Dealing Insurance

Sadly my 2019 was most likely totaled yesterday after someone wasn’t paying attention and rear- ended me. Got a lot of money into this truck. Anyone go through this before and able to recuperate any money for aftermarket stuff? I think I can salvage my suspension. Thanks. Appreciate any tips.

 

Damn man, didn't you just have a lift installed? Sorry to hear...

 

That really sucks. Saw your post about just getting your lift and new tires. Depending how bad the damage is have you considered buying it back and having it repaired or just start over?

 

Hopefully you and any passengers are OK. That's the important part. Second, I hope the other party had insurance and you aren't living in a no fault state.
If you retained the old parts you have a better chance if swapping parts. If not and you have proof you spent time and money on upgrades I think you have some bargaining room. Having a second vehicle to drive while dealing with the insurance company helps you negotiate the highest payout. Start saving links or screen shots of comparable trucks for ammo.

I had to go through this with my Mother in law when she got T boned. They did a low ball offer and after about an hours researching I got her over 20% more. They wouldn't accept Carvana as examples saying they didn't pay shipping. I resubmitted some Carvana ads and subtracted the shipping cost. I could have held out for more but the MIL was getting stressed and said to accept.

 

Thanks all. We all made it out ok. Yup, had my lift for 3 days…. What a bummer. I think all the lift parts are ok. Front shocks and control arms are fine. Rear shocks looked ok. Idk. I know I will need to battle with insurance. Been through this with a Tacoma. Had to find vins and comps and fight, but I made out ok. They did have insurance (Mass) I’m in NY. So trying to figure out if I go through mine or theirs. I’m pretty sure it will be totaled. The whole bed moved and looked bent. I couldn’t get good pictures. Was making sure my son was ok. Thank god tundras are big and a ford sedan hit us. With the lift the guy mostly went under. But he hit us hard.
Going to swap the tires out so I can keep them. Someone on the forums offered to give me his old ones he had sitting around. major props to that guy. Then I have to pay to remove the lift and put factory stuff on. That stings the most. Pure money burning. Worried the diamondback cover and my molle panels inside were damaged. That will be hard to recuperate from. Going today to take a closer look. I budgeted pretty carefully, did not count on having to pay to take a lift off, install factory and put down another down payment. People need to learn not to tailgate in the rain… SMH

 

You should always go through your insurance. They will handle everything regarding you and your vehicle and then deal with the other person's insurance...this is what you pay them for.

Sorry this happened to you.
A lot of insurances are different regarding customization. Mine will cover anything that plugged into a factory location (speakers/head unit/shocks) but would need a customization clause for anything else that isn't in a factory location (amplifiers, bed cover, light bars...). Yours may be different.

 

Photos I got today. Not sure what to think. Maybe not totaled? Hit hard enough to push the bed into the cab. Warped the door jam area between the door and the end of the cab.

 

Went through this a year and a half ago. I lost everything that I couldn't take off the truck in the insurance holding yard, suspension, tires, etc. I even paid the insurance company, Progressive, extra for aftermarket parts coverage. Didn't matter, they wouldn't pay for it.
I probably should have went through the person who rear ended me insurance, but at the time of the accident there was a possible coverage issue on their part. So Progressive, who was my insurance, told me to let them handle everything. So I did.

 

Wow that is terrible. Sorry to hear. Hopefully I can get my suspension and tires off. I still have the stock components.

 

This was mine. Totaled. Took a few months before they actually totaled it. They thought it was repairable.

 

You should be good then. But, unfortunately, if you have a lien on the truck, it must go to the insurance yard if they declare it totaled. You can't bring it home from the body shop( at least in Arizona).So, take your stuff off before it goes to the shop if possible. Otherwise, you're working at the junkyard.

 

Thanks for the info. Yea I may have to pay the shop to do it where it is. That’s annoying. Yours looks better off than mine. My toe hitch is bent down. Makes me think the frame has to be messed up. Hope it doesn’t take a few months. That would be insane. I know I need a new bed for sure.

 

I'm assuming your frame is for sure bent. But, I wish you the best of luck.
It wasn't all that fun dealing with the (my) insurance company, haha.

It's good you saved your old suspension. I hadn't.

On my new truck, I saved EVERYTHING! If it happens again, at least I can take everything off.

Glad everyone was okay. That's what really matters. But, it definitely sucks. You're out money, which is never fun when it wasn't even your fault.

 

The way the hitch is bent down, it has to be. I’m worried they will not total it and try to fix it.

 

Not if the frame is bent they won't. Frames may not even be available in a timely manner. In my case, though, it took a while before they determined the frame was bent. I want to say it was in the body shop for six weeks or so. This is a highly rated Toyota body shop. It took a few weeks before they could even get it in.

Mine seemed to drive great and everything. I drove it home after the wreck ( barely even felt it). And I even drove it to the body shop. The day I was supposed to pick it up, a few months after the wreck, the insurance company called and said the body shop determined the frame was bent, so it's now considered totaled. Then the fun began, haha.

 

Not totaled as of now. Going to laser measure the frame and see if the back part can be pulled. Looks like they will replace the bed sides (maybe bed floor), whole tow hitch, rear bumper assembly and tailgate. About $13k in for repair. Shop it’s at is pretty good. Time will tell especially after the measurements.

 

So I’ve had my truck back after getting repaired since October. Looked underneath and saw good amount of rust where the frame was bent. Is this a normal rust spot for the tundra? Or did the shop not re-coat properly. Thanks!

 

Yea. The guy said he guarantees his work for life. What should be done? Re-coated? Or should I just get a liquid undercoat on my truck and call it a day?

 

Agreed. I’ll scrape it then use rust cutter or something. What would you coat it with at the end? Rustoleum product? Thanks, appreciate the info.

 

I added coverage for custom additions. Up to $7500 which covers my wheels and smartcap topper.