So I Hit an Elk...

[ColoradoToyota]

...and everybody lost.

Had a great week of road tripping and backpacking in Montana, were making our way back to Denver with the last few days planned to be in Yellowstone and Jackson. Left Livingston, MT at 4:30am this morning for Lamar Valley in Yellowstone in hopes of spotting some bears and wolves at dawn. Made it about 25 miles when we hit an elk at a high rate of speed (~70 MPH) - happened so fast, I can only recall seeing the face of a bull elk that I believe had just crossed the road as I smashed square into a calf which was launched, no joke, approximately 50 yards down the road from where I made contact (photo shows my truck in the ditch next to the elk after a passerby helped us push it out of the road, but when I came to a stop I couldn't believe how far the elk had traveled). Thankfully I was able to keep the truck from getting squirrelly and come to a halt without swerving or flipping. Every airbag went off (all 6 curtain bags, both front seats, both in the floorspace below the dash and the steering wheel), should be hearing the verdict on Monday as to whether or not it is totaled and I am realllllllly praying it is.

Wife and I both pretty banged up but thankfully nothing more than some bruising and mental trauma. Couldn't believe the cocoon we were instantly inside of and it really made us feel good about the safety of the vehicle. Too bad for the calf which was SUPER dead, but at least it didn't suffer - as we waited nearly an hour for a state trooper to arrive, we sat in the dark listening to the rest of the heard wandering around nearby moaning in distress.

Long story short, the truck is now at a repair shop in Bozeman and we bailed on our trip and drove a rental home to Denver. If they repair it, we not only will have a 2016 4runner with 7300 miles that we have to trust was repaired like new (which I never will) but we'll have to go get it or pay for shipping which would really suck.

I know it doesn't do me any good to speculate and I will find out next week, but does anyone have a hunch as to whether this will be totaled? Towing company seemed to be on the fence as to whether it might get totaled out. Have USAA and not yet sure what % of value they determine to be totaled... but I will most definitely be pushing for that verdict if there's any way I can influence it. Wondering if anyone has hard advice about how to argue that the vehicle be totaled out vs repaired which would be a wayyyy bigger pain in the ass and make me pretty bummed out to always be wondering about the future reliability of my new truck.

 

[mike5]

You're probably looking at a $20k repair if not more. You need to be there when they're inspecting the truck. Look for buckles anywhere to potentially indicate frame damage. Also, usually if the radiator support is damaged it's considered to have frame damage. Any sign of frame damage is what I'd use to bolster your position that the vehicle cannot be trusted from a safety perspective.

 

[Gone2vegas]

I have no clue as to whether or not they will total it, but glad you and your wife are okay.

 

[ColoradoToyota]

You're probably looking at a $20k repair if not more. You need to be there when they're inspecting the truck. Look for buckles anywhere to potentially indicate frame damage. Also, usually if the radiator support is damaged it's considered to have frame damage. Any sign of frame damage is what I'd use to bolster your position that the vehicle cannot be trusted from a safety perspective.

Thanks - I will not be present when they inspect the truck as I am now 12 hours away (shop closed at noon and truck was dropped off after it closed, so they'll look Monday) however the radiator support was certainly damaged. I will be calling first thing Monday to try and get the low down from them before they discuss with insurance so I can get an idea of what else might suggest frame damage - I appreciate that idea.

 

[ColoradoToyota]

I have no clue as to whether or not they will total it, but glad you and your wife are okay.

Thanks, us too. Could have been a much much worse outcome for us very easily - a good reminder of how quickly life can change.

 

[Keith_PDX]

Glad you're ok! What's on the headliner?

 

[mike5]

Keep in mind auto body shops don't want the car totaled. So they'll say whatever it takes to have it repaired. It's easy and good money for them.

 

[RyanEJ25]

Wow! Glad your ok. Seeing all those airbags and cushion make me feel safe to put my family in there.

 

[zidaro]

Dang, that could have gone terrible. glad you are both doing good. an elk is no laughing matter.
On a side note, we see deer impacts all the time here in the Sierras, your runner doesn't look nearly as bad as most we have here, barely got into the hood looks like. Lucky

 

[77Bronc]

So very glad you and the wife are OK...I have seen that the 4Runners are durable and safe.

When my son hit a car in front of him in 2009, was not enough to set the air bag off in his 2002 Tacoma. The Toyota repair manager said that was the difference in totaling or not...

He did say that each air bag is about $3000 parts and labor. I am willing to bet they will total the vehicle. If I recall, my insurance company say the percentage was 60%. I see about $15 to 20K in bags alone with interior trim damage. At least $7K in body and frame.

Wish you all the best luck.

77

 

[07V8]

All airbags deployed. It's totaled.

