When a vehicle is totaled it means that the cost of repairs exceeds the value of the vehicle. If your vehicle is deemed “totaled” by the auto body shop and agreed to by the insurance company it is very important that you DO NOT ALLOW THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO TAKE POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY HAVE SETTLED YOUR CLAIM! REMEMBER – THE INSURANCE COMPANY DOES NOT Insurance companies don’t like paying claims so they do everything in their power to pay the insured as little as possible. Often times that includes dragging out the negotiations until the insured settles out of frustration, necessity or both. The best way to ensure that your claim is settled promptly is to refuse to release your vehicle from the auto body shop until the claim is settled. The reason for this is simple – the auto body shop charges a daily storage fee. Those fees add up quickly so insurance companies avoid them by having the vehicle towed to their own lot. Once they take possession of your vehicle, they have the upper hand and can drag out negotiations over your claim until you agree to THEIR price. Protect yourself against these tactics by simply refusing to release the vehicle from your chosen auto body repair shop until your claim is settled. Having to pay a storage fee will motivate them to settle more quickly. WORK FOR YOU!