Expert: Claims Guy - 9/20/2009

Question
My family and I went to the store on one morning. Came home and parked the truck in the driveway so we could get all the stuff we purchased out. I normally park in the grass beside the driveway. this was round 1:30. About 3:00 I  washed the truck as to get the bugs off the front and windshield, as I do travel for work and there are tons of bugs this time of year. Went inside and changed out of the wet clothes and started to cook. About 5:30 or so I went back out side and my truck was on fire and had apparently not started long. I grabbed the water hose to try and put it out and keep it form spreading while my wife called 911. they where there in about 5 min. and let them have do their thing. After it was out they said it looked like the battery or fuse panel shorted or something as most of the damage was in that area. Insurance adjuster came out on Thursday and did their stuff and said the same thing. On Friday the claims processor called and said it would be total and that they where sending someone to pick it up and take to a salvage yard. he then said that they still had some investigating to do and i should hear back in about a week or two.  

I am worried that they are going to try and make this look like a fraud case. Probably because I hear of this stuff on TV.  I really wish they would have fixed my truck. I like it and I just got relocated with work so I am in the process of selling a house and buying a house. The last thing I need to have a headache of fighting insurance and trying to by another automobile at this point or anytime soon.  I do have Gap insurance to cover the loan if primary does not pay it off. Does nothing for me having a down payment as I am using that for the purchase of our new home.  What Should I do or should I be worried???????

Answer
I wouldn't worry about the fraud issue unless they say the loss is suspicious.  Electrical fires do happen but there is always a reason, and they probably want to know what it is.  They might be able to recover their payments from the manufacturer or someone who worked on the car if their negligence caused the fire.

You can always keep your vehicle even if declared a total.  But they will only pay you the market value of the vehicle.  You could  repair it on your own, but they might not give you enough to do so.  They are not required to pay more than the value of the vehicle, even if you want to repair it.