[georgieb51]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

I have a body shop and have had for 30 years. I rebuild wrecks and at times I did insurance work. I would not start off threatening to get a lawyer involved or to sue everyone over six inches tall, keep that in your back pocket for later if need be. I have found that bowing up on the adjuster or the insurance from the start normally provides less satisfaction for the customer[you]. Simply state the fact that it is widely known that the trucks aren't going down and are not being produced irregardless of their thought about value and availability. Not all companies will let the owner retain salvage. It is rare to run across this as most will like 9 out of 10 times. Also check into the salvage title laws for your state and theirs as you don't need them to brand the title . They shouldn't anyway if they never take ownership and are just paying you for damages.In my state,[AR] they aren't supposed to brand anything older than 10 model years but sometimes one slips through. I wish you good luck and I hope it all works out for you and they get right and do the right thing. Most will but it is normally a second offer kind of thing. Like I said keep the lawyer in the back pocket when they are threatened with a lawsuit starting out it seems to me to put them in a bad mood and on the offensive. Well would it do that to you if someone started out a phone call or first visit with good morning I'm gonna sue you. Now I'm not saying that one might be needed to get what is your it just seems to me from all the insurance dealings I have had in my shop and seeing customers doing things both ways it just works better to keep the lawyers on stand by instead of calling them out right out of the gate.
I know I my catch flack for that just a feeling and from things I've seen

It sounds as if you are advising me to maintain my cool and not be antagonistic. So far I have been firm but not threatening. I have a lawyer friend that I may talk to just to see how she could back me up if needed. My first contact will be with my own insurance agent (State Farm) who lives in my little town and simply ask her how things work and if I should know anything about how this works for my vehicle which is "titled" in NYS. To start with in NY anything older than 1974 does not even have a title. We just have a "transferable registration". This just means I can sell the truck to anyone by signing the back of my registration. I don't see any way they could brand a truck this old as salvage. But I am guessing my insurance agent will know. Thanks for your support!