you see, still had the shine in the paint job.
Yes, we were able to get all our stuff out the next day after the crash happened, but not seen it sence.
Who ever gets it far as a salvage company, going to be getting some good stuff to pull off of it & sell.
Two new 13,500 Coleman a/c units, new fresh water-water pump, FULL 90 gal gas tank full of prem gas, six new 8R19.5 load rated tires, new trailer brake controler, a built 460ci engine with high lift cam & $1200.00 set of custom prepaired & ported cylinder heads, pumping out around 400 hp just to get the job done, new fridge, that worked so good if you wasnt carefull it would freeze eggs when on propane gas.
We did go to our insurance & their offer was way more than what the other one was offering, but the wife & me both dont feel like that is right using them & that its not their place to do so.
Neil
When you use YOUR insurance company, they get the money from their insurance company. Our friends Bounder was totaled by a towing company and their insurance company gave them full value when they wouldn't sign off and insisted on more money. Your insurance company has lawyers to deal with the towing companies insurance.
C-Leigh Racing wrote: M/H was an 88 model 3490 GBM Encounter that had been inside most of its years. Not a roof leak nor a delamanation wave in the side walls could you see, still had the shine in the paint job.
Yes, we were able to get all our stuff out the next day after the crash happened, but not seen it sence.
Who ever gets it far as a salvage company, going to be getting some good stuff to pull off of it & sell.
Two new 13,500 Coleman a/c units, new fresh water-water pump, FULL 90 gal gas tank full of prem gas, six new 8R19.5 load rated tires, new trailer brake controler, a built 460ci engine with high lift cam & $1200.00 set of custom prepaired & ported cylinder heads, pumping out around 400 hp just to get the job done, new fridge, that worked so good if you wasnt carefull it would freeze eggs when on propane gas.
We did go to our insurance & their offer was way more than what the other one was offering, but the wife & me both dont feel like that is right using them & that its not their place to do so.
Neil
If you can document the recent repairs and upgrades, that may help your value.
By all means, let your insurance company pay you and then deal with the tow company's insurance. Dealing with the responsible party's insurance is one of the things you pay your insurance company for!!
Tell them you don't want a penny: you want an identical coach in the same condition as the wrecked one.
(What's a GBM, BTW?)
John
1984 Ford B-700 school bus conversion, Thomas body
A bunch of other vehicles
3 nutty cats (Maya, Vierna, Briza)
One lazy dog (Marmaduke)
One wife (Liz)
"A wasted youth is better by far than a wise and productive old age"
-Jim Steinman
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