They want to give me HOW MUCH for my baby? The Final Chapter

[motion]

There's a happy ending to this story....

After reading my plight, one of our own generous Pelicanites, Brian (aka SoCal911SC) jumped in and offered to help me out... Brian's an attorney here in Orange County. I did some research, got some good comps, had the PCA do an evaluation, made copies of Bruce Anderson's market report (thanks Don Plumley) and put together a nice package supporting the argument that my car is worth approx. $25k, not the $18k that Prudential was offering me. Brian put together a great letter and we sent the package off to Prudential... they didn't budge. They based their value on the fact that there was a car with lower miles available at a used car dealer in LA that cost only $18,500.

So, I decided to make a claim with my own insurance company, American Express Costco. The idea being that they would treat me better, then go after Prudential for the money paid to me. I sent them the package that Brian had prepared, so they would know we meant business. The package was awesome; very articulate and easy to understand and substantiated the value we were looking for. They sent out a knowledgeable independent adjustor, who agreed that the car was totalled. After just a few days, they came back with the magic number: $30,725. This number was based on a base value of $25,800, plus sales tax and the value of my upgrades, namely wheels and stereo system. They also gave me a great price for the salvage: $4,000.

The morale of the story: Don't let these insurance companies take advantage of you. Exercise every option available to you and try every angle. Don't cash the first check they send you. Be tough. Do your homework. Hire a great attorney like Brian!

It all turned out better than I imagined, and I have lots of board members to thank for their contributions and suggestions. Now if I can just find the right black on tan 993 Cab!

[Tim Walsh]

NICE!!!

now have you found the next porsche to put in "motion" or to put motion in?

[speeder]

Richard, WOW. You did really good.

[Adam]

$30k?? Very well done, guys!

[MMARSH]

Very nice. How much you want for your motor?

[CamB]

Excellent! Also excellent to see that Brian = SoCal911SC (one of those guys I wondered what happened to from the earlier days of the BBS).

Back when motion had other tales of woe - you deserve some good luck

[makaio]

Awesome Richard!

[motion]

Bite me, Cameron... like this is going to make up for THAT, lol.

[HarryD]

Congrats on getting what you need. When you are ready to look for a new unit, these guys helped me find mine: http://www.enthusiastcars.com/index_framev1.html

[Don Plumley]

Wooo Hooo!! When you get it, I get a ride in the new cab Richard!

Great News!!!!!

[CamB]

Bite me, Cameron... like this is going to make up for THAT, lol.

Hey man, I'm getting married in less than 2 months now and you're making me nervous!

[maxnine11]

glad that worked out!! and your back/neck is fine?? good luck on the cab search. if you come across a black 993 cab with a tiptronic in soCal, let me know. (someone i know is looking for one) later, Max

[Rot 911]

Hope you paid your attorney for his fine work!

[old_skul]

Nice, Motion!

[Joe Bob]

Yeah....Brian is a class act, glad he could help.

[pbs911]

I'm not going to do the attorney thing... because I hate that crap....

Bottom line... I am not going to contribute to the litigous environment and go that route.

Hire a great attorney like Brian!

I am sure alot of people had the same feelings you did at the beginning about not wanting to get an attorney involved. A letter from a great attorney goes a LONG way. The key words are "great attorney."

Unfortunately lots of people wait too long or believe the insurance company will take care of them in a just and fair manner. It used to be that way. But ever since our Supreme Court overtuned a decision that permitted third-party bad faith actions against insurance companies, the insurance company has no motivation to treating accident victims fairly. I could trade stories of the differences an attorney made in obtaining a favorable result for days.

Don't mean to rib on you, but just want your experience in the archives for those to find in the future who find themselves in teh same situation.

Glad to hear it worked out well. Now on to the pics of the 993!

[motion]

Paul - I was really referring to the neck injury. I think you may have taken my words out of context. It would really be easy for me to pick up the phone, hire an attorney, and make off with an extra $10k. But I'm not doing that...

Max - My neck is still sore and stiff, just as much as the day this thing happened. I'm visiting the chiro twice a week and getting a weekly massage. I have lots of scar tissue in the areas that were traumatized, and I've learned that I should have started the massage therapy right away, rather than waiting a month, like I did.

[juanbenae]

really glad to hear it worked out, and 5k more than would have satified you. gotta love when your lawyer is the guy pulling the strings.

now with the recent windfall of cash will you do something about that hair for gods sake? how does that make us P-car guys look with that hair flailing out the top of a cab?

in all seriousness congrates,, now you will sleep through the night again eh?

[NoLift911]

Sounds like your story ended happily. I am still dealing with mine.

Save the fact my concour 84 Carrera is tucked in the garage safe and sound I was in a similiar situation with my 01 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Rear ended on the Dulles Tollway in VA by an idiot in a Passat doing 35-40.

Progressive is his insured, State Farm is mine. He pushed me into another vehicle and that into another. I was dead stopped.

My vehicle turned out to be totaled, I have neck and back injuries, nothing severe few doctors visits etc.

State Farm handled my end since he had limits on his coverage and it needs to go to subrogation. So State Farm paid off my Jeep that was totaled. Left me a whopping 210 to get another daily driver.

I have talked to a number of attornies, their take is they are looking at the injury amount...which they see as the money ticket.

I am out one hell of a lot of money by getting into another Jeep, rental car etc. I really want this idiot to pay and some personal injury money for inconvenience etc.

I was going to write up a demand letter stating the dollar amount for my expenses, pain and suffering etc. I have it all documented form day 1 of the accident.

Any thoughts on this? Send the letter to the idiot that hit me or the idiots at Progressive? Anyone have any luck with this? I am not looking for a financial windfall just the amount of money I am out due to the accident.

Progressive keeps calling me and wants to know if I have hired an attorney, and wants to meet in person. I feel this is a bad idea without counsel so I am going the demand letter route.

What would you guys do?

-Jeff
nolift911@hotmail.com

[MarkP]

I'll add a little here...

When I bought the 85 Carrera last month I told my insurance agent that it was an exceptional car and I wanted 'agreed value' coverage. Having an agreed value written into the policy protects you from what Richard has gone through - if something happens to the car they are bound to pay out the agreed value.

The only way my insurance company would do it was to have an appraisal done which I had done at a cost of $100.

Here is the cool thing, I got the appraisal in the mail today and it says, "This is one of the nicest 85 Porsche Targas probably in existence. It is in absolutely pristine condition with few noticable flaws. Retail value $25,000 - $27,000"

What do you think the insurance company would have paid with out the agreed value and appraisal? $100 well spent I think.