Don,

You can add me to the list of people who have had very satisfactory dealings
with insurance companies.

My last experience was when I was out in Indiana.  A lady ran a stop sign
(at slow speed) and put a deep crease in the side of my Ford E350 van.  Her
insurance was USAA and they settled in 2 weeks.  Check arrived 3 days later.
Estimate was $5100 from the body shop they sent me to.  Settlement was for
$4,850 (they did not total it), because they place 5% of the fault on me for
not using my turn signal (which was true).  I paid $3000 for that van and
even with the crease, it was still good to go (sold it when I returned to
California for $1,500).  Excellent experience!

Two years earlier, non-insured driver hit wifey's Cabriolet from behind.  My
insurance totaled it and sent a check for Blue Book value (more than I paid)
in 3 weeks.  Bought the car back from them for $235 and drove it for another
year before my Father totaled it (different story).

Many of my friends have had excellent experiences as well.  I understand it
can be a different story when a major accident is involved, but I've yet to
have a problem in 30+ years.

Cheers,

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Don Hanson
Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 11:49 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Mellow Yellow got hitted

On Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 10:26 AM, Rowan Tipton <uther@dragonhome.org> wrote:

> Don,
>
> I wonder if your bad experiences relate to the particular insurance and/or
> adjuster you have?  I have had two experiences with my insurance company
> (State Farm).  Neither was with a Vanagon  but both were easy.  I had a
used
> car that I had only owned for about six months stolen from a parking lot
and
> they payed more that I had payed for it plus they also payed the sales
tax.
>  I think they used blue book value for excellent condition... which the
car
> was in.  In another incident someone backed into me in a parking lot and
> left with no note.  Well, I didn't notice the damage until the next day so
I
> called my agent (it was a Saturday so they were closed) who called back on
> monday.  He said I needed to file a police report.  It turned out that the
> local police require the report to be filed within 24 hours and Monday is
> more than 24 hours from Friday.  The adjuster said that without a police
> report it would be on my collision so I would have to pay my $1,000
> deductible.  I called my agent and he made everything right.  I got to
pick
> to place to fix the car and they payed everything.  Maybe I'm just lucky!
>
> r
>
>> (PS...Someone will now chime in with  "Oh that is so cynical, it didn't
go
>> that way for me..."
>>
>
  My experiences  being screwed by insurance companies is not
"company-specific" nor is it location specific or adjuster specific.  It has
been my experience in three different states and over a long time period.
As I said in my original post...some will say they've have had the same
screw-job. Some may even have been treated fairly..Rowan here seems to be
one.  Lucky guy, in my experience.

  My last nightmare (around 2004} cost me easily $20k and a year out of my
life (serious head injury) when I was rear-ended in Nevada while stopped at
a flagger's station. I was hit (reporting officer estimated his speed at
75+mph on impact) by a truck who 'didn't see' me.  10am, bright sun,
straight road for about 10 miles...The fellow was driving a company truck
(4x4 dually loaded with structural steel) which was leased to a mom and pop
operation...I had Washington state insurance, which was caught up in
national the big business "scandal de jour"..Reliance financial group (good
name, eh?)..they declared bankruptcy before I got compensated.  Swindled
their own shareholders, too.  The insurance industry's own
insurance...supposed to pick up any outstanding claims...they said they were
only liable to $10k...My Life-Flight ride by air ambulance was that much
alone...
  Cutting to the chase, after 2 full years of lawers and stuff, they "gave"
me $15k for my $40k Porsche 928 GT and all my medical bills, my lost year of
life and everything else.  "Take it or try to  sue us some more"  implied
statement: "Our pocket are really deep (taxpayer funded) and your's are
limited..we will win"...My attorney made easily more than I took away..
  So yeah, maybe if everything goes just perfect and your insurance company
is feeling unusually honest that day, you may be ok...but I have never found
that to be the case in my dealings nor do I know of anyone, personally,
who's come out of a claim other than disgusted and dissatisfied with the
whole messy and frustrating experience.

  Don Hanson