What should I do with this insurance?

[wheelspin]

This was previously deleted by a moderator but this is actually extremely time sensitive and I could appreciate if they would understand that.

Regardless of that, I was wondering if people would recommend us asking the insurance if the Leaf can be taken to Nissan for a quote and then (most likely) supplement the first estimate of $13,400. Then I was thinking to sell the 8 month old battery that has been charged to 80% almost exclusively and always on the trickle charger and then just taking the rest of the car to a yard. Thoughts?

Thank you

Here is the previous post that has been forgotten about: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9488" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[mwalsh]

Regardless of that, I was wondering if people would recommend us asking the insurance if the Leaf can be taken to Nissan for a quote and then (most likely) supplement the first estimate of $13,400. Then I was thinking to sell the 8 month old battery that has been charged to 80% almost exclusively and always on the trickle charger and then just taking the rest of the car to a yard. Thoughts?

I'm not sure what you're asking. I seem to remember that in CA you have a legal right to take your car for repair wherever you wish. Not sure about your location, so I can't comment on your situation specifically. If you're hoping that they'll quote a repair bill so high that they decide to total the car out, then that's fine. But it doesn't seem like the norm is to total these cars out. However, if it does get totaled out, then you should certainly get first option of buying it back at the salvage rate. But don't be too surprised if that's more than you're expecting to pay.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

your insurance company should allow you (by law here) to take the car into whomever you choose and considering the "nonstandardness" of the vehicle, it is probably wise to take it to Nissan.

we had an accident in our Prius and it was recommended by "our" insurance company that Toyota inspect the repair to insure no hidden hybrid component damage (the other insurance company paid for the repairs)

 

[wheelspin]

I was unclear. The insurance adjuster made that estimate and we can take it anywhere but I should just ask Nissan to quote it so there is higher pay out because for some unknown reason my insurance company doesn't want to total it. Therefore, I was hoping that Nissan would have a higher price body shop and potentially find some damages what a non-Nissan shop couldn't find.

 

[mwalsh]

I was unclear. The insurance adjuster made that estimate and we can take it anywhere but I should just ask Nissan to quote it so there is higher pay out because for some unknown reason my insurance company doesn't want to total it. Therefore, I was hoping that Nissan would have a higher price body shop and potentially find some damages what a non-Nissan shop couldn't find.

Your insurance guy shouldn't be in a position to dictate how much your repair should cost. Only decide whether or not he wants to pay up or total the car out. There is something wrong with what's going on.

 

[davewill]

I'd certainly get enough quotes that you are confident the quote is accurate and complete and that the repairs will be top quality. Your earlier post made it sound like you wanted to collude with the body shop to defraud the insurance company. Especially for body work, there's nothing that says a Nissan dealer will necessarily be the highest...nor do I recommend looking for the highest quote. Just get an honest one that will result in good outcome.

 

[mwalsh]

I'd certainly get enough quotes that you are confident the quote is accurate and complete and that the repairs will be top quality. Your earlier post made it sound like you wanted to collude with the body shop to defraud the insurance company.

Got to be honest, that was my first thought too. :?

 

[thankyouOB]

you are sort of caught in a chicken-egg situation; you need to take it to a shop to get an estimate. you dont get the estimate first from several places.

My recent experience is that the adjustor first makes a decision about whether the car is totaled. that is done without a body shop.

Once it is determined that there will be a repair, that estimate is commonly done at a body shop, with the shop writing its estimate and negotiating it with the adjustor.
Therefore, it is difficult, especially if your car was towed to a particular shop, to get it somewhere else for an estimate.
In my case, with the Leaf, I had it taken to the dealer, which was near the accident, as I knew they also had a collision shop. I also wanted it done in connection with NIssan because of the battery removal issue.

that is how it was done for me in CA.

 

[mwalsh]

you are sort of caught in a chicken-egg situation; you need to take it to a shop to get an estimate. you dont get the estimate first from several places.

My recent experience is that the adjustor first makes a decision about whether the car is totaled. that is done without a body shop.

Once it is determined that there will be a repair, that estimate is commonly done at a body shop, with the shop writing its estimate and negotiating it with the adjustor.
Therefore, it is difficult, especially if your car was towed to a particular shop, to get it somewhere else for an estimate.
In my case, with the Leaf, I had it taken to the dealer, which was near the accident, as I knew they also had a collision shop. I also wanted it done in connection with NIssan because of the battery removal issue.

that is how it was done for me in CA.

My experience (as of three years ago) is that the car gets towed to a body shop of either your choosing or from the insurance company's recommendation (choosing a shop the insurance company recommends can give quicker resolution). The shop estimates the work and THEN the adjuster decides on fixing or writing-off.

I'm not disputing your experience, because I know you've just been through it. I'm just relating the last car I had written off (AAA).

 

[wheelspin]

Thanks guys. I was not trying to defraud the insurance company, I was simply going on the information received on my previous post about how low some people thought the initial estimate was. Therefore, taking it to a Nissan dealer with a body shop would answer that question and also relieve myself of any stress caused by another experienced shop could have with attempting to work on a car from the future, ha. Does anyone know how much batteries are selling for?

 

[thankyouOB]

cost of battery?
i dont recall anyone here ever writing about buying a replacement.
there is some talk about pricing battery as original part, however, but I dont recall the numbers.

 

[youngr3]

Defrauding insurance company is not an issue. You always have the option to accept a check from the insurance company for the estimated cost of repair, and then have the repair done or not as you choose.