Write off?

[David-777]

Just wanting opinions if this car is a write off.

So someone ran into my mums vx wagon. The damage is in the rear left quarter panel and has pushed the panel slightly further than the wheel itself. I also found when pushing your feet down in the rear passenger seat the floor panel would pop down and up.

She has already put it in for repair, and I'm now writing this as I'm not sure on the regulations.

My questions.

1 - Are you able to cut and seal quarter panels in NSW? I thought this was not allowed anymore.
2 - Would the floor moving make this a write off?
3 - Is it too late to do anything or should I not accept the car back?
4 - What should i look for when they tell us the car is ready?

I will try to find some photos as i'm sure she took some before it happened.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Dice]

Are you dealing with your own insurance company?

 

[unclepaulie]

Get an assessor to check it?

Wouldnt that be the first thing to do before putting it in for repair?

 

[VOLK]

Yep. Deciding whether a car is a write-off over the internet based on descriptions alone is borderline impossible. Assessor makes that decision.

 

[David-777]

My mums dealing with her own insurance agency yes.

I understand its hard to assess, but by looking at it I thought it was a write off straight away. Especially with the floor pan damage.

Wether or not its a write off, is there anything I should look for in regards to this sort of damage before we accept it back?

I worry as she has been screwed before with insurance agencies. She was rear ended (at around 70kph) years ago in basically the same car and they called it existing damage.

I am also unfamiliar with the insurance claim process.

 

[Guest]

Write off's come down to a few things.

The value of the vehicle versus the cost of repairs as the car may only be worth $5k but the repairs would total $10k, therefore an economical write off. These can still be repaired at your own expense and re-registered (check with your local state road/transport authority about whether an inspection is required)

The physical damage to the vehicle is far too great and exceeds ADR/local/state/national government regulations about whether certain aspects of the vehicle are damaged. If this is the case, then it becomes a structural (or statutory) write off - and can never be repaired/re-registered. Examples of these are if the chassis is bent more than a certain amount, if the roof is buckled, and in some instances if the airbags have been deployed.

 

[Unco_Tomato]

If there is any damage to the underside of the vehicle or the chassis it will be a write off, but that should have been assessed well before any repairs are carried out.

The fact the insurance company has gone for a repair before the assessment is pretty dodgy in my eyes, I'd not accept the vehicle back until it has been carried out by a reputable assessor.

My previous Legnum was written off for damage to the rear, not sure if it's worse than you mothers car, but this is what mine looked like.

Mine was at first deemed repairable by the insurance company, but the assessor said my chassis was a little bent and therefore wrote it off.

 

[David-777]

It's insured for 5K. The damage look around the same, though only on one side. just behind the wheel.

Spoke to the old lady and she sais they've towed it to the insurer, but they won't go ahead with any repairs because she is disputing their findings. They're saying the damage to the floor pan in the rear passenger seat is "pre-existing".

Can't believe they're pulling this shit twice.

While it's there I'll get an independent assessor. In all honesty, I wouldn't want my mum driving in it even if they fixed it now that the floor pan has been buckled.

Thanks for your advice guys. I'll post up the outcome.

 

[trotty]

By the sounds of it it's a common cop out line to get out of repairing it.

 

[Dice]

Time for a new insurer. Which company is she currently with?

 

[David-777]

It must be, since its happened twice.

she is with nrma i think

 

[Guest]

Either that or the car itself was poorly repaired prior to u buying it/was a previous write off and was repaired and put back on the road.

Given this "under the floor" damage is only evident when it's stripped and pulled apart or revealed like now, you wouldn't see it normally underneath all the carpet and interior fittings.

Unforseen hidden damage is something that is very common. Who's to say that the next car you or your mother buys doesn't have damage hidden behind the rear bar, front bar, bogged up under the chassis rails etc... People are ever so quick to pass the blame these days.

I work in Insurance and have done so for almost 10yrs now.

 

[David-777]

The popping of the floor when you push your feet down in the rear passenger side only came about after the accident.
The old man and I go over every car anyone in our family buys.