thanks Souk! At least this shows you how well the E39 is made, and you know you have a well built car!

No news as of last posting, though we (maybe just me) are certainly resisting the urge to look at an E39 M5, which is one of the cars I've always wanted. However if it gets totaled (and we hope it does) there will be one less car payment, which will put us in a better position to buy a house, with a proper garage for the 911.

Yeah, I think there certainly is a lot more damage than meets the eye, and given the way the wheel cracked (they're supposed to be forged wheels!) the force was a lot more than I thought it was. Thanks, gonna need all the luck we can get!

On which part?

If it's the "no friend" part, then I agree they can be helpful. No need to treat them disrespectfully or as a enemy. Just realize it's a for profit organization. Even USAA with its refunds has to exist in the black.

I've had USAA for 40 years or more. They've gone through some changes. When my truck was totalled, I had to fight tooth and nail to get what I needed as a settlement from USAA.

I'm in negotiation with Allstate on the almost 2 year old accident involving my Carrera. The games they play are just beginning. I plan on "respectfully" taking them on all the way to the wire and a law suit if necessary. This is the only way to get satisfaction from an ins co.

Milt, I was speaking in black/white extremes re the friend/not a friend part. My personal experience has been that USAA has been my friend. I see that you have had a different experience.

None of them are your friend.

If it is your own insurance, they are someone you do business with; if it comes down to doing the right thing for you or for themselves, 10 times out of 10 they do what is best for them.

Good luck on your wreck, make sure they give you what the car is worth if they total it out.

USAA is tops; Amica is usually next to them

so I will slightly modify tobra's comment to 9.9999 times out 10

the real issue is (often) whether they think you will be a greater PIA and $$ cost to deal with or to just pay it out -- one way is to have someone answer the phone with "Law Offices" when they call you (but its illegal unless true); another is to be very ready to complain to your state's Insurance Commissioner

Good Luck

thanks for the support guys!

update: USAA adjuster says just by looking at damage without looking at internal parts (drivetrain, suspension, etc) they are at $6300 worth of damages. They valued the car at $12,530, so they will not be totaling the car, unless further inspection at the BMW certified collision facility shows more damage underneath. After that chat, I decided against the advice here and met with the opposing party's insurance agent, and am having them look at the car; he also mentioned they will probably total the car before USAA would, which is what I would really prefer to do. I should find that out within a day or so. Good thing is the opposing driver has already admitted fault so they have already accepted liability.

We went downtown to Phoenix PD public records, and got a copy of our police report (couldn't pull it up online). Low and behold, the police report had quite a few discrepancies, including who hit who and where the damage on our car was. I left a message for the officer; will hopefully get it fixed sometime this weekend when he's back on duty. Then again, the officer never got a statement from us, and didn't even look where the damage was on our car; everything was from the one eyed man that hit us.

That's it so far, will see how this unfolds in the next couple of days.

Good luck, Jeff!

thanks Art!