Well, I don't know what companies you use for insurance, but I've
had great luck on my one totalled Westy (a 1978 that discovered
the joys of self-immolation via ruptured injector hose). My
adjuster (State Farm) called and said that whatever reference he
normally used (in 1993) listed the van at, iirc, $1100. He said he
didn't think that was right, without any urging from me, and asked
for another week or so to research it. He came back with $3400,
which was the actual market value at the time here in Phoenix.

Maybe I just got lucky, but if you research prices yourself, and
have some firm justification for waht *you* determine to be "fair
market value", your luck increases significantly!

Keith Hughes
'86 Westy Tiico, Marvin

>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: David Brodbeck [mailto:gull@GULL.US]
>>Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 2:45 PM
>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>Subject: Re: Totaled camper van
>>
>>
>>This is why I don't carry collision insurance on my van.  I
>>know that if
>>it's totalled, the insurance company will give me something
>>on the order
>>of $1200, because that's the KBB value.  I couldn't buy
>>another camper for
>>that, and I'd end up giving them more than that in extra
>>premiums within
>>a few years anyway -- especially with the way they're jacking
>>up premiums
>>lately to make up for what they lost in the stock market.
>>
>>Collision insurance just doesn't make sense for vehicles more than ten
>>years old.
>>
>>
>>David Brodbeck, N8SRE
>>'82 Diesel Westfalia
>>'94 Honda Civic Si
>>