Update on my totalled build and insurance resolution.

[Road Bull]

All I know is if I ever total my rig I'll be asking for a commercial adjuster straight away. That's handy stuff to know even if I don't care how it works on the insurance side of things. lol

Yeah, I think she asked for my 4runner to be classified as a "one-ton" or "commercial" evaluation.

They don't care about maintenance. Think in terms of things that *add value to the vehicle*. So if you blew your gears and replaced them with, more gears. That's not really adding value to the vehicle. But if the gears were part of a regearing and diff lock, that might be considered adding "value" to the vehicle. I mean... it's hard to know for sure because it all seems fairly subjective on our side, but like I said, I wanted to give them as much information as possible as I expected them to not take a lot of it into account. And of course, they don't care how many labor hours are dumped into the vehicle. There's not really a great way to quantify that.

 

[poleclimber63]

Sorry to hear

Man, I'm sorry to read about your accident and I hope you weren't hurt too bad ... as far as your experience with the insurance company, I'm glad you're satisfied with the turn out. Up here in BC Canada, you don't have the option to buy back your vehicle if insurance (Government insurance company) writes it off. The best you can hope for is that you can maintain posession long enough to remove what you can and present your best case (records and receipts) to negotiate the best number. With a special or vintage vehicle, you must get an assessment of value before you insure it.
I think you received a reasonable payout. Its great to see that the value of our 4Runners have maintained. I know I could sell my 4R for what I paid in 12'. AND you're right, it is becoming harder to find 3rd gens in good shape!

 

[sugjavier]

Bodily injury / Property Damage Liability
P2 Personal Injury Protection
Comprehensive
250 Deduct collision
Car Rental / Travel Expenses
Uninsured Motor Vehicle BI
Underinsured Motor Vehicle PD

How much was your car insurance for full coverage if I may ask?

I opted for liability only for 2021 for cheap ($268 for the year)
But will probably do the $700/year once we're out of covid and I'm not working from home anymore.

However no full coverage means I get no payout in case some crazy shit happen

 

[pluton]

How much was your car insurance for full coverage if I may ask?

I opted for liability only for 2021 for cheap ($268 for the year)
But will probably do the $700/year once we're out of covid and I'm not working from home anymore.

However no full coverage means I get no payout in case some crazy shit happen

Wow. in California, where I live, $700 gets you bare state mandated minimum liability and maybe uninsured motorist.

 

[sugjavier]

Wow. in California, where I live, $700 gets you bare state mandated minimum liability and maybe uninsured motorist.

I used to pay $1200 a year for liability only before we applied the whole qualified health care letter from my work medical so we're not double paying for stupid unlimited PIP in Michigan since that reform. Difference was insane.

 

[Road Bull]

How much was your car insurance for full coverage if I may ask?

I opted for liability only for 2021 for cheap ($268 for the year)
But will probably do the $700/year once we're out of covid and I'm not working from home anymore.

However no full coverage means I get no payout in case some crazy shit happen

At the time, it was about $90.00/mo. For the next 3 years, it will be about $110/mo. give or take. That is with a $250 deductible. Washington State.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I pay 88 per month for full coverage on

94 Ram
02 Saturn SL
98 ZX9r Kawasaki.
97 4Runner SR5

State Farm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thegipper]

I pay $92 every 6 months for liability and road side assistance on my 97 T4R. We do have two other vehicles with full coverage with state farm and our home owners insurance through them so I'm sure I get some kind of discount.

A little side story about insurance companies. A few years ago we had a bad hail storm and my aluminum siding on my house got all dented up from it. The state farm guy came out and looked at it for like 2 minutes and was like "yup" it's ruined. We got a check for about $15,000 to have all of the siding on our house and garage to be replaced. My neighbor with the EXACT same damage to the EXACT same siding was denied by their insurance (American Family).

Moral of the story, you can save a few bucks by going with a "cheap" insurance company but god forbid you actually need to use it, you may be screwed. I've heard other stories from friends who had state farm and they have always been good.

Just something to consider when insurance shopping.

Update: I got my insurance renewal in the mail yesterday, my cost is now down to $64/6 months for liability and road side assistance. Score.....

 

[sugjavier]

I pay $92 every 6 months for liability and road side assistance on my 97 T4R. We do have two other vehicles with full coverage with state farm and our home owners insurance through them so I'm sure I get some kind of discount.

