Question for Insurance guys on Camping trailers.

How do you value an Airstream trailer? I looked up on NADA and it had Suggested retail $41, 015 Low retail $3545 High retail $4955.
After looking at some on Craigslist and dealerships, they are retailing WAY over those numbers.

Ours had a tree fall on it and just got the quote back at just over $23,000 in damages. We are very concerned about them totaling it, and we want to keep it because it has been handed down by my grandparents who purchased it new. It is a 1989 35ft Excella that was re-skinned in 2000 after a hail storm. How would we go about buying it back if they do total it?

My popup camper was recently totaled from a hail storm. I had to pay the insurance company the scrap value of the trailer for me to keep it.

Depends on the coverage you have / had on it. My coverage for them is ACV.

Buying back is typically scrap value. I had a Honda Accord, totaled in a hail storm. If I had taken a check, I would have received $5700. I opted for a check and keeping it and got $5100. Put another 70K on it and sold it for $1500.

Adjusters do this all the time. Realize, once totaled, you can only have liability coverage on it. Most times you will be required to get the title converted to a salvage title.

I am pretty sure I can fix it with some patch panels and time. The interior would be a little tougher. Now it is the waiting game, they told us it would be 4-5 business days to let us know what will happen. Thanks for the replies.

They probably won't use NADA, and Craigslist is what people are asking for the trailers, and not necessarily what they are selling for.
Everyone else is correct about retaining the salvage. They will cut you a check for ACV (Actual Cash Value) minus what they think they'd get for salvage.

Well, they totaled it. They claim it is worth around $15,000, plus tax, so total is just over $17,000. Buying it back was easy as you guys said it would be. Thanks for that. My question is, the dealership has several Airstreams on the lot for sale. The one I looked at was a 1971 31ft dual axle. Their price is $13,000. Is there any way to contest what the insurance company thinks the value is worth. There were several others that were in the same price range, but either in worse condition or much shorter. There were a few of the time era that were several thousand more than what we ewre given for ours.

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Originally Posted by encorehunter

Well, they totaled it. They claim it is worth around $15,000, plus tax, so total is just over $17,000. Buying it back was easy as you guys said it would be. Thanks for that. My question is, the dealership has several Airstreams on the lot for sale. The one I looked at was a 1971 31ft dual axle. Their price is $13,000. Is there any way to contest what the insurance company thinks the value is worth. There were several others that were in the same price range, but either in worse condition or much shorter. There were a few of the time era that were several thousand more than what we ewre given for ours.

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I am not an insurance guy but my experience with a car that was totaled in an accident was this: They offered me what the "book" said and I said no, I would find the same make and model at a dealership and they could cut the dealership a check for the purchase. I went around and around with them but in the end they relented and purchased me a replacement vehicle, did not raise my rates and we all went away happy.

Don't you have ACV coverage? NEVER accept the first offer an ins company makes.

Slightly OT: I am still surprised a lot of folks carry less than necessary ins coverage , on everything. Sure bumping a policy up for more coverage, will run you another $20 per month. However factor in the extra $240 (guesstimate) annually, it more then makes up for being under insured IF you had to make a claim.

When my camper got hail damage a few years ago the insurance company said it was only worth $1,200. I refused their offer and found several similar campers for sale for a lot more. They took those, averaged them, and we came up with an agreeably value of $3,800.

If you've cashed the check, you've missed the opportunity to argue about the value.

Still haven't picked up the check from the insurance company. They did send it to our agent though. Maybe I will try and talk my parents into arguing about it.