My beloved Civic is no more

Unless the offer is completely acceptable to you don't accept it right off Tell you would like a day or so to think about it. Also they should prorate your tabs and pay you sales tax on the amount they decide to pay for your car.

Also just because they offer you an amount doesn't mean you can't dispute it or explain how it was in such great condition you deserve a little more than that...etc.

I have a 98 Civic EX coupe with about the same miles as yours, and I doubt very much that I could sell it for more than $6000.

Many insurance carriers use a system that is much like getting an appraisal for real estate. They obtain recent sales of your car, making some allowances for being a year off, or being a different trim level and pay you based on the average of those sales. They only use franchised new car dealers for their data....none of the hokey used car sharks are even considered. They do pay sales tax and the unused portion of the registration. My daughter's 98 Saturn was totalled exactly a year ago. Street value was in the $5000+ range....I was paid almost $7600 after the $500 deductible was subtracted. Go to

and research values there as well....they are supposedly more in line than KBB. If a sunroof and cd are the only options on the car, then something in the $6k range less your deductible sounds appropriate. What people advertise for and actually receive are 2 different things. If you disagree with the adjustor, you need to provide actual evidence to support your reasoning for an increased valuation.....emotionally based values won't cut it. As a last resort, ask the adjustor to find another 98 DX on a dealer's lot as a replacement as validation of its value. I do wish you a good experience with your insurance carrier.

"Ralthor" wrote in message news:1115044429.c7bbdc73f5f7620ac83e867bd0a695aa@teranews...