Any insurance company that did that, IMO, would be on the shady side of business and should be looked at by the state insurance department. IOW, that's crap.

The deal is "LQK" meaning like kind and quality. A policy holder is not required to attend various auctions until they achieve the deal the insurance company deems fair.

It's based on book value, and there are book values for older cars, as well as dealer quotes in the area. It's all about a fair amount of money. They can't, nobody can, replace something that's damaged beyond repair. Nit by nit, fix by fix, tire by tire, got the oil replaced last week, and so on.

Best they can do is the best. And I'm not by any means an apologist for insurance companies.

Hopefully your check will be close to replacement, Kijiji might have your next car?

http://baltimore.kijiji.com/c-Cars-vehicles-Cars-under-5K-2002-FORD-TAURUS-SES-W0QQAdIdZ115965562

or if feeling a little sporty.

http://baltimore.kijiji.com/c-Cars-vehic...QAdIdZ116200094

OK, ok, it's fun to dream.
http://baltimore.kijiji.com/c-Cars-vehicles-Classic-cars-1967-Cobra-replica-W0QQAdIdZ74230601

'48 Harley!
http://baltimore.kijiji.com/c-Cars-vehicles-Motorcycles-scooters-1948-HARLEY-W0QQAdIdZ108479256


Another T-Bird!
http://baltimore.kijiji.com/c-Cars-vehic...QQAdIdZ69257780

Wow, that Mustang has the same OZ Racing wheels my car has. That 'stang looks nice.

Looking at his Expedition, "Built Ford Tough" comes to mind.

Not disagreeing with you Bill, but it's pretty typical for the initiating vehicle to exhibit very little signs of collision, while the receivers get the brunt of it. There are studies to explain this, but I've forgotten the complicated reasons.

Mass + speed = more energy, than say a stationary vehicle, couple that with a true frame in the Ford versus a unibodied car, well the results are what you'd expect.

Just an update if anyone is interested. The guy is out of jail now. He called me at work today and said he would like to just "make it right". He wants to pay for the repairs himself. I told him there was no way that was going to happen. Then he went through his spiel telling me that his insurance company dropped him today and they wouldn't cover it. I asked him if he had the cash right now to repair my car. He said no that he would have to get a loan from his mother. I told him again that I want the insurance information, even if the refused the claim. He said he would have to get the information from his wife and would call me back. (Like I actually believed that one)

I left work early and came home because I was going to go over to his house. As soon as I got home, his wife came over to plead her case. I told her the same thing I told him, that I wanted the information for the insurance company. After breaking down in tears and pleading her case some more, she finally said she would go get it and bring it back. (I didn't believe her either)

I decided I would call my insurance agent to ask her advice. I told her what was going on and she said I was right to keep asking for the insurance information. She also said that if he got dropped today that he was covered on the 28th and his insurance should still cover it. If by chance he got dropped before the 28th, that my insurance would cover it under the uninsured motorist part of my policy. I would have to pay the required by MD law $250 deductible though. They would go after that along with the repair costs in trying to get reimbursed by the guy if he is uninsured. She then asked me if I have his tag number and I said I could get it since he lives 100 yards down the street. She is running a trace on the tag and will be able to give me the name of the insurance company and policy number for me to contact them.

I know what I am doing sounds cold and heartless, but I have to approach it to protect *my* best interests. What happens if the guy backs out on paying for my car or his mother backs out on giving him the loan. If it goes unreported, then I could just get stuck with everything. Also if I were to have the car towed to get an estimate and he can't get the money for a bit, I would be stuck with storage fees too.

If you guys want more updates, then let me know, if not, just let the thread fall off the front page.

I'm very interested how this works out.

I hate to see innocent people screwed over, and have no legal recourse.

Not in my book.
He made the choice to drive under the influence not you.
Good luck with getting this all straightened out.

Wheelsup


(Post # 78)

You go to his arraignment (initial appearance), or if he's already appeared before the judge, you go to his next scheduled hearing. I assume he's got some kind of charge from the police?

The judge will hear your side as a victim of the case and cause mandatory payment on the defendant if found guilty for damages. He will no doubt as you are completely innocent. The court puts a "judgment suspension" on his license and until that is reimbursed to the victim, he remains suspended.

There's usually a time frame given by the judge for this to be paid in full to the victim. If he doesn't pay it in full by the time, he can look at more jail.

There may be a different term in your state, sometimes called a security suspension, but every court has this power in a case like yours.