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Originally Posted by MADE
Who is the insurance claims member on Zilvia, I remember him discussing this before.
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So far gtstwincam and I are the only people I know who work in insurance.
First thing I'd say is to get a good attorney ASAP. You think it's an open and shut case, but a lot of times the opposing attorney will pull the rug from under you if you're not careful. They'll try to blame you and make you pay for everything. Protect yourself first.
Second thing is never speak about your accident until the deal is settled. You're not helping your case. You're giving the other party ammo by letting the cat out of the bag early.
Third thing is never ever declare the vehicle a "total loss" yourself. The total loss system is a gimmick invented by the insurance industry to limit their payout.
It gets complicated quickly, but in general don't be walking around saying that your car is totaled. You've just agreed to less money.
If a judge and jury heard you say that your own car is totaled, they have no choice but to give you less money.
Instead, say that your vehicle was damaged, causing a loss in the amount of $X (whatever amount you think is fair).
Using the correct terminology lets the other people know that you're not an idiot so they will try to mess with you less.
If you want to get into the whole discussion about total loss and make whole doctrine and all that, I'd be happy to. I'm just not sure if you wanted to.