First question… how does one get into the predicament of having to dispose of a damaged late model vehicle ? While no two stories are the same, we have found there is generally a common theme - no insurance coverage!

Here are the TOP 10 Reasons people sell a wrecked vehicle:

1. Coverage lapsed (missed payment) – No insurance coverage
2. Accident was your fault – No Collision coverage
3. You are not at fault but hit by an un-insured driver – No uninsured motorist coverage
4. Unauthorized Driver wrecked your vehicle, again Claim denied by your carrier
5. Car stolen & recovered – No Theft Coverage
6. Hail Damaged Vehicle – No comprehensive coverage
7. Flood Damaged – No comprehensive
8. Fire/smoke Damage – No Comprehensive
9. Vandalism – No comprehensive
10. Mechanical failure (engine/transmission) – No warranty coverage

It’s highly unlikely that you will ever find a private buyer for a damaged or disabled vehicle and there are only a few sources that will give you a fair price for a late model damaged car or damaged truck. If you take anything from this blogpost, DO NOT call a junkyard if your car is newer than 2014. You are going to get “scrap value” which is a discounted rate by the ton. It’s purely based on the weight of your vehicle, not the value of the sellable parts that will be remarketed to collision shops, exporters and parts suppliers that service domestic and overseas markets. Many end-of-life vehicle buyers will tell you to stay away by their name. To name a few:

1. JunkCarExperts.com
2. JunkCarZone.com
3. Peddle.com
4. CarBrain.com
5. SellMax.com
6. PullaPart.com

To get the most money for any wrecked or non-running late model vehicle click here. We reach the largest audience of vehicle exporters, rebuilders and new and used car dealers that are interested in vehicles that can be made running again.

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Here is a great example of how innocent people get stuck with vehicles that suffer from diminished value & the stigma of a dirty car fax report.

If you have had an accident with your vehicle it will never be the same, especially when it comes to value. The first thing you have to decide is "Do I want to repair my car"? Think about it….You have a check for several thousand dollars in your hand, the car is paid off and it has 100,000 miles on it and it won't last forever! Wouldn't it be great if someone would come pay a couple of thousand bucks for the wreck and tow it away? Then you can just go get a new car…sounds like a dream, right? WRONG! It's a reality and it's happening every day.

While anyone can sell a damage car with just a phone call, only the educated & savvy are aware that this option is available to them today.

Your insurance carrier really doesn't care if you take the repair money and run, in fact it saves them time & money in managing the repair process plus the cost of the rental vehicle while your car is being fixed.

Get with the program and take the new route to a new car. DamageMAX will buy any damaged vehicle for cash, "as-is" where is!

For more information on how to sell a damaged vehicle, call (888) 629-2137 to speak to one of our live agents or visit www.damagemax.com.

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Texas! The great big state that claims to "take care of it's own"! The state where you can shoot first and ask questions later! Where else can someone shoot and kill a repossession agent in their driveway with a high powered rifle and claim "I was protecting my property"? Here is something almost as absurd…

DamageMAX found a nice little loophole in the Texas Insurance Regulations this week that allow their drivers to get hosed by insurance companies!

Sherry R. had a nice 2011 BMW 328i Convertible with low mileage. She was minding her own business when an individual blew through a red light and smashed into her pristine BMW. Sherry purchased comprehensive insurance coverage and of course had "uninsured motorist" coverage as well, but as her luck would have it she didn't have enough insurance. The individual that hit Sherry was 100% at fault and had basic liability insurance only. Because the other driver was at fault, their insurance carrier took over the settlement of Sherry's claim. What they told Sherry was shocking….while Sherry's car was a "total loss", the most that they could give her was $25,000 because that was the maximum that their policy holder had for property damage? That's right folks! Too bad on Sherry! She had a $32,000 vehicle that is a total loss that she will only get paid $25,000 for it ! To add insult to injury, this company told her that she had to pay the tow from the scene of the accident and all the storage associated with her vehicle. She even had to eat the bill for her own rental vehicle! They basically wrote her a check for $25,000 and left her to clean up the mess created by their policy holder.

DamageMAX came to her rescue and purchased her wrecked BMW for $7,000 and paid to haul it off, but Sherry lost money on the deal as she battled for 6 weeks with the responsible party's insurance carrier.

Somehow it seems wrong that her insurance company didn't see fit to make up the difference and total her car when she had premium coverage. It also seems ridiculous that the state of Texas would allow a resident of their Great State to get hosed by an insurance carrier.

If you have been in an automobile accident, and you are not sure things are going your way please call (888) 629-2137. DamageMAX.com will give you free advice on how to handle an accident claim. If we can help you out of your damaged vehicle, or even get a better settlement we will be happy to do so.

