Diesel RVs: Re: [diesel_mercedes] OK, how do we deal with Ins companies with our old cars?

Although it's frequently not recommended, I still keep collision insurance on my older cars like my 300D and SD. On the D, it was hit by a garage attendant driving another customers car in the garage and the garage offered either to have their man in Brooklyn fix it or give me $500. I dumped it onto my collision carrier and they paid about $2,300, but only after a heavy duty value negotiation. They should have paid me the deductible, but claimed that they never collected from the garage. I later found out while dealing with a different insurance company that the records showed they had been paid. The SD was hit by a driver with Allstate insurance and I have never been subjected to such duplicitous dealing. The final straw, giving us a check and then cancelling it after we had contracted for the repair. I turned that one over to Liberty Mutual, my carrier at the time, and they not only paid for the repair but didn't charge the deductible. In my opinion, carrying collision on older cars is well worth the relatively small added expense, because it gives you an alternative approach when things go wrong. Also driving cars with a good easily substantiated price record can help. I'd also suggest you get your wife a 300D or SD since the way they are built can go a long way to keeping you uninjured. When my daughter started to drive I bought here 1972 220, which she wrecked. After that she has gone through 5 or 6 300D's. The last experience involved totaling a pristine 1985 300D by running into the rear of a garbage truck. She was never injured in any of these accidents.

On Fri, Jan 10, 2014 at 10:44 PM, Aleph93 <aleph93@ca.rr.com> wrote:

Hi everyone,

My MB is fine, yet my wife's '86 240 Volvo is totaled. Some as***le
turned left into her this morning, smashing the front end of the car,
and sending her to the hospital. She has no broken bones, yet is very
sore. Could have been much worse.

Next is dealing with the insurance company regarding an '86 Volvo w/
250,000 miles, yet ran great. I had recently redone most of the
suspension: springs, struts (Bilstein HD), anti-sway bars, mag wheels,
etc, with top quality parts and was working on the rest. This really
sucks. I expect the ins company to low ball this car, and try to pay us
nothing.
How do we deal with Ins companies with our old cars?

We've already started looking on Craig's List for a replacement.

Thanks

Rob
'85 MB 300D
Garden Grove, CA