**** Bear Hunter's Truck - STOLEN! **** HOUSTON

Bear Hunter said:
Thanks guys...I'll keep you posted. I left a message this morning and asked if he had an opportunity to speak to his mangager yet concerning the issue with the settlement yesterday.

I want this to be over...but I am definatley not going to bend over and grab my ankles.
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If you wish, you can give me their email address and I'll come up with a little "plan" that will probably get your more cash...:D LOL
 
I just got a call from Maria (USAA Customer Relations)

....what a nice lady, she basically asked me about the situation I was going through and was very empathetic. She also seemed concerned about how USAA was being viewed... I basically told her everything about my truck and how everything was documented to receipts and color pictures. I told her that I never expected "full" coverage of my MODs (same thing I told my case worker) and that all I wanted was a fair settlement. I expect depreciation..but I do expect it to be fair at the same time. I went on to say that this settlement took twice as long as a normal settlement would (and that was to be expected given the nature of the vehicle) and I didn't have a problem with that at all. I told this same thing to my case worker when my rental vehicle coverage ran out. I told him that I would rather sleep in my office and be without a vehicle in order to allow USAA the time they need to conduct a fair evaluation given the extent of modifications. I told her that after all the time it took and to come back with a 25% offer....that it felt like I was kicked in the teeth and I was very disappointed.

UPDATE:

My insurance case worker just called and he faxed me over the "CCC Value Scope" = Market report that the "specialy vehicle apraiser" compiled.

Basically all the "CCC" report turned out to be... is a report for the market value of a stock truck....not one modification was taken into account. They were ALL considered "preference items" (according to my case worker), and not factored in at all. In other words the market value of a modified truck did not mean anything in my situation. The entire "CCC" report was a listing of 04 F250's at various dealerships and how much they were selling for. In addition to those lists there was an "Experian" Report done on my truck to see if there were any reports of damage, etc...and the current condition of my truck...thats it.

In summary the "specialy vehicle" appraisers said my truck was worth $34,820.25 after 6.25% sales tax was added to it.

My case worker told me that since the CCC did not account for any aftermarket modification (all considered preference items) that the PDS (property damage specialist) manager took the extra step of adding 25% of my modifications to the total from "CCC"

I asked what provisions of case law was used to determine the value of my MODs and was told ...none was used.

I was told that the USAA auto policy in TX is the "Texas Auto Policy". That there was no special policy that pertained to USAA....the "TX Auto Policy" is it...and is what I am bound to.

After some research on my own....Section D of the TX Auto Policy addresses "Physical Damage" which theft falls under. Under that section it states that "custom furnishings or equipment" is not covered unless it has been reported to the insurance company and premiums adjusted to account for it (Exclusions Paragraph) Here is my delema...

1. I did call to see if I could add additional insurance to my truck (before it was stolen) and was told that I didn't need to because there was no limit to the modifications put on my truck and that USAA would take into account my modifications if anything ever happened.

2. My case worker (after my truck was stolen) told me that USAA did not offer additional insurance on modifications.

...so it's not looking good at all for any modified vehicle. I'm hoping Maria from customer relations is able to do something
 
Hopefully they come through for you man.



Bear Hunter said:
...so it's not looking good at all for any modified vehicle. I'm hoping Maria from customer relations is able to do something
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I'll have to see what my agent says I'd get once I get him the list of all my mods and receipts. He already has pics that he took of my truck in Jan. If I don't like their response to the amount I'd be paid....I'm going to have my truck appraised and insured for that amount.
 
Just got another call. I had a long conversation with my case worker and I explained my situation again and where I was coming from. He seemed very empathetic. Basically my file has moved from his desk directly to the manager. Told me that I can expect a call from the manager very shortly to try and resolve this and come to an acceptable agreement between both parties.

I'll keep you posted guys...USAA may come through afterall...all I want is a fair settlement. We'll see what happens
 
I just got a call from the mangager himself. SUPER nice guy.... he told me that he is sorry that I was disappointed with the first offer and made sure I knew that they were not done and that they are going to go over everything again and hopefully come up with an offer that is satisfactory for both parties by next week sometime. He did mentiioned that this situation is new territory for them. He called me about 1830hrs and told me that he did not want me going into the weekend without a call to let me know what they were going to do. He also told me that he was going to hop on the internet himself and do some research on the market value of my truck WITH my modifications. He told me he wasn't looking to depreciate my MODs but was more interested in determining what my truck is actually worth. I told him that realistically, I know I am going to take a loss....I just want a fair settlement.

I feel good about this right now.....I'm hoping for the best.
 
I really feel for you! It looks like to me that you are doing everything right.

Hang in there, it sounds like the right person has finally come into the picture. I can't imagine what it feels like to have your truck stolen, that's bad enough. But then to feel like the insurance premiums you have been paying for years have just been a donation!!

Thanks for the updates on everything. I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that you get your fair settlement.

