Hail Damage

[knoxjere]

We finally recieved an offer: $13401.50 if they take it and $10721.50 if we keep it. Now have to decide which to do.

[Mrfixit]

We also rec'd an offer: $6150 and we keep it. Our '03 2720SL is still useable so this will work for us. It was quite a fight with the insurance company, because the adjustors (we had 4 throughout this ordeal) weren't using the info from Ed at TM or the correct make/model as comps to arrive at a value. Their first offer was $3200. Finally asked my local agent to get involved and she was able to convince them to use the purchase price as a starting point since we bought the TM 2 weeks before the hailstorm.

Now we have to deal with a "salvage title" ...

I was told I would have a salvage title too for hail damage. I'm not sure how this works, but I have the title. Do they submit changes that won't show until a new title is generated (like if it was sold) ??

[knoxjere]

We called the Tennessee licensing authority and they told us that in Tennessee trailers are not issued a salvage title. So, I guess it is up to the individual selling a damaged trailer to be honest about it. It would be hard for us to hide hail dimples!

Of course we'd all be honest.... just the way we TM owners are.
But having to tell someone you have a "salvage" tilte just brings all kinds of nasty images to mind. Like it was pulled out of the bottom of a river or something.

Thanks for the info!

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by knoxjere

We called the Tennessee licensing authority and they told us that in Tennessee trailers are not issued a salvage title. So, I guess it is up to the individual selling a damaged trailer to be honest about it. It would be hard for us to hide hail dimples!

Sorry to hear about these things. But it's why we insure them, and it's probably why the comprehensive insurance is so expensive.

There will also be records of the insurance claim in the database that the insurance guys use (an important reason why you might want to get an insurance quote for the specific trailer VIN before driving very far to see a used one).

A salvage title is quite a stigma from an insurance and resale perspective. In my state, though, you can still use and operate a vehicle as long as it can pass the state inspection. I'd probably call DMV and ask them exactly what it means from an operational point of view. Maybe a Tennessee title is a good thing to have, because a title that doesn't know can't restrict the way you want to use the trailer.

As a practical matter, with the TM's cash value now diminished, you probably don't need comprehensive insurance anymore.

[T and C]

I live in California. 15 years ago I bought a Nissan Sentra for one of my daughters to drive to college. It was a theft recovery so it had a salvage title.

When it was rear ended a few years later, the insurance company, 21st Century, totalled it. Once we had the value fixed, they knocked off $200 because of the salvage title.

Tom