DamageMAX is the leading buyer of damaged vehicles, nationwide.

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Here is a great article by CNN that addresses how the Top 2 insurance companies treat claimants with respect to compensation for particular types of injuries.

This type of Machiavellian behavior is not limited to injury claims. DamageMAX talks to hundreds of customers each month that receive similar treatment with respect to collision repair reimbursement and total loss settlements. It's basically a "take it or leave it" attitude.

Insurance companies will typically lead the claimant through a very regimented process. This process if foreign to the policy holder and there is a general tendency to "follow" and trust the claims handler. "Don't expect to get paid what's fair, you will get paid what you negotiate" states Michael Lasini, Founder of DamageMAX.com. "Insurance carriers will oil the squeaky wheels and if you behave like a sheep in their process, you will be lead to slaughter". The key to getting a fair settlement after an accident is to do your homework, leverage all resources and let your insurance adjuster know you are well-informed. Always ask questions, document all discussions and get back up for what your are told. If the adjuster presents a total loss settlement figure, tell him/her that you want to see the complete market analysis. If it came from Mitchell, then request a comparable analysis from CCC and Audatex and compare those figures to NADA Average Retail. Guidebooks don't write checks for cars, they never will. They are simply a resource and they don't guarantee the figures they publish.

DamageMAX is the leading buyer of damaged cars, trucks and equipment in the USA. We do not charge for price quotes or advice and our knowledgeable and courteous staff is ready to assist.

For more information or to speak to a live agent please call (888) 629-2137.

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Most people have an accident and succumb to the insurance company's process. Whether it's yours or the person's that hit you, get ready for a real treat. It's called "Hurry Up & Wait"!

Your job is to let them know you have had the accident pronto, they will give you a claim number and a new toll free number to call for information regarding your claim. Then, you have to wait to hear from an "adjuster". I wonder why they call them "adjusters' anyway, do they adjust your claim up from what it's supposed to be? Or downward to save their company money? Once you report the claim, they will have the damage estimate performed. If you are lucky, that will be done at the shop it was towed to, otherwise the adjuster will ask you to move it to a shop that is in his/her network. They will suggest that it will be done faster, better and of course they offer "free towing". If you agree, Congratulations! You just got "steered" to a DRP (Direct Repair Program) Collision Shop. Does it really matter to you? Yes, because steering is illegal in most states! Plus, it's fairly certain now that you will not be getting a total loss settlement. You see friends, insurance companies are pretty good at triage which is a fancy name for knowing (at a quick glance) whether your car is repairable or will be totaled. The insurance company will keep you in the dark while they make the best decision for them–not for you and your family. They lead you where they want you to go and you are powerless.

What can you to prevent this? Be informed and be firm about what you expect. Here are a few good rules on how to handle your insurance company after an accident:

1. Report the accident immediately – waiting serves no purpose other than to delay the whole process which is long enough already.
2. Call whatever number you are provided and make first contact with your adjuster. If one is not assigned, keep calling until a name is provide.
3. Do not give permission for them to move your vehicle. It can be estimated where it sits. If they move it, you have no leverage.
4. Get a digital copy of the estimate emailed to you with all the photos. You can send that to other collision shops and agencies like DamageMAX that will buy the damaged vehicle on the spot for top dollar.

If your insurance adjuster gives you are hard time, remind them that you are the customer. Insurance companies are highly regulated and they have to be very cautious about pressuring policy holders into decisions.

If it turns out that your vehicle will be repaired because the damage is not significant enough for a total loss and you do not want the vehicle, DamageMAX will buy the vehicle from you and you can keep the repair check plus your deductible and apply it to something new.

The internet has empowered consumers with a wealth of information. You just got rear-ended by a distracted driver, don't let their insurance company take you down the same road!

For more information on selling a damaged vehicle please call (888) 629-2137 or visit damagemax.com for a free consultation.

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If you are one of the 20M people involved in a car wreck this year, you will encounter "steering" in some way, shape or form. Steering in the collision industry is when the responsible insurance carrier pressures you into taking your vehicle to one of their network body shops. Why do they do this? For control and efficiency. "Steering" is illegal in many industries and a topic that is surrounded by controversy because it affects the pocket books of the consumer and vendors throughout the claims handling vertical.

When you're in an accident you rely on an insurance company, either yours or the person that ran into you, to return your vehicle to it's pre-damaged state. One would expect them to use quality parts and quality labor for the repairs, you want a quality repair you can trust! Years ago we saw the insurance industry turned on its head for trying to force inferior body parts on repair shops. The courts decided in favor of car owners, and now in most states they have to pay for OEM (original equipment) parts if you request it.

