What if you disagree with the insurance company about totaling your car?

Answer 1

If you disagree about the amount of money you're being offered, you should first let your insurance company know you don't think it's right. It's possible that someone made an honest mistake, and if they look at the figures again they'll catch it. If they still insist that's the right value, though, you're probably going to have to have your car appraised (at your own expense) by an independent appraiser, or possibly two if your first appraiser and the insurance company's appraiser have very different opinions on the car's worth. If that still doesn't help, you'll need a lawyer, because at that point your only real option is litigation. If the problem is not the money, but that you simply want your car fixed instead of having it totalled, the insurance company will generally offer to pay you what (they think) your car is worth, after subtracting your deductible and the amount they expect to get from selling it to a salvage yard. If you do this, you will have to pay for the repairs yourself. Also, you may have problems getting insurance for that car in the future.