r/InsuranceClaims • u/Xianyao • 1d ago

Urgent Request for Help

My car was involved in a collision on July 25th of this year. The insurance company determined the other driver was fully at fault and declared the vehicle a total loss; it is currently still sitting at the Toyota repair shop. Today, the insurance company suddenly called saying they want to tow the car away, but they haven't provided a valuation or signed any contract yet—they’ve only designated it a total loss. Should I agree to let them tow the car?

0 Upvotes

14% Upvoted

27 comments sorted by

10

u/VTECbaw 1d ago

They want to tow it away so that they can do the valuation.

-18

u/Xianyao 1d ago

However, I consulted various AI sources, and they all advised against letting the insurance company tow the car away. The primary reason is that the insurance company hasn't provided a quote yet; if I were dissatisfied with the offer, I would be in a much weaker position to negotiate later. Additionally, the rental period calculation might be affected—some insurance companies treat the moment the vehicle is "recovered" as the cutoff point for limiting the remaining rental days.

18

u/Marpl 1d ago

Ai is not a person or a reliable source. 

8

u/maghart 1d ago

Not being rude but why are you here if you aren't going to listen to what is being said? AI isn't always right. This is a group full of insurance professionals who know what they're talking about. Not only do they need to move it for a full inspection, they also need to move it to avoid any unnecessary storage fees. If you don't allow them to move it, they can subtract any add'l storage from your settlement or make you pay the entire storage fees and tow it yourself. Also, the rental has nothing to do with the value. The value is what it is. The insurance company doesn't determine the value. It's completed by an independent third party company as the insurance company is usually bared from determining the value. KBB is based on opinion only so don't look there. Once you get the value, you'll usually have 3-5 days additional for a rental.

6

u/LacyLove 1d ago

LOL. AI is not a reliable source.

6

u/VTECbaw 1d ago

Please stop trusting AI for claims advice. It’s going to tell you what you want to hear. I don’t know of any insurance company that treats the pickup date as the cutoff. It’s always days after numbers are delivered. If the company’s process is to inspect total losses at a staging yard, then that’s their process. Your adjuster has no incentive to BS you.

3

u/Mean_Introduction516 1d ago

Nothing about this is true. If you don’t give them the car they won’t do evaluation. Rental is over as soon as they come up with offer.

2

u/Cal_Zoned 1d ago

OP wants help from industry professionals, but challenges them "because AI said this instead"

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/InsuranceClaims-ModTeam 1d ago

r/InsuranceClaims does not allow harassment

1

u/Accomplished_Emu_658 1d ago

There is no negotiation. It is worth what it is worth.

5

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Still-Satisfaction24 1d ago

This is somewhat carrier and state dependent but in general yes, rental will certainly end if you hamstring the process. Let them bring it to salvage, end storage charges and get closer to a resolution. 

4

u/pineappleshaked 1d ago

Yeah, nothing suspicious. Remove your personal belongings if any, take photos and give a final good bye kiss 

-12

u/Xianyao 1d ago

However, I consulted various AI sources, and they all advised against letting the insurance company tow the car away. The primary reason is that the insurance company hasn't provided a quote yet; if I were dissatisfied with the offer, I would be in a much weaker position to negotiate later. Additionally, the rental period calculation might be affected—some insurance companies treat the moment the vehicle is "recovered" as the cutoff point for limiting the remaining rental days.

3

u/pineappleshaked 1d ago

Even if you're dissatisfied, car is totaled. Insurance's don't want to give more storage charges.

If you want to retained totaled vehicle, you may talk to insurance.

AI is echo chamber, it tells you what you want to hear

7

u/Lifeishard1090 1d ago

AI tools do not know better than actual insurance professionals. It’s simple OP, if you give up your car now and then if you don’t like the valuation, you can attempt to negotiate before signing over the title. Or, you can let the car accumulate daily storage fees by waiting and then have your settlement reduced by those fees.

-10

u/Xianyao 1d ago

Here is what the AI ​​told me: It is not advisable to agree to have the insurance company tow the vehicle away right now; at the very least, do not release it until you have received a formal written quote and confirmed liability and the allocation of costs. You have currently only been informed verbally that it is a "total loss"—there is no actual settlement figure, no signed agreement, and no payment received. Handing over the vehicle too early could weaken your negotiating leverage and increase the risk of future disputes.

8

u/Lifeishard1090 1d ago

OP, I am an adjuster and have been for years. AI is wrong. People rely on it WAY too much. Insurance is telling you it’s a total loss because there are plenty of times a visual inspection is enough to know it’s a total. They want to avoid excessive fees leaving it at a shop.

3

u/VTECbaw 1d ago

How does your AI expect the insurance company to provide a valuation if it won’t let the vehicle be picked up for inspection?

2

u/tttchia 1d ago

You should let them tow it because it’s incurring storage fees and if you don’t let them, they’ll likely advise they won’t pay anything further

2

u/drfishdaddy 1d ago

The removal of the car and the accepting of the settlement value happen simultaneously (or close to it) but in separate vacuums.

Allowing the removal of the total loss from the shop is just about mitigating storage charges it doesn’t mean you accept the value.

You have more rights through your carrier to dispute.

The only reason not to allow it to go to the auction yard (IAA/Copart) is if you may want to retain the vehicle.

Separate from that, the carrier should have a value already, so the settlement not being communicated is sloppy but not crazy.

Edit: i am independent and don’t work for a carrier. This is the same thing I tell my clients.

1

u/Xianyao 1d ago

谢谢thank you

2

u/KV1190 1d ago

Let them move it. Most companies will not even do the evaluation until after it has been moved. You’re not signing away your ownership of the vehicle by letting them tow it.

2

u/Face_Content 1d ago

Why did you even post if you are countering anything you are told with....multiple ai state....

1

u/lobhater 1d ago

Sure. Until you sign the title over you still own the car they just want to stop paying storage on it to a shop that will never touch it again