[V8] Tis the season-Goodbye to my V8

[Roland Broberg]

I have another interesting insurance story not dissimilar to yours.  I had a
car burn with a 17 year old Daughter barely escaping before the vehicle was
entirely engulfed.  Anyway, that car had a recent new engine ($3k), new
tires, paint detailing, and many new parts.  It had low miles and was a
spectacular condition (not an Audi, thankfully).  I was offered 1/3 of the
value.  I provided reams of evidence of similar vehicles and their values
from all over the country and tried, without success, to improve the offer.
I would not accept the check, though.  Finally, following repeated fruitless
negotiating sessions, I sent all my data, pictures and evidence to the
Wisconsin State Insurance Commissioner with a nicely worded letter
explaining my frustration with my insurance company of 21 years.  Nearly
immediately I was given a new offer within 95% of my request, which I took
Two weeks later my insurance was cancelled when a son-in-law hit a deer with
another of my cars and we were determined to be high risk.  The increased
cost of insurance has much more than made up for the better offer that I
settled for.  Is this the American way?  It is no wonder why insurance has
such a bad reputation.
Roland

Roland Broberg
Broberg Engineering-BECO
Delafield, Wisconsin USA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ed Kellock" <ekellock at gmail.com>
To: <v8 at audifans.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 4:33 PM
Subject: Re: [V8] Tis the season-Goodbye to my V8


> When I rolled my 91 200q Avant, USAA first lowballed me then flatly
> refused any of the tactics mentioned below (and often in other cases).
>
> I explained of the rarity of the vehicle.  I explained that the market
> for this particular vehicle is actually a nation one because they are
> so few in numbers.  I then submitted 11 verifiable evidences of actual
> sales to support the value of the car.  They dismissed them without
> consideration.  I went the route of telling them to find me an
> equivalent car.  They were completely intractable in that area,
> wouldn't even discuss it with me.  They finally told me to go to hell
> and that the only other recourse was to hire my own private appraiser
> and he would then work with their guy.
>
> My "appraiser" presented to their guy the very same 11 evidences of
> value and he didn't have a fricken clue and rolled over and they
> finally paid me.  Took 3 months though.  Then they stiffed me on the
> storage of the wreck.  I got that phone call in the midst of packing
> to move after being layed off.  Cost me the storage and one telephone.
>  There is one agent at USAA who now knows exactly what I think of her
> though (4 letter word, starts with a C) as if that's worth anything.
>
> USAA then non-renewed me and banned me for 3 years.  Then, when they
> would talk to me, they would not cover my older vehicles for
> comprehensive.  S'ok though... I now give my money to an insurance
> company that gladly accepts it every month.
>
> Ed
>
> On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 13:46:40 EST, DieMarthaDie at aol.com
> <DieMarthaDie at aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > In a message dated 1/4/2005 1:25:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> > bhitzler at kpbsd.k12.ak.us writes:
> >
> > The  adjusters will always give a first time offer that's laughable at
> > best,  it's their job. Just keep wangling with them. If you still can't
> > come to a  suitable settlement let them find you another V8 in similar
> > condition.  Either way it's a frustrating experience. Just remember it's
> > the adjusters  job to leave you with as little as possible. That's their
> > job description.  Good Luck, Bill
> >
> >
> > when my '84 5000s was hit (in '96), the adjuster offered me $1200 saying
he
> > could find them all over for $1000.  then I asked him to find me THE
SAME  car
> > before making his next offer.  it looked near perfect in/out, had 103k
on
> > the odo (yeah, so it was broken... i didn't mention that) and had every
option
> > (yeah so some of them didn't work...).  I also showed him receipts  for
work
> > done recently.  He came back three days later with a new offer of
$3500.
> >
> > Which I took :)  I paid $1250 for it a year earlier... so that money
went
> > into an '83 CGT :)  whos sale helped finance the 90 V8... oh it's an
ugly
> > place, that addicts head...
> >
> > of course it helps when the incident is CLEARLY the other persons fault
and
> > you take it to an Audi dealer's body shop for a complete VIN report and
repair
> > estimate before the adjuster ever shows up.  just make sure you hold
out
> > for a replacement in the same (provable)condition, especially if you had
Tbelt
> > done, etc... based on mileage.
> >
> > good luck!
> > stand firm and occasionally mention your sore back ;)
> >
> > John
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