totalling a car-looking from the inside out

[Milanogold@domain.elided]

Greetings Alfisti!
       First,let me say to the person that lost their GT junior to an 
accident,my deepest condolences.To us they're like mechanical members of the 
family......
      Sounds like State Farm is well and truly jerking you around with 
regards to replacement value on the car. They are pushing to total that car, 
obviously.Here's some points to ponder regarding the situation, and a few 
suggestions.Forgive my rambling,been a 12 hour day today.  
1.If the car is indeed a total loss based on the repair estimate (was this 
using new or used parts?find out what they based their estimate 
on........)then I'd go to the claims adjusters'supervisor and start 
yelling.Is it a "Team (various numbers) claims adjuster;a Service First 
adjuster,or a total loss office adjuster doing the estimate?You'll have a 
better chance of repairing the car if a team 47 or 54 (the northern VA team 
numbers, they differ throughout the country)adjuster did the estimate(this is 
called claims central);not so good a chance if a Service First adjuster did 
the estimate (borderline totals before a mechanical/frame teardown are 
generally given to Svc.1st adjusters first;a lot of these folks work in and 
are employed by the body shop the estimate was done at );and if a local SF 
office adjuster did the estimate State Farm has essentially considered your 
car totalled and will be VERY hard to sway from this position.
Glad you got an attorney involved................
2.Your car can be rebuilt.State Farm just doesn't want to pay for the 
labor.I'd assume you're talking unibody damage with an estimate of about 150 
hours body shop labor or thereabouts.If you want the car rebuilt;ask if the 
car could be rebuilt at one of their direct service provider shops.(This 
would be cheaper for SF, because the labor rates are negotiated.In this area, 
if the sign on the wall says $28.00 for labor, it really means the insurance 
company has negotiated a true rate of something closer to 18.00 per hour.  If 
one of these DSP shop estimators did the estimate they're most likely running 
that estimate high.Why?Because most likely they would be the shop doing the 
work and based on the availability of Alfa parts,working on a car I'll bet 
dollars to donuts they have never seen on the road, let alone in their 
shop,and the fact the car would sit quite a bit (waiting on parts)they don't 
want to do it.Your car would be taking up valuable (and profitable) space 
that the shop.............The teardown to assess damage to the car is figured 
into the total repair estimate as well.In this area of the country,the 
negotiated price between insurance companies and body shops for 
mech.teardowns varies from $200 to $300.Progressive insurance co, for 
example,pays a $200 flat fee to body shops for teardowns;if the car is 
declared a total, Progressive doesn't pay the shops a penny.The shops do 
these teardowns for the potential of repair business they can 
generate.(Your'e(the insurance company)is  not going to move a car you've 
just torn apart and have scattered all over the shop floor to another shop, 
are you? 
3.Based on the amount of documentation and receipts you have for the car;you 
should get the $6700 price you need for the car.Take copies of the Alfa owner 
with similar cars for sale,Hemmings ads, ads and pricing for the 
additional/restored/performance parts for the car to the adjuster.Have a 
second,independent appraisal of the car done and take it to the SF 
adjuster.If this doesn't seem to help, take State farm to court.Sue them for 
$100,000 or more.You'll be surprised at how quickly they will change their 
minds and  give you what you want for the car.
Hoping this helps and informs,
Terry akins
Alexandria,VA
1987 Milano Gold (Alfie)
1979 Alfetta Velocissima (Lazarus)
110 rental cars and frayed nerves from dealing with insurance companies 
daily.And you thought the government was byzantine................... 
     
    

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End of alfa-digest V7 #821
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