[thstone]

*** Final Update ***

Today I finally received my check from the insurance closing the claim against the lady who totaled my Silver Boxster. It only took 14 months. I am lucky in that I had the money to buy a new car and build out my race car without any of their money. If I wasn't in that position financially, I'd have been walking everywhere for the past 14 months.

The insurance company (AAA) was a nightmare to deal with every step of the way and tried every trick in the book to minimize their payout - they wouldn't return phone calls, "lost" postal letters, "never received" emails, tried to blame some portion of the fault on me, reneged on what we had agreed on the phone when the paperwork was written up, and generally did everything they could to get me to settle for less money.

That really was their game - to try and wear me down so I'd get fed up with the whole thing and settle for less money than what was fairly due.

And all I got was what I was due - fair market value for the car that was destroyed plus two days rental car. That was all I had ever asked and I was determined not to settle for anything less despite their efforts.

At the end of it all, did I win? No, I don't think so. They kept my money tied up for a year at no interest and I had to pay out for a replacement car out of my own pocket.

Now you understand why I dislike insurance companies so much. They try to take advantage of people who are not at any fault while they are in a precarious financial situation for their own financial benefit. They are borderline evil.

Sorry for the rant. I believe this is my first one in 3,400+ posts, so thank you for letting me get this off my chest.