[KickedAbyss]

My Wife and 3 year old daughter were pulled off the road by slush, down an embankment and into a boulder.

Embankment should have rolled them, but the tow truck operators and I feel it didn't due to the lower center of gravity.

Boulder hit - at what i'd guess between 35-45mph - just behind the radiator it looks like, which means she was either airborn or hopped up onto it.

Wife is sore and on some pain killers - that's probably from the airbags as much as the seatbelt (burn on her torso from that) but walked away with only that as anything visible outside of some bruising.

Daughter was still in a rear facing seat, behind the passenger seat. She was literally 100% physically fine, though shaken up.

Now, time to figure out what to get :/

 

[KickedAbyss]

Insurance Claim from a total loss - advice saught

I'm looking for advice on replacing our 2014 Forester Premium.

We had 138k on it when it got smash smashed.

So Insurance (thus far, still waiting on a few hopeful elements that might improve the amount) is going to get 11k back to me. We're open to spending as much as 10k out of pocket if it's worth going to a much newer model year, so I'm wondering what the last few years have brought to the table.

Things I loved about my Foz:
-Curt class-3 hitch
-AWD/blah blah blah
-Heated seats/All-Weather package
-Handling/Saftey

Things I didn't like:
-Increasing 'noises' rattles and squeaks from all over it seemed
-Gas efficiency had tanked the last year - i'm talking 20-22mpg vs highs in the 30s when I bought it.
-Stupid 1.5k tow capacity (this seems to be standard on Outbacks and Foz', with the Accent being the exception from what i'm seeing?)



Outside of the model year, a more general question for anyone who has been in a wreck/total'd a Foz - how do you handle things like tires? I had basically brand new tires (Michelin) worth $700 - and had road hazard/accidental damage warranty on them - that I would hate to have replaced by a Foz running *shudder* Geolanders or such.

Anything else in the process of getting the insurance claim people have found helpful / better to work with a dealership vs used car dealers?



Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[2.5x_sleeper]

@KickedAbyss Sorry to hear of the accident & the loss of your Forester. Always good to hear there were no major injuries & that everyone is okay!

I merged your second thread with this thread & "tweaked the thread title". It's best to keep your related thread together. :wink:

Bobby...

['07 FSXT MODding Journal] ['03 X MODding Journal]

 

[KickedAbyss]

@2.5x_sleeper Thanks! I wasn't sure what went where in the forums =D

I appreciate the help ^_^

 

[DragonSubie7]

@KickedAbyss -

Have you checked out valuations in your area for a similar model?
Mileage and condition obviously play into the calculation, but unless you had boodles of miles on the car, or it was in poor condition the settlement amount sounds seriously low. It is also a negotiable amount.
Negotiate from a position of knowledge.

As far as what you can get from what is on the car - anything you want... But the value of what you want will be deducted if it wasn't part of the "standard equipment"..
Any accessories you added are yours and you can take them provided the accessory did not replace an original part.

In the case of tires, you would also likely have to replace them so the vehicle can be moved.
You should check to be sure the road hazard warranty can be transferred to the new car - usually that is not the case.

Good luck.

 

[KickedAbyss]

@DragonSubie7 Good points.

Yeah, looking around I can find other 100k+ 14 Foz in the area (50+ miles) but there are only a couple and are 13.9k+; anything with under 95k miles runs 17k+ even in 2014s.

Plus with having had the short block and every gasket etc replaced at around 106k - it's what, 80% a new engine with only 33k on it? Plus I've replaced the front axles, A/C unit, and at least one ball joint.

Anyways, thanks for the insight!

 

[jcrocketman]

Sorry to hear, but at least the family is ok. My daughter totaled my wife’s car a few years back (not a Subaru). My experience in dealing with our insurance company is I thought they low balled the value, especially in assessing the condition of the vehicle. I was able to negotiate with them to increase the condition estimate which brought up the value. In addition, like you I had new tires and a battery which once I provided the receipts they gave me credit for. In the end we received approx an additional 3k over what they had originally offered me.

 

[ILuvMySubaru2]

Wow, glad everyone seems to be OK!

 

[ForesterBill]

If you have good reason to believe that the insurance company is low balling you, you may want to get a professional appraisal of the wrecked car.

 

[Inconsiderate]

Sorry to hear about the accident and also good to hear that you and your family are good.

DragonSubie7 is correct. The amount that the insurance company is negotiable.

If you are asking about getting the appraisal for the vehicle for repair, its best to get it done at a Dealership.

 

[Steve R.]

If you have good reason to believe that the insurance company is low balling you, you may want to get a professional appraisal of the wrecked car.

Recently we lost our 2015 Subaru to an uninsured motorist who also had her driver's license revoked. Our car had just reached 80,000 miles.

Getting a professional appraisal would be a very good idea. The initial appraisal to fix our car was $8,000. I was sceptical of that. The insurance company actually suggested having the car taken to the a body shop for a "second opinion". The "second opinion" concluded that the car was totalled. Additionally, the body shop threw in a bunch or expletives that the original appraiser did not know what he was doing. The insurance company gave us a very reasonable amount for our totalled car.

Though we received a reasonable amount for our car; there are additional costs (see below) that you may want to add to your insurance claim. Obviously things like maintenance and tires are "consumable". We just accepted what the insurance company gave us.

1. Trailer Hitch - $400
2. We had major routine maintenance one year ago. - $1,500
3. New tires one year ago - $5004.
4. Any customization expenses to "convert" your new car to be the same as the old car.

We bought a 2019 Subaru Forester. The new Forester feels more "substantial" than our old 2015 Forester. Of course, we now have the latest and greatest in technology. :thumbsup:

 

[Steve R.]

3. New tires one year ago - $5004.

Yes they were platted in gold. Should have been just $500.