Yeah, that “totaled” thing always feels off when you’ve babied your car.
I get that insurance has to draw the line somewhere, but do they ever actually look at how well a car’s been maintained, or is it just book value and repair costs? Seems kinda unfair if you ask me.it does sting when you’ve kept up with maintenance and suddenly it’s just “totaled” based on numbers
- From what I’ve seen, insurance just looks at the numbers—book value vs. repair cost.
- Doesn’t matter if you changed the oil every 3k miles or just washed it last weekend.
- I had a minivan that was spotless inside and out, but they still totaled it after a fender bender.
- Honestly, feels like all that maintenance only matters for your own peace of mind, not the payout.
- Wish they’d factor in how well you cared for it, but I guess it’s just easier for them to go by the book.
Yeah, it’s all just math to them. I used to think keeping my car in top shape would help if I ever had to file a claim, but nope—when I got rear-ended last year, they barely glanced at the maintenance records. They just pulled up the “actual cash value” and compared it to the repair estimate. My car looked and ran better than most on the road, but apparently a new timing belt isn’t worth a dime to insurance.
I get why they do it, though. Way easier for them to have a formula than to argue about how clean your seats are or how fresh your brakes feel. Still bugs me a bit... Like, if you baby your ride for years, seeing it get written off for some spreadsheet number stings.
Guess all that oil changing is just for our own sanity—and maybe fewer breakdowns. Insurance sure doesn’t care if you vacuumed under the seats.
That’s wild, I always figured keeping up with maintenance would count for something if you ever had to argue value. Guess not. Makes me wonder—if you’ve got aftermarket stuff or upgrades, like a better stereo or new rims, do they just ignore that too? Or is there any way to get them to factor that in when they’re deciding if it’s totaled? Feels like the system’s kinda stacked against people who actually care about their cars...
Yeah, it’s kind of a raw deal. From what I’ve seen, most insurance companies don’t really care about your aftermarket stuff unless you specifically listed it on your policy beforehand. Even then, they usually lowball you. Ever try arguing about the value of a custom paint job? Feels like talking to a wall. Makes me wonder if it’s even worth upgrading anything unless you’re ready for the hassle...
