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6mo old truck was likely just totaled - tips/guidance on working with insurance & FCA?

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Lsga

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Hey folks,

My intent when joining this forum was to learn more about my 2024 Ram Ltd Night Edition and all the cool mods/upgrades this community has done to their trucks - however, my parked truck was hit so hard this past Saturday night (Seattle, WA) that I'm pretty sure it'll be totaled.
  • Long story short, guy fell asleep behind the wheel and hit the driver's side rear corner likely going around 40-50mph; miraculously, nobody was hurt).

Few questions I have for folks who have gone through the experience of having a car totaled by insurance:
  • my truck was purchased new in Dec 2024 (so i've had it under 6mo, put about 4k miles on it); how do go I about ensuring I limit the ways I can get screwed on the actual cash value estimate?
  • I've been reading, things to look out for are ensuring the insurance adjuster uses local comps (not ones from other parts of the country with different price points), make sure they're using all the options I purchased, accounting for sales/licensing tax, etc.
  • it sounds like once the car is officially totaled, I should reach out to my dealership to get my Mopar extended warranty and service contracts cancelled?

Also, the other driver was significantly under-insured (25k property damage limit), so I have to go through my insurance - anything I should know/look out for?

... Hopefully back in another 5th gen soon - TIA for any tips/help you can provide!

Cheers,
Santi
 
Lsga said:
Hey folks,

My intent when joining this forum was to learn more about my 2024 Ram Ltd Night Edition and all the cool mods/upgrades this community has done to their trucks - however, my parked truck was hit so hard this past Saturday night (Seattle, WA) that I'm pretty sure it'll be totaled.
  • Long story short, guy fell asleep behind the wheel and hit the driver's side rear corner likely going around 40-50mph; miraculously, nobody was hurt).

Few questions I have for folks who have gone through the experience of having a car totaled by insurance:
  • my truck was purchased new in Dec 2024 (so i've had it under 6mo, put about 4k miles on it); how do go I about ensuring I limit the ways I can get screwed on the actual cash value estimate?
  • I've been reading, things to look out for are ensuring the insurance adjuster uses local comps (not ones from other parts of the country with different price points), make sure they're using all the options I purchased, accounting for sales/licensing tax, etc.
  • it sounds like once the car is officially totaled, I should reach out to my dealership to get my Mopar extended warranty and service contracts cancelled?

Also, the other driver was significantly under-insured (25k property damage limit), so I have to go through my insurance - anything I should know/look out for?

... Hopefully back in another 5th gen soon - TIA for any tips/help you can provide!

Cheers,
Santi
Click to expand...
Wow that is a total bummer sorry to hear about your truck.
 
You need to negotiate whatever your and their insurance come up with. You don't have to just accept their estimate. Although if you have decent insurance it will probably be fair. MAKE SURE YOU ARE PRESENT WITH THE ADJUSTER WHEN THEY LOOK AT IT TO BE SURE THEY ARE DOING IT TO YOUR SATISFACTION. After the first adjuster looks at it, if they decide it is a total loss you will be handed over to the total loss department. The process is usually horrible. I know this because mine was incorrectly declared a total loss (last September) even though it wasn't by an incompetent adjuster. After my rear window leaked in a hurricane and fried my RF Hub. The adjuster claimed I had salt water intrusion which was untrue since the vehicle was 50 miles from the coast. It took me over a month to straighten it out (Allstate). Your case is WAY different. Don't trust anyone is the moral of the story and stay on top of it no matter what.
 
This all happened in New Jersey, but in 2021 (11 days after I bought my truck) I was sideswiped by another driver who was texting while driving and aggressively speeding. ~90mph in a 65. They caused approximately $9,000 in damages to the drivers side. Insurers original estimate based on photos was $2,000, but I knew it would be way more than that and didn't accept the initial settlement. After waiting about a month for the state police report, they informed me that the other driver was clearly at fault and that their insurance would be liable (We both had the same insurer). However they had minimum coverage, $5,000. Insurance company tried to put me on the hook for a significant portion of the remaining damage as a deductible even though I had underinsured motorist coverage. Their reason for arguing this was due to the damage on my truck. Think of that opening scene from Titanic when he says the iceberg punched many small holes in the boat below the water line like morse code. Deet Deet Deet! The other vehicle hit me 3-4 separate times as they ran alongside me and caused several scrapes and large dents. They accused me of fraud because they felt the damage didn't line up with what they normally see in a typical sideswipe. They kept bringing up the word sideswipe because I said that's what happened in my recorded statement. I argued with them on the phone for 20 minutes and they finally caved and said something along the lines of, "We will bill the other driver for the deductible." They are no longer my insurer...

