GF's car accident - car totalled
03-01-2006, 06:11 PM
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GF's car accident - car totalled
This morning, around 9:00 AM, Maureen's '97 sentra 5 sp. was hit from behind when she stopped at a yield sign. The guy that hit her has no insurance. Her insurance company says it's totalled. They offered her $2,900, minus her $500 deductable. IMO, replacement value would be about $3,300, I could be wrong. They are calling the salvage value $450, so she can keep it and get $1,950 from her insurance company. It has 128K on the odo. Tires are fairly new and I just did a tune-up.
I suppose legally, she can't drive a totalled car. The damage is all in the right rear, one tail light gone, trunk and rear right door stuck closed, bumper smashed, but it is driveable. I think all she needs to do to drive it is to make it road legal, which is probably as simple as replacing the smashed tail light. Then she would need to pass state inspection and get a "Salvage" title. That would give her some time to find a replacement. She is a private school teacher, so her budget is very very thin. She can't really afford this hit.
She could sue to recover her deductable, but you can't get blood from a stone. I'm sure she would win. A cop showed up and a report filed, but so what? I suspect there is possibly nothing to get from the at fault driver. Will her rates go up? We went looking for cars tonight, but I'm not sure she can swing a payment. Any suggestions? Can she argue with her insurance company? Is there any way to know if the at-fault uninsured driver has any assets? Will her ins. company sue him to recover damages? Will she ever see her deductable returned?
Get this,
the guy had stopped paying his insurance bills so they dropped him at the end of February, just 9 hours before the accident. He tried getting reinstated after the fact but, of course, his insurance company declined.
I suppose legally, she can't drive a totalled car. The damage is all in the right rear, one tail light gone, trunk and rear right door stuck closed, bumper smashed, but it is driveable. I think all she needs to do to drive it is to make it road legal, which is probably as simple as replacing the smashed tail light. Then she would need to pass state inspection and get a "Salvage" title. That would give her some time to find a replacement. She is a private school teacher, so her budget is very very thin. She can't really afford this hit.
She could sue to recover her deductable, but you can't get blood from a stone. I'm sure she would win. A cop showed up and a report filed, but so what? I suspect there is possibly nothing to get from the at fault driver. Will her rates go up? We went looking for cars tonight, but I'm not sure she can swing a payment. Any suggestions? Can she argue with her insurance company? Is there any way to know if the at-fault uninsured driver has any assets? Will her ins. company sue him to recover damages? Will she ever see her deductable returned?
Get this,
the guy had stopped paying his insurance bills so they dropped him at the end of February, just 9 hours before the accident. He tried getting reinstated after the fact but, of course, his insurance company declined.
03-01-2006, 06:25 PM
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Holy shiet, sorry for your GF. One thing though is if it is driveable then drive it. Did she take it off insurance? or let the registration expire? I would say put another tail light on it and drive it to the ground. I drove a salvage vehicle for a bit after an accident and I didn't have any problems.
03-01-2006, 06:34 PM
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Oh - http://www.ct.gov/dmv/cwp/view.asp?a=804&Q...T=|30152|30197|
Salvaged (Totaled) Vehicles
Insurance companies have the authority to declare a vehicle a "total loss", but they are subject to regulation by the State of Connecticut Insurance Department.
If your insurance company has determined that your vehicle is a "total loss" or the word "Salvage" has been stamped on the title, it is illegal to operate this vehicle upon any road in Connecticut. Technically, the registration on this vehicle has been cancelled. You should have removed the plates from your vehicle.
The DMV is aware of the status of the vehicle, since your insurance company has sent us a copy of the title stamped "Salvage".
The registration and plates on the salvaged vehicle can be transferred to another vehicle.
If you rebuild the salvaged vehicle (parts only; salvages cannot be rebuilt), you must re-title the vehicle. The vehicle cannot, however, be re-titled until it passes a Salvage Inspection.
Please see Salvage Inspection Information Sheet (form B-256) for additional information.
Salvage Inspection Locations:
Salvaged vehicles will be inspected in the following four offices only: Enfield, Hamden, New Britain and Wethersfield, Tuesday through Saturday, until one hour before closing by appointment only. Please call our Salvage Telephone Line at 860-263-5491 Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to schedule an appointment.
The DMV will charge an inspection fee of $88 for a regular salvage inspection. If the vehicle has never been registered in Connecticut, or if the vehicle is 10 years old or older, there is a $10 administrative fee which is paid at the time of registration.
Effective November 12, 2004, in addition to the salvage inspection at DMV, the vehicle will also require a new emissions test performed at an official emissions testing station . Some vehicles may be exempt from emissions testing, please refer to the listing of exempt vehicles.