Best of luck,

Ben
 
Het Kevin, just a note, but has anybody asked YOU for a $$$$$number of what it is worth?

What I mean is, if YOU break it down to what the truck is worth, the value of all your mods and custom work, minus a depreciation amount, what do you come up with?

Don't post it, that's your business, but tell them where you are on the amount and see if they can justify where you are coming from. It is obvious they are having to go look at what mods and custom work cost and are having to basically learn about the stuff we all already know about because of all of our hours of forum talk and internet searching, in just a few days.

Basically I am saying, YOU do your best to educate them cause they are in the dark about you particular case. Just help them help you...

GOOD LUCK!!!
 
Slaughterhouse said:
Het Kevin, just a note, but has anybody asked YOU for a $$$$$number of what it is worth?

What I mean is, if YOU break it down to what the truck is worth, the value of all your mods and custom work, minus a depreciation amount, what do you come up with?

Don't post it, that's your business, but tell them where you are on the amount and see if they can justify where you are coming from. It is obvious they are having to go look at what mods and custom work cost and are having to basically learn about the stuff we all already know about because of all of our hours of forum talk and internet searching, in just a few days.

Basically I am saying, YOU do your best to educate them cause they are in the dark about you particular case. Just help them help you...

GOOD LUCK!!!
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Yep bro....I did. I told them that I thought 35% depreciation on the MODs was fair given the age and condition of the modifications....which translated to them paying 65% of the modifications which are all backed up by receipts and pics plus the value of the stock truck which they already determined was $34,820.25 after 6.25% sales tax was added. I also pointed out that there are certain things that have lifetime warrantees and there is a difference between a cast lug centric wheel and a forged hub centric wheel.

I'll keep you posted man...
 
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Keep us posted (as you have been doing VERY well) Kevin, if nothing else all of your trails and tribulations might help other folks down the road. I know after reading all this me and my insurance agent are going to sit down and have a pow-wow on the goat.

Keep your chin up and your lawyer's phone # handy :rockwoot:
 
I think about this everyday and I don't even know you or the truck. I just imagine what it would be like if it happened to me.
 
Slaughterhouse said:
I think about this everyday and I don't even know you or the truck. I just imagine what it would be like if it happened to me.
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I hear that!!:poke:

Ben
 
Houston what a wonderful place you can put tracking devise . ignition kill , tie a pack of pit bulls to it and surround it with an eletric fence and they will steal every thing . dogs included. Bear hunter sorry to hear about your truck . i drive a lot at night so if i see the truck i will be sure to call it in for ya yeah i know you might not get it because of the insurance money but let that punk go to jail for having it will help the cause.
 
I appreciate it guys....I really do.

Still waiting on that phone call from my insurance company.
 
Just got a call from the Manager that is handling my case on my way home from work...

He told me that he would be taking the pictures of my truck to "a few places" tomorrow and would call me in the afternoon for a final offer.

I got the impression that he will be taking my pics to a few local Offroad shops in San Antonio tomorrow morning and will be basing his final offer on what "they" say it is worth... I could be wrong but I don't think so since he is having a difficult time finding the value as it sits

He told me that he has looked up a bunch of trucks on the internet and had to look accross the country. He also mentioned that it is very difficult to find a truck that is "exactly" like mine.

I don't know about all this.... because there is more to the truck than meets the eye....such as, not all shocks are created equal, not all rims are the same (hub centric forged vs. lug centric cast), high angle driveshafts vs. leaving he stocker on, cross over steering vs. none, not to mention the custom stuff on there like the pinchWeld covers, bumper, air horns, etc...


UPDATE: MY WIFE CALLED USAA .......

ON JULY 2005 USAA HAS A RECORD OF ME CALLING INQUIRING ABOUT COVERAGE ON A CUSTOMIZED VEHICLE AND THE COMPUTER SHOWS THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE COVERED AND TO KEEP RECEIPTS AND PICTURES FOR PROOF. MY WIFE ASKED HER HOW IT WOULD BE COVERED AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE CASH VALUE.

....at least I will be able to sleep tonight
 
Bear Hunter said:
and will be basing his final offer on what "they" say it is worth...


UPDATE: MY WIFE CALLED USAA .......

ON JULY 2005 USAA HAS A RECORD OF ME CALLING INQUIRING ABOUT COVERAGE ON A CUSTOMIZED VEHICLE AND THE COMPUTER SHOWS THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME IT WOULD BE COVERED AND TO KEEP RECEIPTS AND PICTURES FOR PROOF. MY WIFE ASKED HER HOW IT WOULD BE COVERED AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT IT WOULD BE CASH VALUE.

....at least I will be able to sleep tonight
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Hmmmmm.... I heard : "This is our FINAL OFFER" :bs: about a half a dozen times- before I accepted when I had to agree on a claim.

The only offer that is final -is the offer that YOU, the insuree, agrees upon, don't fall into their word games. Again keep that 'LAWYER' comment handy at all times.
 
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