TLDR: Be careful what you say in your statement to the insurance company. Say as little as is necessary. They can and will use your statements against you. Perhaps even in a situation as cut and dry as yours.

Edit: Above all else, be careful, be polite, but be firm.
And 100% agree with what FastBlackRam said above^
 
Last edited:
Lsga said:
Hey folks,

My intent when joining this forum was to learn more about my 2024 Ram Ltd Night Edition and all the cool mods/upgrades this community has done to their trucks - however, my parked truck was hit so hard this past Saturday night (Seattle, WA) that I'm pretty sure it'll be totaled.
  • Long story short, guy fell asleep behind the wheel and hit the driver's side rear corner likely going around 40-50mph; miraculously, nobody was hurt).

Few questions I have for folks who have gone through the experience of having a car totaled by insurance:
  • my truck was purchased new in Dec 2024 (so i've had it under 6mo, put about 4k miles on it); how do go I about ensuring I limit the ways I can get screwed on the actual cash value estimate?
  • I've been reading, things to look out for are ensuring the insurance adjuster uses local comps (not ones from other parts of the country with different price points), make sure they're using all the options I purchased, accounting for sales/licensing tax, etc.
  • it sounds like once the car is officially totaled, I should reach out to my dealership to get my Mopar extended warranty and service contracts cancelled?

Also, the other driver was significantly under-insured (25k property damage limit), so I have to go through my insurance - anything I should know/look out for?

... Hopefully back in another 5th gen soon - TIA for any tips/help you can provide!

Cheers,
Santi
Click to expand...
My suggestion, go through your insurance company for everything . They should have your best interests in mind. Let them handle the total loss value, or repair estimate and pay you out. They will then go after the other person's insurance to to recoup their money. If their coverage wasnt enough, they will sue the other driver. You will be made whole by your insurance, and they will handle everything dealing with other insurance and other driver.
 
states law are difficult and differ... I had a DV claim under uninsured motorist portion (which I pay for) and my own insurance company paid it as a non chargeable claim against me. I wonder if it comes from a state fund under the uninsured/underisnured portion. Every state is different. confusing at best and if I didn t mention and push for DV they never even mentioned it until I did, then I got switched to another department who offered my payment.
 
- No need to deal with other party's insurance - your insurance will take care of all that after they pay you out, assuming you had collision in addition to liability insurance.
- Costs other than damage may be added to total cost of an event that will make an insurance total a vehicle, for instance supplying you with a rental during repairs. So if you prefer to have it totaled, keep that in mind.
 
Lsga said:
Hey folks,

My intent when joining this forum was to learn more about my 2024 Ram Ltd Night Edition and all the cool mods/upgrades this community has done to their trucks - however, my parked truck was hit so hard this past Saturday night (Seattle, WA) that I'm pretty sure it'll be totaled.
  • Long story short, guy fell asleep behind the wheel and hit the driver's side rear corner likely going around 40-50mph; miraculously, nobody was hurt).

Few questions I have for folks who have gone through the experience of having a car totaled by insurance:
  • my truck was purchased new in Dec 2024 (so i've had it under 6mo, put about 4k miles on it); how do go I about ensuring I limit the ways I can get screwed on the actual cash value estimate?
  • I've been reading, things to look out for are ensuring the insurance adjuster uses local comps (not ones from other parts of the country with different price points), make sure they're using all the options I purchased, accounting for sales/licensing tax, etc.
  • it sounds like once the car is officially totaled, I should reach out to my dealership to get my Mopar extended warranty and service contracts cancelled?

Also, the other driver was significantly under-insured (25k property damage limit), so I have to go through my insurance - anything I should know/look out for?

... Hopefully back in another 5th gen soon - TIA for any tips/help you can provide!

Cheers,
Santi
Click to expand...
you can cancel it yourself or the dealer make sure you get it in writing. lawyer up. may be underinsured but that has nothing to do with your damages. thats for his damages. get a lawyer his insurance will screw you
 
Hi folks, thank you to everyone for all your helpful feedback and well wishes.
  • it's at an impound lot, Safeco adjusters haven't been over to see it yet. So yes, accruing storage fees, but not from a body shop just yet
    (I'm actively hoping it gets totaled, I would never be comfortable driving it with the volume of structural damage to the frame, axles and independently, drivetrain)
In the spirit of giving back, here's what I was able to compile and synthesize for the benefit of other Ram owners!