NOTE: A New York State salvage certificate (form MV907A) is not acceptable by the Connecticut DMV.
Make sure you bring receipts for major component parts used in the rebuilding. If a part was taken from a used vehicle, the receipt should specify the serial number (VIN) of that vehicle. The major component parts are: engines, cowls, transmissions, frames, doors, trunk lids, front and rear fenders and quarter panels.
A private individual cannot drive or tow the salvaged vehicle to the DMV office. He can only bring it in on a flat-bed trailer or car carrier (i.e., no wheel of the vehicle may touch the ground). The vehicle can be driven/towed by a bona fide Dealer/Repairer employee with Dealer/Repair Plates only when the dealer is the owner of the vehicle. But if it fails inspection it must be transported away on a flatbed trailer.
Once the vehicle passes the salvage inspection, you can re-register the vehicle with the old plates or obtain new plates. You will be issued a new title (without the "Salvage" stamp on it) with the words "Rebuilt" printed on it. Once the salvage inspection is performed, the inspection slip does not expire.
The owner of a vehicle that has been declared "Salvage" cannot transfer ownership on an Application for Duplicate Title (form H6B). The owner must first obtain a duplicate title from the Title Section which will bear the legend "Salvage". The owner may then assign the reverse side of the duplicate title to the purchaser.
If the title is branded "Salvage Parts Only" or "Salvage Unrebuildable" or "Salvage Unrepairable", the vehicle cannot be registered or re-titled under any circumstances.
Required Documents:
Salvaged vehicles purchased from a dealer or repairer must have a Salvaged Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186) completed and presented at the time of vehicle inspection. When a vehicle that has had any major component part replaced in accord with industry standards is presented for inspection by a licensed dealer or repairer, the following procedure is to be followed.
Clear photographs of the repaired/replaced areas of the vehicle are to be presented when inspected. The photographs must clearly:
1. Show the entire vehicle by four photos, one from each vehicle corner i.e. left front, right front, left rear, right rear.
2. Show the damaged area(s) prior to repairs.
3. Show the repaired areas with the new parts/panels installed prior to any seam sealing, painting, or rust proofing.
4. Show how the new parts were attached (welding).
5. Show the area prior to painting and corrosion proofing (if the area is no longer visible).
These photographs must be attached to a DMV Salvage Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186). This form must be completed and signed by the licensee. All Departmental requirements for invoices/titles/receipts of parts/panels shall apply. The certification for repair of salvage vehicles will be the signed and submitted with the completed Salvage Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186). If the vehicle is equipped with an air bag, a separate Air Bag Certification Statement (form B-303) will be required for air bag repair or replacement. In a situation where a licensee
Salvaged (Totaled) Vehicles
Insurance companies have the authority to declare a vehicle a "total loss", but they are subject to regulation by the State of Connecticut Insurance Department.
If your insurance company has determined that your vehicle is a "total loss" or the word "Salvage" has been stamped on the title, it is illegal to operate this vehicle upon any road in Connecticut. Technically, the registration on this vehicle has been cancelled. You should have removed the plates from your vehicle.
The DMV is aware of the status of the vehicle, since your insurance company has sent us a copy of the title stamped "Salvage".
The registration and plates on the salvaged vehicle can be transferred to another vehicle.
If you rebuild the salvaged vehicle (parts only; salvages cannot be rebuilt), you must re-title the vehicle. The vehicle cannot, however, be re-titled until it passes a Salvage Inspection.
Please see Salvage Inspection Information Sheet (form B-256) for additional information.
Salvage Inspection Locations:
Salvaged vehicles will be inspected in the following four offices only: Enfield, Hamden, New Britain and Wethersfield, Tuesday through Saturday, until one hour before closing by appointment only. Please call our Salvage Telephone Line at 860-263-5491 Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to schedule an appointment.
The DMV will charge an inspection fee of $88 for a regular salvage inspection. If the vehicle has never been registered in Connecticut, or if the vehicle is 10 years old or older, there is a $10 administrative fee which is paid at the time of registration.
Effective November 12, 2004, in addition to the salvage inspection at DMV, the vehicle will also require a new emissions test performed at an official emissions testing station . Some vehicles may be exempt from emissions testing, please refer to the listing of exempt vehicles.
NOTE: A New York State salvage certificate (form MV907A) is not acceptable by the Connecticut DMV.
Make sure you bring receipts for major component parts used in the rebuilding. If a part was taken from a used vehicle, the receipt should specify the serial number (VIN) of that vehicle. The major component parts are: engines, cowls, transmissions, frames, doors, trunk lids, front and rear fenders and quarter panels.
