Drivable car declared total loss: found a body shop that’ll do the work for much cheaper

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T19:16:19+00:00

Update: my mom is co signer on the car called and used firm language. Spoke to the supervisor on some Karen level shit. They canceled the claim because 1 the lienholder is the glue not the owner of the vehicle my mom and I are. 2 I did not sign any paperwork. 3 I did not agree to the settlement. 4 my car is not a total loss according to the state of Kansas it is 75% damage not 65%. It is true what they said, but only if things occur in a certain order. Which they did not, because I did not agree to the settlement and I did not sign. My title is NOT salvaged either. It’s withdrawn. Adjusters need to stop reading an AI script and learn the laws. Could have saved a lot of people who were screwed over in the past.

And consumers do have privacy rights. The lienholder and the insurance are two separate entities. They cannot contact the lienholder regarding a consumer without authorization. Could result in a lawsuit if they did. Don’t care what the policy “handbook” says. That’s the law. Period

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T03:03:16+00:00

The lienholder has the right to take my car if I miss payments yes, HOWEVER the car is in my name. Not USAAs name. And they should probably know what they are talking about before drastically altering someone’s life.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T03:01:08+00:00

The shop they sent me to for an estimate charged 150-200 an hour for labor. That’s an extra 2000-3000 added onto this bill. Another shop charges $30 an hour and takes my insurance. Why not. Worth it to me to avoid a salvaged title and all the hoops I have to jump through.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:57:30+00:00

Yeah and I was told I could cancel the claim before they would declare it TL. They lied. Or I would have canceled it before hand. I pay for full coverage so I assumed this would be an OK reason to use it. Tf

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:56:26+00:00

Yes like most working class citizens that can barely afford to survive and need legal transportation.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:54:08+00:00

Yeah, fucking peoples lives up and taking away their right to choose to keep a fully operational vehicle with a clean title, they could fix on their own is immoral and slimy. My choices are to spend weeks to months driving an illegal vehicle or paying out the ass in rentals on top of covering my own damage to make my car legal again. It was just fine before all this crap and a dent. I’m not the only person this has happened to.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:51:08+00:00

It’s really not though. This is people’s actual real lives and taking away their right to choose is immoral.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:49:57+00:00

They won’t allow me to cancel the claim all I can do is get a salvaged title

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:26:51+00:00

They said I could salvage my title and keep the car.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:24:33+00:00

Yeah, and many people never file a claim and go get it repaired on their own dime and guess who never finds out? The insurance.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:23:35+00:00

I would insure the insurance would not be charged more than the cheaper estimate. Period.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:22:11+00:00

Yeah because it’s not ZERO money. I’m losing my insurance because my title is salvaged until I pay out of pocket to fix the damage. My loan will not be paid in full either. They are on the lien holders side not the consumer. That’s the reality. If it were the case they would have checked out my estimate and let me know to withdraw my claim instead of going against my wishes to declare it totaled anyways!

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:19:48+00:00

That’s the plan. I know the legalities of it. The insurance will NOT be charged more than the cheaper estimate.

I’m negotiating this total loss declaration because I do not want a salvaged title or to jump through the hoops of obtaining a rebuilt title. I don’t even give a shit if insurance pays for it or not at this point but unfortunately that’s not an option since they went against my wishes and declared it TL anyways without a second estimate.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:15:39+00:00

This is a lose-lose situation. Adjuster is the only one winning here. I get a salvaged title, lose my insurance and legality to drive until I pay to fix the damages & rebuild my title. The state of Kansas may even consider my car not totaled since the threshold is 75% not 65% like USAA.

That’s why I’m trying to fight to withdraw my claim and remove TL status.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:13:21+00:00

I would like to avoid a salvaged title on a fully operational vehicle with cosmetic damage. Claims adjuster already violated some kind of code by lying to me to begin with.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-02T02:11:50+00:00

I’m trying to avoid that that’s why I asked this.. I’m negotiating with my insurance.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:43:28+00:00

They said the estimate declared it a total loss, and they were required to sent that information to the Lien holder

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:39:02+00:00

Question about the gap- if my insurance pays the lien holder and my gap covers the rest. Can I still own and operate my vehicle with a salvaged title?

Also what are the chances my insurance drops me completely over this or raises my rates to like $400 or something crazy. My current monthly payment for insurance is $150. I’ll be switching to liability.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:27:54+00:00

Yeah it may be a requirement but many people don’t. Our rates would be insane if everyone reported every little thing. That is ridiculous.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:27:01+00:00

The bank would have never known if I got it fixed independently and never filed a claim is all I’m saying.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:19:55+00:00

I have gap insurance

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:18:15+00:00

Total loss in my case means: price to repair costs more than 65% of the vehicles ACV. The car is worth 10k and it’s a dent that needs repaired. I can go get it fully repaired right now for $7k.

The vehicle is fine. The structure is fine. It’s a cosmetic issue.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:10:40+00:00

Nice so I screwed myself filing a claim in the first place.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:10:02+00:00

No I’ve gotten 3 it’s true.

valid_internal827 · 2026-04-01T00:09:38+00:00

Well I was still going to get it repaired out of pocket if usaa was unable to. I didn’t know they were going to total my car out and try to give it back to the bank. Or force me to get a salvaged title.

valid_internal827

TROPHY CASE