How to Get a Higher Total Loss Offer from an Auto Insurance Company

OK - You've been in the worst accident of your life. Thankfully, you were able to walk away. Then, after you finally get home, you start what feels like the longest process of your life: filing and settling a claim for your totaled car. What's slowing down the process? It is the low offer given to you on your totaled car from the insurance company.

After paying money for years to keep your car insured, you feel a little insulted when you get a low offer to settle the total loss of your vehicle. You expected much better treatment. Outside of accepting a low, inaccurate offer from your insurance company on your car, what can you do? The answer: you have to do your homework and prove that your car is worth more. Here's how:

1. Find ads for vehicles like yours selling at higher prices. You can do this by printing ads off of the Internet or cutting them out of the paper. The important thing is to just find ones that support the fact that your vehicle is worth more than the insurance company is offering. Also, be sure these vehicles are ones being sold within your zip code and by locals. Otherwise, the insurance company will attribute the higher value of the cars to the going rate of vehicles in a different location or by the jacked up fees of a car dealer.

2. Turn in copies of receipts showing upgrades. Before the accident, did you add in a new stereo to your car or any other item that would add value to it like new tires? You might think that the insurance company would automatically see your car and figure this out. Wrong! It's up to you to point out what you've done "new" to your car over the past year. Keep this in mind and gather up all of your receipts. Also, it's important to know that maintenance work does not add value to a vehicle. So don't turn any of those receipts in unless you are arguing about the overall condition of your car.