A little side story about insurance companies. A few years ago we had a bad hail storm and my aluminum siding on my house got all dented up from it. The state farm guy came out and looked at it for like 2 minutes and was like "yup" it's ruined. We got a check for about $15,000 to have all of the siding on our house and garage to be replaced. My neighbor with the EXACT same damage to the EXACT same siding was denied by their insurance (American Family).

Moral of the story, you can save a few bucks by going with a "cheap" insurance company but god forbid you actually need to use it, you may be screwed. I've heard other stories from friends who had state farm and they have always been good.

Just something to consider when insurance shopping.

Definitely true about the insurance thing. I've heard great things about State farm. Right now we have Sterling Insurance which is connected to GM right now from my dad.

 

[toyotaspeed90]

We are in WA and our manual sr5 was totalled by a 16 yo (who hit my wife and his dad tried to pay us a low amount out of insurance) in September. While it had high miles it was probably the cleanest rust free example. We replaced it with a Limited (which is now a manual), same year, 100k less miles, and always local here - and while it's clean and rust free, it isn't the same as that sr5 was.

Our payout was lower and not enough to replace it with a stock manual. It was a substantial payout for a daily driven SUV with 320k miles and 23 years old. (About half of the OPs).


Now, knowing a bit about insurance I would guess why they had no problem making that payment.

Car insurance companies don't contract with medical providers. Generally speaking what the medical costs are billed as - are paid as. Unlike medical insurance where contractual amounts affect the actual payout.


So where am I going with this? A rollover accident that pays out $15k for all costs is incredibly cheap. Someone who is badly hurt in an accident can have costs of $1500+ per day in an ICU (just for the facility fee... not including doctor visits, medication, anything else). Then after all the medical costs come the pain/suffering and potential legal costs.

The insurance wants to close the claim out. No medical costs means they're probably happy to pay more out on the property and just close the claim out.


In our situation they were aware there is bodily injury and while handled separately, it's part of the whole claim cost. While our vehicle has been replaced, the claim is still open.

 

[Road Bull]

Insurance lesson #2

Washington state.

Insurance lessons: Have insurance, have uninsured motorist (too many people driving w/out insurance to not have). Unattended vehicle is most straightforward. Someone hits you, you didn't see it, Insurance still pays out. Attended collision with uninsured motorist hitting you, (have police come and take report) Insurance will need to see that other vehicle was at fault / cited. My normal deductible is $250. Uninsured collision drops that down to $100. And, my normal rental cost split for a rental vehicle during repairs is 80/20% up to $1K with me paying 20%. Uninsured collision rental is covered 100% up to $1K. Rates do not go up whatsoever because I am not at fault. -Class is over-

I was rear ended the other day getting off of I-5 by somebody who’s messing with their phone. I literally passed him about a minute prior and they were looking down to the right side near where there gear shift would be at their dumb phone cruising at 60 mph. I passed him shaking my head and started to pull off I five at my exit. I didn’t notice him change lanes and get behind me to pull off the same exit. I cringed a second time. I came to a stop and have been there for a few seconds when I was rear ended without even hearing any skids from breaks. Of course he didn’t have insurance. It bent my 4 X Innovation rear swing out bumper. It looks like most of the damage is confined to the actual swing out arm as it bent the tire down.

It looks like the only damage to the rear hatch is a small indentation where the fold down table latch contacted the body.

In theory I could probably get away with just replacing the swing out arm. However, I know that generally swing out arms and bumpers are made as a pair to get the tolerance is correct as the heat and cooling Impacts how they line up when they’re being fabricated.

Overall, I got a hand it to 4X Innovations for making a solid bumper. My large 35 inch tire pretty much took the brunt of a full on no stop impact and was sturdy enough to confined that energy to its connection to the swingarm. Mind you, I don’t think it bent the swing out arm itself, just where the spare connects to the swing arm.

 

[chen5108]

Insurance lesson #2

Washington state.