When you make a claim for a repair, historically you've been able to have the shop of your choice write up an estimate and make the repairs. Now, insurance companies are trying to restrict the shops you can use to a pre-approved list of facilities. In other words, they're telling you where to get your car repaired. The shops are probably quality establishments for the most part, but if they're getting steady income from insurance company business, who do you think they have on their minds when they're making decisions regarding your repair? Human nature and good business practices say you'll be number two on the list. Anti-steering legislation provides negative incentive for insurance companies to "steer" so they have learned to "Sell, instead of Tell". This means, they will "encourage" you to use one of their network shops. You may hear things like "We are swamped right now and I won't be able to even look at your car at Body Shop ABC until next week, but if you let me move the car to Body Shop XYZ, I can probably get the job started by Wednesday". Some people will follow the process and do exactly what the insurance adjuster tells them to do, because they have no idea how to handle it on their own. We want to change that game by changing the rules and empowering the consumer and giving them a new alternative – don't fix it at shop ABC or XYZ – sell your wreck and keep the insurance check!

That's right folks, this blog is a shameless attempt to enlighten you to what DamageMAX does, we buy wrecked vehicles and we want yours! What's in it for you?

1. Peace of mind - you don't have to drive a wrecked vehicle
2. Better financial decision – no depreciation or diminished value to deal with on repaired vehicle
3. Reward - get something new to drive, you earned it!
4. Time – don't wait for anybody, get paid and move on

You can also avoid steering altogether by just selling your wrecked vehicle for cash to DamageMAX. Don't get caught up in the claims handling game, make the best decision for you and break out of that damaged vehicle by selling it for cash. Damaged Cars and trucks are in demand, not just for the metal, for the replacement parts. It's a very green business and the reusable components from your wrecked vehicle will be remarketed and installed on another vehicle somewhere in your marketplace, perhaps even abroad.

For more information on anti-steering, or a cash offer on your damaged car or truck, please call (888) 629-2137.

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25 million people have accidents each year on US roads. Only half of them will get reimbursed for collision repairs by the insurance company at fault. Of those 12.5 Million people, around 10% of them will find a way out of the vehicle because they just don't feel safe in it anymore. Most of the vehicles that get repaired wind up being a bad financial decision for the insured. Why sink several thousand dollars into a vehicle that is 6 years old and has 100K+ miles on it?

The truth is, most people don't know they have the option of keeping the proceeds that the insurance company will designate for the repairs, then selling their wrecked car for cash and getting something new. This is an actual case that turned out pretty good! Lets take a look at Brandy's case because she was fortunate enough to make the right decision.

2012 Jaguar XJ-L
12,000 miles
NADA Clean Retail Value $58,675
Collision Repair Estimate $39,000
Sold to DamageMAX for $20,000
Equity Position $325.00

Brandy hit a tree with her shiny new Jaguar and was at fault, but luckily the repairs were covered. She thought the damages were so severe that the car would never be the same – she was shocked when the insurance company told her she had to keep the car and that they would have to repair it. Brandy found DamageMAX.com and sent us the collision estimate along with a few photos taken from her cell phone and sold us the car in less than 24 hours. 72 hours from the first call, the Jaguar was gone and DamageMAX wired $20,000 to a very happy seller!

Brandy was able to keep her insurance repair check for $39,000 plus the $20,000 from the sale of the Jaguar which put her over NADA Clean Retail Value by $325.00! The best part is, she didn't have to write the check for her insurance deductible which kept another $1000 in her pocketbook.

Most damaged cars are worth a lot more than people think they are… Don't leave yourself in the dark, make an educated decision before you agree to fixing your wrecked vehicle. Call (888) 629-2137 or visit www.damagemax.com for an immediate cash offer on any damaged vehicle.

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Your son begs and pleads to borrow your SUV to go with some friends to Denny's for a late night feeding. He calls 2 hours later and the first words you hear are "Mom, I'm sorry".

You just paid the vehicle off and dropped the collision coverage, this is not a good time for a car wreck you are thinking. Everyone is okay, maybe it's not that bad you keep telling yourself. Then you see your vehicle and it looks destroyed. Even if you could afford to fix it, you would never drive it again after sustaining that much damage. Junior is grounded forever!

Whats next? You need to get your car out of the towing yard and you can't have them take it to your home. Repairing all that damage is not an option either, you will have to just junk it, right? Wrong! There really aren't any junk yards anymore. There are scrap yards and auto recyclers that dismantle automobiles and sell the usable parts. Your Wrecked Vehicle is not junk! Your damaged car is not salvage. It's worth hundreds of dollars, perhaps thousands and the only way to find out is call DamageMAX for a free price quote!

Call (888) 629-2137 for an instant cash offer. We pay to tow it away and there is no charge for title processing.

