write off???

just a quick one all,
10 days ago I crashed my 5 month old GSXR1000. blah blah wont bore u all
with details.......
rather bad stack but hey here I am typing this so I must be ok.
now a question......
insurance quote came out to a shade under $10500!!!!!
every panel fucked/screen/ pipe etc....
so natch I thought ok must be a write off(insured for $16500)
I cant believe they're the gonna fix it and give it back
Whats the cut off in $$$ for a total loss and who decides it can be fixed???
Im no idiot and my eyesight's pretty good, but I'll be fucked if I can look
at the frame and forks and say
"nah shes straight mate" so what makes me think a mechanic/assessor can look
down the frame and say with sureity its ok????
I'm sure the bike will come back micky mouse but the point is Its only 5mths
old...and I have new for old for 2 yrs!!!
Anyway, any advice appreciated.....
thanx all and ride safe..
mikker

 

"michael burgess" wrote

fixed???

Up to them. If they could sell the wreck for more then $6,000 they'd
write it off.

Theo

 

person giving the quote will normally decide if something can be fixed or will
need to be replaced. As a rule of thumb insurance companies will generally
write off any repair which exceeds 70% of the value, so in this case they'd
probably spend up to $11550 before automatically writing off the bike.

Insurance quotes are dynamic. If more damage is found while they're
disassembling the bike for repairs the repairer will probably have to get a
further authorization from the insurance company. <HINT> maybe the frame has

Has the cost of frame straightening/repair been included in the quote? In
Melbourne lots of frames get sent to Bob Martin Engineering for crash
repairs. I've never heard a bad word about their work. I have heard stories
about bikes which ride better after crash repairs because the frame was sent
to Bob Martin. I can speak from experience that my ZZR600 handled better
after a crash and straighten than it did when new. It's not unknown for bikes
to be damaged in the crates whilst in transit. Back in about 1993 a container
got dropped at the wharfs in Melbourne. It was full of brand new Triumphs
from the factory. All had to be repaired before they could be sold... but
none of the frames were straightened by the importer/repairer.

Nev..
'02 CBR1100XX #2

 

Each insurance has got it's own cut-off line, generally between 65-80% of
market-value.
New for old for 2 years sounds like Swann Insurance. If you're in Mel., the
bike will have most probably been assessed by Ron Scholls, a guy who REALLY
knows his stuff (he does nothing else but bikes, compared to most other
assessors who're car-assessors and barely know a swingarm from an
indicator).

Looking at the quote, a frame check at some frame specialist should be part
of the quote, talk to the repairer BEFORE they even start and make sure of
it, otherwise offer to pay for it yourself if needed, costs are about
$200-300 (trade-price), if it's just a check.
Things like pipes (OEMs can run to $1500 each side, or more), headlight
(above $500 for the bird, trade), radiators (up to $2300 on a new ZX6,
trade) and panels (up to $5000 per set, trade) can bump up quotes in a hurry
without anything structural involved. A gouged swingarm on a late model
Bandit has to be replaced @ over $1200, trade, without
bearings/seals/labour.

If your frame check is done by someone like Bob Martin in Melb. you won't
have a problem at all, those guys are GOOD, very good.
Write offs fall into 2 groups: repairable or statutory. Repairable is as the
name says (but can have minor damage to the frame like gouges/dents)
Statutorys are structural write-offs, where the damage exceeds the damage
descibed in the relevant act (which stipulates damage beyond scratching to 1
point of the suspension i.e. bent fork together with 2 points of damage on
the frame, i.e. kinked steering head plus a broken weld on frame)
In the end it's down to the assessor and some vehicles get declared
statutorys without the above combo of damage, others get labelled repairers
if it's only some broken-off lug of a footrest-bracket (still making at
least 2 points of frame-damage though). A stat. write-off gets it's VIN
number withdrawn and is NOT REGISTERABLE anymore, anywhere in AUS. (the act
is national).
After that base-classification other points come into it.
If there's a swag of those bikes (like popular 'Birds and VFRs) at the
auctions already, a borderline-case might be repaired (otherwise another
'Bird at the auction will drop the prices achieved at auction due to a
massive supply). If there are no 'Birds listed for upcoming auctions, even a
60%er (repair quote/ value ratio) might become a "non-repairer" and go to
auction, the owner receiving either replacement or payout.

Since your bike is new, only new parts will have been quoted, again pushing
up the quote.
Still, it sounds a bit strange for a 5 months old bike and a quote like that
to go through on the repair.
If with Swann, call 03-9279 5000 and get onto Robert Bons, the National
Claims Manager.
Or fax him on 03- 9279- 5051, AND BE QUICK ABOUT IT, otherwise the repair
might have started and there's no going back then.

cheers
pete