 

[Friggin Idiot]

Glad to see you're ok, and that the truck appears to have surprisingly little damage. USAA is a great company to work with. If you haven't dealt with them before, they will send one of their company's assessors to the vehicle for inspections. If there are any questions about anything, or you're not satisfied they will work with you on it. I've dealt with them on several occasions and never had a problem with it. They stand behind any and every repair and only use shops that do the same. If you have questions ask them, the worst they say is no. I'm betting that while it sounds bad (hitting an elk @70mph) there's little or no damage behind the radiator and the airbags. It doesn't even look like the hood was damaged! If they repair, you can always ask about getting the TRD Pro center bumper instead of the stock one too.

 

[wbpolk]

Glad you're ok! What's on the headliner?

Morning coffee from wife?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[c350z]

Glad you are ok, stuff can be replaced but people can't!


Having dealt with this personally 31 days ago here is what I went through and how I had to fight for my best interests. Hopefully USAA will be better but no matter what be prepared.


1. Your insurance company is in business to make money period. You are a number and income, that's all. So everything they do will be in their best interest, not yours.


2. ***MEDICAL: you only have 14 days from the accident to claim medical stuff, so if you are hurt in anyway you need to get checked out and document it.***


3. All airbag deployment should be a total. Whether a company totals the car has to do with ACV actual cash value and salvage value.


4. Know your policy. What are you paying for, replacement cost or actual cash value. In other words does your policy that you are paying for include replacement cost, i.e. they pay to replace your car with a new one, or actual cash value, i.e. what the used value of a similar car is going for. This was a sticking point for me, we didn't have replacement cost, only ACV which i didn't know there was a difference but there is.


5. Know your loan, do you owe a lot, where you flipped getting into it, do you have GAP insurance, etc.


6.Do you own research and have it ready. Do a KBB value and a NADA value for your vehicle. Have your window sticker from when you bought it, that lists all your options. Plus receipts for any extras you purchased. Also search Autotrader for your 2016 SR5 premium 4x4 and see what they are selling for.


7. If USAA is like Allstate they will use a third party company called CCC do to their valuations of what your car is worth to replace. They specifically low ball all valuations and use rental car sales as comps.


8. It took me 3 weeks are back and forth but i was prepared with facts and did my homework. I had a comeback for everything and facts to back up my claims. In the end I was able to get $3000 more then their initial offer.


9. They are hoping you are like the majority of the rest of the population who just takes what they offer and doesn't want 3 weeks of heart ache high blood pressure. They also speak as if this isn't negotiable, it is all the way the game is played.


10. Since it was an ELK there is no other company for them to go against for payment. It will go against you, so in other words they are out the money to fix or replace and they don't like that.


If you have any questions or if I can help let me know.


IN the end for me, I walked away from mine without a scratch, thank God. I was able to get top dollar for my 4runner, and was able to get a TRD Pro as a replacement by only adding $2200 to the payout.

 

[ColoradoToyota]

Dang, that could have gone terrible. glad you are both doing good. an elk is no laughing matter.
On a side note, we see deer impacts all the time here in the Sierras, your runner doesn't look nearly as bad as most we have here, barely got into the hood looks like. Lucky

The responding officer said he's responded to five deer/elk collisions the night before, so it's pretty common out there as well. Definitely lucky we hit the little guy and not the bull which would have absolutely come through the windshield and been a whole other story. All four legs of the calf were snapped so I think it's size was just small enough to keep the weight below the hood upon impact and drive it forward vs go up over the hood.

 

[ColoradoToyota]

Morning coffee from wife?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep. Coffee everywhere which is a lot better than the alternatives.

 

[ColoradoToyota]

Glad you are ok, stuff can be replaced but people can't!


Having dealt with this personally 31 days ago here is what I went through and how I had to fight for my best interests. Hopefully USAA will be better but no matter what be prepared.


1. Your insurance company is in business to make money period. You are a number and income, that's all. So everything they do will be in their best interest, not yours.


2. ***MEDICAL: you only have 14 days from the accident to claim medical stuff, so if you are hurt in anyway you need to get checked out and document it.***


3. All airbag deployment should be a total. Whether a company totals the car has to do with ACV actual cash value and salvage value.


4. Know your policy. What are you paying for, replacement cost or actual cash value. In other words does your policy that you are paying for include replacement cost, i.e. they pay to replace your car with a new one, or actual cash value, i.e. what the used value of a similar car is going for. This was a sticking point for me, we didn't have replacement cost, only ACV which i didn't know there was a difference but there is.


5. Know your loan, do you owe a lot, where you flipped getting into it, do you have GAP insurance, etc.


6.Do you own research and have it ready. Do a KBB value and a NADA value for your vehicle. Have your window sticker from when you bought it, that lists all your options. Plus receipts for any extras you purchased. Also search Autotrader for your 2016 SR5 premium 4x4 and see what they are selling for.


7. If USAA is like Allstate they will use a third party company called CCC do to their valuations of what your car is worth to replace. They specifically low ball all valuations and use rental car sales as comps.


8. It took me 3 weeks are back and forth but i was prepared with facts and did my homework. I had a comeback for everything and facts to back up my claims. In the end I was able to get $3000 more then their initial offer.