Strategies for dealing with insurance:
  • Insurance companies prioritize closing claims quickly and adjusters are measured by this. How to leverage to your advantage:
    • Stopping communication for a while can sometimes force a better settlement.
      • In some cases they may try contacting spouses to pressure you into accepting since they can't close the claim without your agreement.
    • Once you agree that your truck should be totaled, Insurance will likely want to take possession asap to auction it off for parts (it's so new, they'll make good $$$).
      • Do not let them take possession until you have both agreed on the final value. If you hand it over before that, you essentially lose all leverage.
  • Filing directly with your insurance company is generally recommended; they prioritize your interests, manage payouts, and recoup from the other insurer.
    • Filing a claim with your "under-insured driver" policy is often a good first step, even if the insurance company later sues the other driver to recover costs. (review your policy documents regarding subrogation rights)
    • Uninsured motorist claims may be handled by a state fund; varies regionally
  • Payout values are negotiable; Don't accept their first offer without scrutiny.
    • Check to see if you are eligible for "New Vehicle Replacement" in your coverage
    • Push for coverage of all the extras you paid for
  • If your car is undervalued:
    • Find your own comparisons to establish value. Local, same options, color matters
      • Insurance-provided comps often use unequal substitutes; Analyze closely
    • Consider hiring a professional appraiser. They negotiate higher payouts for fixed fee
General callouts:

  • Actively pursue your claim, stay engaged throughout the process.
    • Document everything with insurance; dates, times, and rep names.
  • Be cautious with statements to insurance; keep them concise and professional
  • If totaled, Keep your license plates, reuse them on your new vehicle. they're transferable in WA
    • Make sure you mention that to the dealer when you purchase your next car.
  • Warranty/service contracts can be canceled by you or the dealer (get cancellation in writing)
    • be cautious; Some contracts state no refund for total loss vehicles
Inspections / Repair callouts:

  • Initial insurance estimates are usually low; Send photos to multiple body shops to confirm they agree it should be totaled. (get estimate as soon as possible)
    • Sometimes repairs is done at almost the car's total value (can be a hassle)
    • Try to be present during the adjuster's inspection to ensure satisfaction.
    • Additional costs (e.g., rental car) can contribute to totaling a vehicle; Consider this
  • Let the body shop doing the estimate know if you prefer the car to be totaled vs repaired.
    • Be careful with Storage fees, can be costly if the car is taken to a body shop prematurely
    • You may still be on the hook for them if you don't have a storage rider in your coverage; could apply if the car is initially deemed repairable but later totaled.
  • If already at a body shop, Insurance may pressure you into 'responsibility for storage fees'
    • Total BS; Remind them that an agreement on the vehicle's value hasn't been reached yet
Diminished value:

  • If the car is repaired, consider seeking a diminished value expert to recoup losses from the decrease in the vehicle's market value after being damaged.
  • recommend using a DV company with fixed fees like dvcheck.com (~$500; vs % of reclaimed)
 
Have experience in this in a few cases. YOU have the first right to claim the totaled vehicle for the cash value set at that time..........IF......................you have the capability to store it somewhere with the idea of possibly parting it out, rather than let the local scrapyard get it for next to nothing, and THEY make a fortune selling the parts. Admittedly, they are far better suited to do so, but at least get the figures on buying it back yourself, again, IF......it is something that you want/can do.
 
retire561 said:
Have experience in this in a few cases. YOU have the first right to claim the totaled vehicle for the cash value set at that time..........IF......................you have the capability to store it somewhere with the idea of possibly parting it out, rather than let the local scrapyard get it for next to nothing, and THEY make a fortune selling the parts. Admittedly, they are far better suited to do so, but at least get the figures on buying it back yourself, again, IF......it is something that you want/can do.
Click to expand...
That all depends on the state you live in. Some states do not allow you to buy the vehicle back.
 
My truck was totaled by my insurance. based on the pic. below of my truck's damage (to me this was a 4 to 5K repair)
The body shop came with a 28K repair estimate.
And I am with one of the top 3 insurance companies!!! USAA

I was tempted to buy the truck back and take it to Nogales for repair (I live in AZ) --- then had to deal with the salvage title problem.
 

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5k lol i can see 20k easy there. but at 6 months old 28k shouldn't total it unless it's a tradesmen. if you have gap insurance i would take the hit.
 
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