Insurance lessons: Have insurance, have uninsured motorist (too many people driving w/out insurance to not have). Unattended vehicle is most straightforward. Someone hits you, you didn't see it, Insurance still pays out. Attended collision with uninsured motorist hitting you, (have police come and take report) Insurance will need to see that other vehicle was at fault / cited. My normal deductible is $250. Uninsured collision drops that down to $100. And, my normal rental cost split is 80/20% up to $1K with me paying 20%. Uninsured collision rental is covered 100% up to $1K. Rates do not go up whatsoever because I am not at fault. -Class is over-

I was rear ended the other day getting off of I-5 by somebody who’s messing with their phone. I literally passed him about a minute prior and they were looking down to the right side near where there gear shift would be at their dumb phone cruising at 60 mph. I passed him shaking my head and started to pull off I five at my exit. I didn’t notice him change lanes and get behind me to pull off the same exit. I cringed a second time. I came to a stop and have been there for a few seconds when I was rear ended without even hearing any skids from breaks. Of course he didn’t have insurance. It bent my 4 X Innovation rear swing out bumper. It looks like most of the damage is confined to the actual swing out arm as it bent the tire down.

It looks like the only damage to the rear hatch is a small indentation where the fold down table latch contacted the body.

In theory I could probably get away with just replacing the swing out arm. However, I know that generally swing out arms and bumpers are made as a pair to get the tolerance is correct as the heat and cooling Impacts how they line up when they’re being fabricated.

Overall, I got a hand it to 4X Innovations for making a solid bumper. My large 35 inch tire pretty much took the brunt of a full on no stop impact and was sturdy enough to confined that energy to its connection to the swingarm. Mind you, I don’t think it bent the swing out arm itself, just where the spare connects to the swing arm.

Bum luck man! but I'm glad you are OK. There are so many uninsured driver in WA its nuts. The last time someone hit me was also under the same circumstances, distracted cell phone driver with no insurance...:noidea:

 

[Road Bull]

Bum luck man! but I'm glad you are OK. There are so many uninsured driver in WA its nuts. The last time someone hit me was also under the same circumstances, distracted cell phone driver with no insurance...:noidea:

Thanks man. That 4X Innovation bumper jacked his S-10 up. The damage was really isolated to my tire carrier, and mainly the point where the carrier is welded to spare mount. It kept damage from the rest of the hatch or body. My back is a bit torqued, but it could have been worse. I will start to give distracted drivers a w-i-d-e berth. I will now change lanes if they get behind me... drive an extra exit if I need to. It's not worth it.

 

[4runner2021]

I'd still get the frame checked out

 

[theesotericone]

Insurance lesson #2

Washington state.

Insurance lessons: Have insurance, have uninsured motorist (too many people driving w/out insurance to not have). Unattended vehicle is most straightforward. Someone hits you, you didn't see it, Insurance still pays out. Attended collision with uninsured motorist hitting you, (have police come and take report) Insurance will need to see that other vehicle was at fault / cited. My normal deductible is $250. Uninsured collision drops that down to $100. And, my normal rental cost split is 80/20% up to $1K with me paying 20%. Uninsured collision rental is covered 100% up to $1K. Rates do not go up whatsoever because I am not at fault. -Class is over-

I was rear ended the other day getting off of I-5 by somebody who’s messing with their phone. I literally passed him about a minute prior and they were looking down to the right side near where there gear shift would be at their dumb phone cruising at 60 mph. I passed him shaking my head and started to pull off I five at my exit. I didn’t notice him change lanes and get behind me to pull off the same exit. I cringed a second time. I came to a stop and have been there for a few seconds when I was rear ended without even hearing any skids from breaks. Of course he didn’t have insurance. It bent my 4 X Innovation rear swing out bumper. It looks like most of the damage is confined to the actual swing out arm as it bent the tire down.

It looks like the only damage to the rear hatch is a small indentation where the fold down table latch contacted the body.

In theory I could probably get away with just replacing the swing out arm. However, I know that generally swing out arms and bumpers are made as a pair to get the tolerance is correct as the heat and cooling Impacts how they line up when they’re being fabricated.

Overall, I got a hand it to 4X Innovations for making a solid bumper. My large 35 inch tire pretty much took the brunt of a full on no stop impact and was sturdy enough to confined that energy to its connection to the swingarm. Mind you, I don’t think it bent the swing out arm itself, just where the spare connects to the swing arm.

Guess that answers the question about after-market steel bumpers and impacts. I can't believe that's all the damage that you got. Rad.

Does the swing out still swing freely and level through it's range of motion? If so I wouldn't even bother with a new swing arm. Just cut off the tire carrier. Have it plated and re-welded in the correct position. Any decent welder could do that in under an hour.