9. They are hoping you are like the majority of the rest of the population who just takes what they offer and doesn't want 3 weeks of heart ache high blood pressure. They also speak as if this isn't negotiable, it is all the way the game is played.


10. Since it was an ELK there is no other company for them to go against for payment. It will go against you, so in other words they are out the money to fix or replace and they don't like that.


If you have any questions or if I can help let me know.


IN the end for me, I walked away from mine without a scratch, thank God. I was able to get top dollar for my 4runner, and was able to get a TRD Pro as a replacement by only adding $2200 to the payout.

This is so helpful, thank you. I am hopeful USAA won't be as frustrating as your experience, but you're right, it is a business. We have dealt with USAA for numerous other things and to date they've been wonderful.

Our policy does state Market Value which I would equate to ACV, so I will certainly be prepared for that. In researching my purchase, I know for a fact that you save roughly $500 per 10,000 miles on a used 2014-2016 SR5 premium because that was why I simply bought new. So by the same logic (and with comps to back it up), we should be worth within $500 of the purchase price.

Will be going to the doctor to simply get checked out and report our aches/pains/bruises in the event that say, our neck and back pain lingers.

Appreciate all the insight and will definitely be revisiting your post as I go through the process.

 

[ColoradoToyota]

Glad to see you're ok, and that the truck appears to have surprisingly little damage. USAA is a great company to work with. If you haven't dealt with them before, they will send one of their company's assessors to the vehicle for inspections. If there are any questions about anything, or you're not satisfied they will work with you on it. I've dealt with them on several occasions and never had a problem with it. They stand behind any and every repair and only use shops that do the same. If you have questions ask them, the worst they say is no. I'm betting that while it sounds bad (hitting an elk @70mph) there's little or no damage behind the radiator and the airbags. It doesn't even look like the hood was damaged! If they repair, you can always ask about getting the TRD Pro center bumper instead of the stock one too.

We love USAA - most recently they replaced our roof due to hail damage and the process was really quick and easy and their claims guy definitely underwrote in our favor, so I can only hope they are similar on the auto front.

The hood appeared out of whack but I think it's because the grill and latch area is bent out of shape. The radiator was pushed in probably 16-18 inches and it appeared to me the supports were twisted up - the tow guy also noted out loud to the responding officer that the radiator supports were mangled a bit, so as someone else mentioned, that might be a point I can argue if they want to try to repair.

Good thought on the front garnish, haha - if I get stuck with a repaired truck (and I love this truck) at least there might be some silver lining? hahaha

 

[CoMtn4Runner]

Glad you guys are ok! Sucks to see the truck banged up but it did its job, keeping you safe!!

 

[Woz1976-MT]

[MENTION=136077]ColoradoToyota[/MENTION],

First, I can't believe the amount of misinformation/poor information you've received here when it comes to auto insurance and the claim process. I'll start with a small tidbit to help reduce some of your stress: when I was a field claims investigator for State Farm, State Farm had the best claim handling rating for several years, except we weren't the "best"... USAA always beat us (by a fair good margin) but they weren't considered for the ratings because they weren't open for anyone to get insurance with them. I always dreaded going against a USAA claim rep because they were incredibly fast, and my vehicle valuations were always beat by them (I'd be waiting for a police report and the USAA rep was already subrogating against my claim and filing for arbitration).

I do believe that USAA has their own estimatics/assessors who will look at your 4Runner.

Radiator supports are NOT part of the frame -- they are quite easy to fix, a lot of times cheaper than airbag replacement. Frames can also be fixed, but the tolerance to do so is limited (and it's usually only done on the rear of a vehicle since the front has more significant crush zones so that the engine subducts in a really bad impact). Also, auto shops have no vested interest in fixing over totaling your vehicle; the good ones are usually so busy they could care less (and they are usually busy here in Montana). If anything, if one of the technicians sees your vehicle and thinks it's a total loss, he/she will go to the salvage auction and get it themselves as a side project.

While CCC is somewhat notorious as a vehicle valuation source, I don't believe USAA uses them. The last I knew, USAA used ADP Auto Source (same as State Farm) that was surprisingly accurate and did not use "rental dumps" for valuations. You will need to document any mods/upgrades, but they usually won't significantly affect the value of your 4Runner.

Each state has differing laws regarding how a total loss is calculated (ie. if the vehicle is 7 model years or newer, it is required to be totaled when damaged reach 70% of the vehicle actual cash value). Since you're from Colorado, you'll need to check with them (usually any local auto shop can tell you via a phone call).

Feel free to PM me if you need any more info or help. Glad you and your family are ok -- property can be replaced, people can't.

PS: It's "trooper" not "officer". MHP has a video on their Facebook page of a trooper I know hitting an elk (full grown cow) on the interstate while on a speed run to bad cash. Trooper Gleich was ok but his squad was totaled.