Visit http://damagemax.com/contact-us.htm 24/7 and leave us your vehicle information and we will email you back a cash offer.

DamageMAX, pays the MAX for damaged and inoperable vehicles. Don't salvage your truck or car, sell it for parts and get more by calling DamageMAX.com

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The Best Things In Life are Free, right? You bet! Only finding things that are free these days seems virtually impossible. I would settle for "a deal" in place of free, but there aren't even many deals out there anymore - especially when it comes to auto insurance. Recently one of our clients asked if they could get a deal on insurance for a car they were thinking of buying with a salvage title? Here is what a major insurance company (TOP 5) told us: 

Is insurance cheaper on a salvage title vehicle?

The short answer is no, in fact it will cost more.

Salvage title vehicles pose a greater risk than one with a clean title and premiums will be on the higher side. Since the extent of damage was significant enough to brand the vehicle with a salvage title, there is a greater chance that it will be a bit unsafe on the road.

Where is the savings in buying a salvage title car then? Upfront perhaps…but you had better pay half the book value for it, or it was no deal. In fact, you will be stuck with that vehicle for a very long time if you paid anymore than 50% of retail value. Most dealers that sell salvage title (rebuilt) vehicles will save you a few thousand dollars and tell you it's a great deal. It's not a very good deal at all.

Here's more on why:

1. Banks won't finance a salvage title vehicle
2. Insurance companies will only allow liability coverage (at a much higher rate)
3. Dealers won't trade-in a salvage title vehicle – the don't even want vehicles with a bad CARFAX!
4. You will take a huge financial loss when you try to sell a salvage title vehicle
5. There are very few places that buy salvage title vehicles

DamageMAX will buy any vehicle, anywhere in any condition but salvage title vehicles do not command a premium. If you have a salvage title vehicle or problem vehicle to sell, call (888) 629-2137 or visit http://damagemax.com/contact-us.htm.

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If you have been in a car accident, your vehicle will suffer from diminished value. Insurance carriers are of the opinion that diminished value is not a component of the standard auto insurance policy and seek to evade the topic entirely. The argument can be made that diminished value is "extra insurance" that the purchaser of the policy did not buy. If I had full coverage with a $250 deductible, I of course, would argue that it should be included. But what if someone hits you and it's their fault? With the multitude of auto policy choices, deductibles, PIP, uninsured motorist coverage, etc. do we really need another "moving part"?

You can argue for or against who has to pay for diminished value, but what cannot be argued is that diminished value exists.

Here is how diminished value affects the value of your car or truck:

1. Accident History – the police report will be fed to vehicle history providers and the NICB (National Insurance Crime Board) and show up reading something like this: Severe Collision Damage, Left Side, Airbag Deployment towed from scene. Now isn't that lovely? Who in god's name will buy your car with that appearing on a CARFAX Report? Additionally, it will appear in BOLD RED on the report–very hard to miss and very dramatic. Dramatic is the perfect term for CARFAX because they want to scare you into buying their history reports. The scarier the better! Accident History will cost you 15% off the Book Value of Your Vehicle. Many a study has been done, some say 13%, others say 17%. It is $1500-2000 all day long!
2. Stuctural Damage/Repairs: the severity of the collision will dictate how extensive the repairs are that are needed to restore the vehicle to roadworthy condition. Anything can be fixed – all it takes is money. It has always been up to the insurance company what gets fixed and what get's totaled out but make no mistake, a severely collision damaged vehicle will take a huge value hit. It does not matter how well it was repaired. There are companies sprouting up all over the US that perform frame and structural checks to try to "restore" some of this lost value by certifying the repairs with laser alignment devices, etc. Great! So the car you are trying to sell has been in a serious accident but relax, it was repaired with military precision and its "better than new"? Help me understand here…were their robots welding it together like it was at the factory? How about, NO!

The game is changing for the consumer and the emergence of the internet has opened up new channels and global markets for damaged cars to be sold. They are in demand and a damaged vehicle can be sold for fast cash. Consumers with Damaged Vehicles don't have to wait for some insurance claims clerk to decide whether your car gets fixed or will be totaled out. You can sell your damaged car to DamageMAX and it's easy.

Before you agree to let the insurance company fix your car, weigh your options carefully and make an educated decision.

Call DamageMAX at (888) 629-2137 or visit http://damagemax.com/contact-us.htm

Get a written guaranteed buy now price from DamageMAX.com, then add-in the repair check and your deductible and see if that is a better deal than keeping a repaired wreck. Don't forget the diminished value of $2000 / 15% because you will take that hit when you go to sell the vehicle, in fact most dealers won't trade a car with accident history.

For more on diminished value, visit www.damagemax.com or call (888) 629-2137 to speak to a live agent

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