Low Offer for Totaled Vehicle

Q: My insurance is totaling out my car, but the amount offered won't get me a similar vehicle. What can I do?

A: If your car is totaled out by your insurance and the sum offered isn't enough to replace it with a similar year and model, first check local newspapers and eBay for similar vehicles. If you show that similar models are fetching more money, your insurance may do an amended appraisal and offer you more money.

Alternatively, a little-known section of the California Insurance regulations provides that if the insured cannot buy a similar make and model car for the amount offered by his or her insurance, he can demand that the insurer replace the car with a similar make and model.