A private individual cannot drive or tow the salvaged vehicle to the DMV office. He can only bring it in on a flat-bed trailer or car carrier (i.e., no wheel of the vehicle may touch the ground). The vehicle can be driven/towed by a bona fide Dealer/Repairer employee with Dealer/Repair Plates only when the dealer is the owner of the vehicle. But if it fails inspection it must be transported away on a flatbed trailer.
Once the vehicle passes the salvage inspection, you can re-register the vehicle with the old plates or obtain new plates. You will be issued a new title (without the "Salvage" stamp on it) with the words "Rebuilt" printed on it. Once the salvage inspection is performed, the inspection slip does not expire.
The owner of a vehicle that has been declared "Salvage" cannot transfer ownership on an Application for Duplicate Title (form H6B). The owner must first obtain a duplicate title from the Title Section which will bear the legend "Salvage". The owner may then assign the reverse side of the duplicate title to the purchaser.
If the title is branded "Salvage Parts Only" or "Salvage Unrebuildable" or "Salvage Unrepairable", the vehicle cannot be registered or re-titled under any circumstances.
Required Documents:
Salvaged vehicles purchased from a dealer or repairer must have a Salvaged Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186) completed and presented at the time of vehicle inspection. When a vehicle that has had any major component part replaced in accord with industry standards is presented for inspection by a licensed dealer or repairer, the following procedure is to be followed.
Clear photographs of the repaired/replaced areas of the vehicle are to be presented when inspected. The photographs must clearly:
1. Show the entire vehicle by four photos, one from each vehicle corner i.e. left front, right front, left rear, right rear.
2. Show the damaged area(s) prior to repairs.
3. Show the repaired areas with the new parts/panels installed prior to any seam sealing, painting, or rust proofing.
4. Show how the new parts were attached (welding).
5. Show the area prior to painting and corrosion proofing (if the area is no longer visible).
These photographs must be attached to a DMV Salvage Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186). This form must be completed and signed by the licensee. All Departmental requirements for invoices/titles/receipts of parts/panels shall apply. The certification for repair of salvage vehicles will be the signed and submitted with the completed Salvage Vehicle Repair Report (form K-186). If the vehicle is equipped with an air bag, a separate Air Bag Certification Statement (form B-303) will be required for air bag repair or replacement. In a situation where a licensee
03-01-2006, 06:58 PM
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Yikes! I hope your GF is ok! That sounds like a pretty bad hit. 
Good luck!
Also... George... not sure if I read your post wrong... but it was the other driver that didn't have insurance 
That's really bad timing! 
Good luck!
Originally Posted by paivag,Mar 1 2006, 10:25 PM
Did she take it off insurance? or let the registration expire?
That's really bad timing!
03-01-2006, 07:00 PM
#6
Community Organizer
Eeesh! How is Maureen doing?
You can always negotiate what they are giving you for the totalled vehicle....she may only get another 2-3 hundred bucks, but everything helps. She should tell her agent that the car was running perfectly, new tires tune up etc and even find some ads showing retail prices of the same vehicle.
You can always negotiate what they are giving you for the totalled vehicle....she may only get another 2-3 hundred bucks, but everything helps. She should tell her agent that the car was running perfectly, new tires tune up etc and even find some ads showing retail prices of the same vehicle.
03-02-2006, 02:22 AM
#7
Registered User
damn i am very very sorry BUT don't settle yet - as others have said it sounds like she got hit pretty hard but you might want to see if you settle you may lose your rights if she has any type of injury caused by this.. (i'd double check to make sure you guys are covered)
also when some cop hit my cop car - the first thing the guy's insurance company said was they would total my car - i said no way i want it fixed i took the car to my bodyshop and low and behold the repair cost came in just under the total value
also when some cop hit my cop car - the first thing the guy's insurance company said was they would total my car - i said no way i want it fixed i took the car to my bodyshop and low and behold the repair cost came in just under the total value
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03-02-2006, 03:43 AM
#8
Sorry to hear. Hope Maureen is OK.
03-02-2006, 05:53 AM
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I'm sure others will chime in, but I would still sue. Stated above driving without insurance in CT is against the law. The officer did not arrest the other driver? If you sue you could gain monthly payments from the other party. If you need more advice or info I can contact my father. Lawyer for state of CT or grandfather ex supreme court judge for CT. PM if you want/ need further info.
03-02-2006, 06:25 AM
#10
In Mass, if you are not at fault the insurance company waives the deductible and goes after the other driver. Not the same in CT I guess?
You can always file in small claims court to go after the other driver. PITA, but you can get your money back and he might just settle with you if you are going after him.
You can always file in small claims court to go after the other driver. PITA, but you can get your money back and he might just settle with you if you are going after him.