Michigan Total Loss Car Claim:
Get The Full Value Of Your Vehicle
We can help you get the fairest insurance payout possible when your car is totaled after an accident, risk free.
Michigan Auto Law knows how frustrating it can be to get an offer for your vehicle that is less than fair and then to feel like there is nothing you can do about it.
Now you can.
We have teamed up with a true specialist to advocate for you – risk-free – when the insurance company is making a low-ball offer on your total loss car in Michigan.
Meet Scott Watson . . . a certified automobile appraiser and independent public adjuster who can help you get substantially more money for your vehicle if it is declared a total loss in Michigan.
Let Scott Watson and ClaimsPlus help you get full value on your total loss car and vehicle damage claim in Michigan
Scott is the owner and Chief Auto Claims Negotiator of ClaimsPlus, which is headquartered in Clawson, Michigan. He brings his 9 years of expertise and experience helping more than 1,300 people get more money for their vehicle damage.
Best of all . . . there is no risk and no cost to you. Scott only gets paid on the amount that he can recover that is OVER the insurance payout amount that your insurance company is already offering. If that initial offer turns out to be fair, you pay nothing and Scott collects nothing for his time and his work on your behalf.
Think of it as a free, second opinion without any risk to you. Call Scott today at (248) 765-1435 or fill out the form to schedule a consultation.
When the insurance company offers less than your vehicle is worth
Scott’s mission is to make sure you receive the full, fair market value for your vehicle. Scott and ClaimsPlus have extensive experience successfully adding thousands of dollars for people when the insurance companies’ appraisal is less than what your vehicle is worth.
How do I know if the insurance company’s appraisal is too low?
Scott and ClaimsPlus will help you understand if your insurer’s appraisal is lower than the full, fair market value of your totaled vehicle. They start by scrutinizing your insurance company’s appraisal/valuation report for accuracy to make sure none of the essential factors have been overlooked or omitted.
The factors that Scott will look at in evaluating your insurer’s appraisal include: (1) the make, model and year of your vehicle; (2) the odometer reading; (3) the trim level; (4) optional equipment on your vehicle; (5) an assessment of the vehicle’s condition; (6) identifying “comps” or valuations for vehicles that are comparable to yours; (7) adjustments for condition and mileage; (8) any recent repairs or upgrades to your vehicle; and (9) the tax amount.
How to get more for your insurance settlement
When your vehicle damage after a crash is so severe that the insurance company determines you have suffered a total loss car in Michigan, Scott knows how to get the insurance company to include reimbursement for sales tax, title fees, and registration and license expenses in the final payout for your insurance settlement.
How much does it cost to hire Scott Watson and ClaimsPlus?
You only pay Scott if he is able to get you a settlement on your claim that EXCEEDS your insurer’s original insurance payout settlement offer. And Scott’s fee is only 33% of this excess amount.
This makes working with Scott a risk-free win for people who are not getting a fair offer from their own insurance company but who before now had nowhere to go.
Let Scott Watson and ClaimsPlus negotiate a better total loss car insurance settlement and vehicle damage settlement for you now. Call Scott today at (248) 765-1435.
Michigan Total loss car and total loss vehicle FAQs
Below are answers to the questions that Scott Watson and ClaimsPlus are most frequently asked about total loss car claims and getting the best possible insurance payout and insurance settlement.
What is a total loss vehicle?
A total loss vehicle is one that has suffered such extensive damage in a motor vehicle accident that it is more expensive to repair than to replace because the vehicle damage repair costs exceed the vehicle’s actual cash value.
How do insurance companies determine total loss on a vehicle?
Some states use the “total loss threshold” to determine if your vehicle is a total loss. This is when the cost of your repairs are greater than a certain percentage of the pre-damage actual cash value. Other states use the “total loss formula” which compares vehicle repair costs plus salvage value to the vehicle’s pre-crash value.
What is considered a total loss car in Michigan?
Accordcing to Michigan law, a car is considered a total loss when it meets the threshold of when “the estimated cost of repair, including parts and labor, is equal to or more than 75% . . . of the predamaged actual cash value of the vehicle . . .” (MCL 257.217c(2)(a)(ii) and (2)(b)(i))
Total loss threshold by state
- Indiana 70%;
- Michigan 75%
- Missouri 80%
- Minnesota 70%
- Nebraska 75%
- Florida 80%
- Colorado 100%
- Iowa 70%;
- Oklahoma 60%
- New York 75%
What states follow the total loss formula?
The states the follow the total loss formula which determines that a car is a total loss if the cost of repairs plus a vehicle’s salvage value exceed the vehicle’s pre-damage actual cash are: (1) Ohio; (2) Illinois; (3) California; (4) Arizona; (5) Washington; (6) Pennsylvania; and (7) Georgia.
Insurance total loss payout calculator
Once it has been determined that you have a total loss vehicle after your crash in Michigan, the insurance company will use its calculator to tally your insurance payout. Generally, the actual cash value of your payout will equal your vehicle’s pre-crash market value minus depreciation from when it was brand new.
How do I file a total loss claim in Michigan?
There will likely be two parts to your total loss claim after a motor vehicle crash in Michigan: (1) you’ll file a mini tort claim against the at-fault driver to recover damages to cover your collision deductible; and (2) you’ll file a claim under your collision policy to cover the full value of damage to or total loss of your vehicle.
[DISCLAIMER per MRPC 5.7: Michigan Auto Law is offering Scott Watson and ClaimsPlus as a service to help people who are frustrated that they are not receiving a fair value from their insurance company for their total loss vehicle damage claims after an accident. Scott Watson is not a licensed Michigan attorney. ClaimsPlus is not a law firm. Neither Scott Watson nor ClaimsPlus are employees of Michigan Auto Law, nor does Michigan Auto Law have any ownership interest in ClaimsPlus. Scott Watson is an experienced public adjuster who brings years of expertise helping people get more money than the insurance payout that their insurance companies are offering to pay for a total loss vehicle and/or vehicles with severe crash-related damage. These services are considered law-related services under Rule 5.7(b) of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct as they are not legal services and Mr. Watson is not a lawyer. Protections normally afforded to an attorney-client relationship do not apply and no attorney-client relationship will be created between you and Scott Watson or between you and Michigan Auto Law if you are not a current client and are only working with Scott Watson to get a higher offer on your total loss car or total loss vehicle claim. The fee and/or any costs associated with the services provided by Scott Watson are not included in or a part of the contingency fee agreement contract for legal services that an individual might enter into separately with Michigan Auto Law.]
Is your vehicle a total loss?
Request your free consultation today.