 

[Blue109]

Id like to thank you for this post as my wife has been minorly rear-ended 3 times in the last few years and me once in my pathfinder. She gets anxiety driving on the highway and is afraid to drive my runner anywhere during normal traffic hours because she knows its my baby and is afraid to get it smashed. This post has her thinking a nice set of bumpers could be a good investment

 

[Road Bull]

Guess that answers the question about after-market steel bumpers and impacts. I can't believe that's all the damage that you got. Rad.

Does the swing out still swing freely and level through it's range of motion? If so I wouldn't even bother with a new swing arm. Just cut off the tire carrier. Have it plated and re-welded in the correct position. Any decent welder could do that in under an hour.

I am sure that the extra tire volume of a 315/75/16 spare helped play a part in absorbing energy, but the bumper, hell, mostly the swing out ate that other vehicle like a champ! In my mind, I thought that if I ever got rear ended, I didn't want it to be a truck or other high-contacting vehicle that would be level with my swing out, (the least supported part of the bumper.). I figured that a sports car would hit the more stout main bumper portion and I'd be better off. I am not sure how fast he was going when he hit me, but he wasn't crawling along. Like I said, I didn't hear any brakes or tire screeching.

The anchor points for the swing out are just the hinge and the latch / handle peg. That's it! Not to mention the rectangular body of my particular 4X Innovations swing-out only flexed enough to push one of the table latches, (I removed the actual drop-down table after the noise annoyed me), ever so slightly into the rear hatch.

I'd say it did a pretty damn good job. It might have been different if it was a heavier / higher sitting vehicle. I am running 861 springs and a 1" BL, so my runner isn't exactly a low-rider. Something like a F150 would have done more damage. I'm glad this dude that hit me without insurance couldn't afford an F150. LOL.

I might have to look into possibly just getting the part rewelded. Maybe I'd want it raised up an inch or two. We'll see what insurance says after they get the quote.

Id like to thank you for this post as my wife has been minorly rear-ended 3 times in the last few years and me once in my pathfinder. She gets anxiety driving on the highway and is afraid to drive my runner anywhere during normal traffic hours because she knows its my baby and is afraid to get it smashed. This post has her thinking a nice set of bumpers could be a good investment

I really think they are a great investment. I am a believer in vehicle armor. Bumpers and rock sliders offer some piece of mind that other people's stupidity has consequences. I love coming out from the grocery store and seeing a new, thin vertical scratch on my sliders where someone flung their door open and left a bit of their door paint on my sliders. Serves you right A-hole. LOL. If I only had a stock rear bumper, my vehicle would probably not be drivable. The stock bumpers don't do anything. The rear stock bumper is the worst. It's only connected to the body and really is only cosmetic.

The best thing that stock runners have going for it is the stock or aftermarket rear hitch. The rear hitch IS stout and IS connected to the frame. In essence, the rear hitch IS your bumper. I wouldn't take that thing off unless you had a rear offroad bumper. But... Even the hitch alone would not have saved me it this type of collision. That bumper and tire carrier saved the day.

 

[98taco3]

Sucks you lost it but with that payout, theres room to build something far nastier! I have a rider on my insurance policy for all of the aftermarket components. Costs a bit more a month but well worth it to have it all documented up front and them already having the pricing documentation.

 

[JZiggy]

Call me paranoid but I drive around Atlanta with a Superbumper in my hitch:

Receiver Hitch Step that helps eliminate rear end collision damage | shock absorbing hitch step | Superbumper | Bumper Shield

It has rubber cushions to damp the shock when rear ended. It also keeps tailgaters back a bit due to the “WTF is that thing” factor. It’s also a great step for accessing the back of the roof rack and makes an easy tie down point for kayaks and stuff. It is a bit of pain to maneuver around it when accessing the stuff in the cargo area but it’s not a big deal.

 

[Road Bull]

Call me paranoid but I drive around Atlanta with a Superbumper in my hitch:

Receiver Hitch Step that helps eliminate rear end collision damage | shock absorbing hitch step | Superbumper | Bumper Shield

It has rubber cushions to damp the shock when rear ended. It also keeps tailgaters back a bit due to the “WTF is that thing” factor. It’s also a great step for accessing the back of the roof rack and makes an easy tie down point for kayaks and stuff. It is a bit of pain to maneuver around it when accessing the stuff in the cargo area but it’s not a big deal.

If it gives you some piece of mind, it isn't that paranoid. I can't tell you how many times I have near misses on the interstate due to some other jackwagon beboping around completely oblivious to where they are in the world. Driving is their tertiary task on a GOOD day.