In a message dated 04/11/2008 8:35:04 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

        Well, that's all good  EXCEPT in a lot of venues like Quebec, Ontario
and probably  others, the totalled vehicle cannot be bought back from the
insurance  company by the owner.  It must pass through a registered dealer
automobile  auction where it is put up for sale to registered automobile buyers and
it will  carry a salvage title and will take a lot of hoop jumping to get it
back on the  road legally.   To get to keep the vehicle when a total loss has
been  declared by the insurance company will take a LOT of bargaining power on
your  side.  Good luck !!

>>>>>>>>Another option is to let insurance  company total the car, take the
money (after putting up a fight and getting  the amount increased) then
(assuming they let you) buy the van "for  parts".

Usually you can buy the totaled carcass from the insurance  company for a few
hundred dollars.  Get it fixed yourself by a good  bodyshop (hopefully
cheaper than the first estimate).

You then have  your van again and some cash.

Only downfall is vehicle will most likely  have a salvage title and require
an inspection or two before you can put it on  the road....but better than it
being  crushed.<<<<<<<<<<

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html)  -
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm)  a VW Camper
camping event, Almonte, ON, June 12 ~ 15,  2008