I recently had my 350z go over a cliff avoiding a biker, the car was wrecked pretty bad, top was crushed, major front suspension damage, and sides. Now if the insurance company tries to offer to fix it instead of replace it what are my options?

 

Mine was totalled, but what you can do (depending on your insurance) is propose the following:

You or in some cases they (in my case they) found someone to buy the car, they then issued a check which, when added to the check for the car, totalled more than the totalled value. That way they are paying less and you are getting more.

 

wasn't the check for the car to repair it though?

 

Depending on the value of the car, how many miles it has. If you give me your VIN and pics of the damage, I can write you an estimate and tell you whether or not it'll be total.

 

If the top was crushed, I doubt that they'd repair it, you are talking integral safety items there, and I doubt that they'd want to see a multimillion dollar lawsuit against them if you wrecked again and died due to the car not holding up.

 

I know the UK will be slightly different than US but generally if a car is less than a year old and suffers more than 60% damage then you will get a new car.

 

Car went over a cliff, I hope you didn't go with it. :|

 

I was in the car at the time yes... Wasn't very fun, but I only had minor scrapes & brusing thankfully.

 

Crazy, how far of a fall was it?

 

about 200 ft

 

I saw the pics you posted (atleast I think you posted some?!)
I dont see how they couldnt write it off......... I mean 200F!!!

 

I am thankful that you are OK and that a Z can take such a drop/hit. There is probably a lot more than just surface damage that would make the insurance company total the car. I would push for it. Cars were not meant to take that type of 200' drop. 8' but, not 200'. There could be all sorts of shock damage to systems that the insurance company would be afraid of. All sorts of stress cracks. You would have to have the whole car magnafluxed. That isn't cost effective or even safe. You might have to bring it to their attention however.
Insurance companies can be very dense at times.

200' drop is not a accident a car should be repaired from. JMHO.

Good luck !!

 

it had to be 200' down steep grade. Noone would survive a straight fall from 200'.

 

Yeah, except unless it was a ski slope with no trees...... image the shock to the chassis, mounting components, driveline and suspension which for sure bottomed out and bent or cracked a few peice that you won't find on visual inspection. I mean look at it. It even had it's top crushed. If that was crushed by a rollover even worse. If I couldn't get the insurance company to total the car I wouldn't drive it after it was repaired and sue them unless they could prove all peices of the car was to original QC specs, including stress analysis. My life is worth at least that much even if the insurance company doesn't think so.

Matter of fact, I really wouldn't feel comfortable with a car on the same road I drive on with that type of hidden damage.

 

By my simplistic HS physics, it would take a car 6.38 seconds to fall 200' (in a vacuum) and an instantaneous velocity of nearly 140mph.

 

I agree 100% with you.

 

Just thought of something funny. Let's say the car had a drag shoot on it; how would that effect the fall. Lol !!!!

Your funny HokieZ. Go Hokies !!!

 

Read your policy. Does it outline a procedure if you're not satisfied with the settlement? Is there a procedure for using an outside arbitrator?

 

Is it your insurance or the bikers insurance? If this was the bikers fault then he should be the one paying for this?

 

Did the biker you almost hit stop to help after you flew over the cliff?