After a month of delays and holiday vacations, my insurance company finally responded to the $34K repair estimate. They approved it without negotiating, and are sending a check today. I am flabbergasted that it didn't get ugly, mostly because I really should have had "agreed upon value" insurance on the car.
I figure one of two things happened:
1. They looked at my customer file and noticed I am a long time customer who always has three or four cars insured, plus my house. I have only had one claim on my cars ever, when I hit a dog ten years ago.
2. They don't have the slightest idea what my car is, what it is worth, and whether the estimate is accurate (it is). The adjuster admitted he had never heard of a De Tomaso Pantera, was surprised there where shops that specialize in them, and had to do a lot of research on the car. Maybe they just took the hit on this one and moved on to the next file...a 2005 common car that they can nickel and dime to death.
So, as of now, all I can say is I LOVE ALLSTATE! Hopefully nothing changes.
Dave (PI Motorsports) says the car is repairable with no lasting problems, and work will start right away. He knows the car (we have the shared experience of almost dying in it, years apart) and is glad that it will be repaired.
R.
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