I just have to find out for myself, "Am I being over sensitive and actually being treated fairly by my Insurance Company?

 A few years ago, I suffered a auto accident in which a used ambulance that I had purchased -- a large box style -- the type that are used for commercial trucks was damaged. My insurance company has determined that the vehicle was worth barely more than $3,000.00. The fire department and other experts told me that the vehicle was worth a minimum of $10,000 and likely thousands more. This vehicle had been purchased the previous year for $12,000.00 by the Jackson County Fire Department prior to having a new rebuilt diesel engine installed. Please read my story below, and then you be the judge.

     Just after the 9/11 tragedy, I wanted to raise money for charity, specifically the Twin Tower Fund and I need a support vehicle. By coincidence, I saw an advertisement in the paper that a fire department was putting up a used ambulance on the open market with an opening bid of $5,000.00.  I figured that this would be the vehicle with which I could use as a support vehicle. I knew that fire departments were required to keep their vehicles in top shape. I went to a local Red Cross Chapter and I told them what I wanted to do. The administrators I talked to were very excited and encouraging about my idea.

     The fire chief and the board of trustees were so moved by what I wanted to do that they sold the ambulance to me for a little less than the starting bid. I felt honored for their trust and their willingness to part with an ambulance that was estimated to be worth between $10,000. to $12,000.00. The previous year, after they purchased the vehicle for $12,000.00 they replaced the old diesel engine with a new one and at the time of my purchase, the vehicle had only 65,000 miles on it. At the time of the accident, the engine had about 85,000 miles and the vehicle itself roughly around 200,000 miles

I was told by experts that commercial vans such as the ambulance would cost in the neighborhood of $50,000 to $80,000  brand new. I was also told that diesel engines, if properly cared for tended to last for approximately 500,000 miles. 

      Yes I felt honored by the trust that the Jackson County Fire Department put in my dream.

     As luck would have it, I was traveling to Southern Oregon to pick up equipment that I would use for events to raise money for the Twin Tower Fund: I was hit by a large truck from behind. I was doing twenty-five miles an hour and he was traveling at seventy-five miles an hour. The driver of the truck crushed the back end of the ambulance. I suffered whiplash which still adversely affects me to this day.

     My Insurance company claims adjuster came out to the body shop where my vehicle was getting appraised for cost of repair. He took one quick glance at my vehicle and blurted out that it was totaled. I was told that I should promptly drive the vehicle to their salvage yard and take my claim.

    The owner of the body shop was confused by the quick assertion of the claims adjuster. The body shop owner told me that a vehicle is totaled when the cost of repair exceeds the worth of the vehicle. He also said that if a vehicle is worth X amount of dollars, and if I was satisfied with a repair that would not bring the vehicle up to cherry condition, then the vehicle could still be considered salvageable. He said that to determine this, the claims adjuster would have to determine the value of the vehicle and then know how much the repairs would be.

     According to the owner of the body shop, the adjuster did not have any idea of the value of the vehicle, especially since he said it was an ambulance. The body shop owner told the adjuster that he should perhaps forget that it was a used ambulance and look at it as a commercial van. The body shop owner told me that the adjuster said he would have to check his data base to better determine the true worth of the vehicle.

     It was later that I was given document from the insurance adjuster telling me that the vehicle was only worth a little over $3,000.00 dollars. The letters that I gave him from the fire department and the mechanics that worked on the vehicle claiming that the vehicle had been purchased the previous year for $12,000.00 did not sway him.

He claimed that wholesalers were able to buy the comparable vehicles for $3,000.00 in bulk. I told him that I was not a wholesaler, and I also asked if they could purchase a comparable vehicle for my loss instead of a check.

     Sadly, I was told that they could not find any comparable vehicles at the stated value. I felt I was treated unfairly.

I have not as of yet resolved this situation with my insurance company and since then I have purchased a comparable vehicle from another fire department. I took the vehicle to a professional auto appraiser as per recommendation from the adjuster. The vehicle is valued conservatively at $8,000.00. I submitted this document to my insurance company to be sent to the adjuster. As of yet, I have not heard back from them.

      To say that I am doubly despondent and frustrated from my insurance company would definitely be a understatement. I will be sending a letter to the Insurance commissioner to get his opinion if I am being treated unfairly. I think I am. However, it has occurred me that I may be a little over sensitive. After all, there are two sides of any story. Since I think that it may be possible that I may be too single minded on my pain and feeling of loss, I will leave this to the court of public opinion.

Perhaps you could tell me if I am being wronged or if I am being over sensitive and if in fact my insurance company is being fair in their dealings with me.

      I will ask the public to for their support or at least to be fair in their opinion as to whether they believe that my insurance company should pay the appraised price of the fire departments first vehicle or the value that my new vehicle is listed at? Should they only be required to pay what they offered, or perhaps even less?

     You be the judge. Please sign which way you vote on the letter that I will provide. For the sake of fairness and transparency, I will submit the petition of your vote regularly on the Internet.

Sign below in this column if you think I deserve more         Sign below in this column if you think the Insurance company offer is fair.

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Check out my Mission Statement & My Biography & Philosophy if you are interested in the events that motivated me to purchase the Ambulance and work towards raising money for good causes.

CLICK HERE to see the Letter that I am sending all of the 2008 Presidential Candidates to ask them how I can send money to the troops.

If you are interested in reading some of my experiences in life that compels me to help alleviate poverty and hunger then CLICK HERE>

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For the sake of my knowledge and public education Share with me your stories about your opinions and dealings with insurance companies. I do not want one-sided stories. Let's be fair, and share both the good and the bad.

Other questions come to mind. Perhaps you could give your opinions on the questions below.

It is imperative that I find an Insurance company that will watch my back and sponsor my cause.

Depending on the volume and response to each of these questions, will determine which company I want to represent me as I continue my life mission to raise money for both our troops and for charities and other good causes.

Which Insurance Companies walk the walk

Is State Farm a good neighbor?

Is Nationwide on your side?

Are you really in good hands with All State?

Please contact me at vfaini@comcast.net and let me know what you think.

Thank you,

sincerely, ~Vinny~

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