About to write off a car.

[lance1a]

A while back a large contruction truck stopped in the road, slammed into reverse and drove straight into me. I was in a plodder Saab 95 2.0t SE at the time. He hadn't secured his tailgate and when he hit me that slammed down on the bonnet stopping 3/4 inch from the screen (if I was in the MGF or my E30 it would have come through the screen). He accepted liabilty and later we agreed they would do all the egwork etc and sort it out. Now the Saab is a 98 model with all the spec (leather/climate etc etc) and very low mileage on a rebuilt engine with all the Saab mods (oil supply based) so I don't really want to have it scrapped. To me the car is worth about £1000 because of the condition and mileage, trade is about £350. The damage is about £1800. Insurance company call me to arrange a engineer to come and see the car to assess the extent of the damage. I told them I don't care as long as I'm not out of pocket. They can repair the car, replace it with a similar mileage and condition one, or buy it for what I bought it for. £1000.

The construction company asked me to keep quiet about the tailgate issue since it might cause 'complications' to which I reluctantly agreed but fortunately realised my mistake so the next conversation I had with them I had a witness next to me when I voiced my concern at not being truthfull. Anyway...a mate of mine actually saw the accident and I think it would be hard to explain the damage to the windscreen area by a vehicle simply reversing into the front of it.
So where do I stand in terms of keeping the vehicle and having it repaired but not being out of pocket in the process?

[aka_kerrly]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but by the sounds of it your car is a write off. Your task now is to round up as many adverts for similar Saabs as 99% of the time insurance companies will try and screw you.

The best bet is to try and get as much as possible to allow you to buy a similar car, in less of course you are sooooo attached to your current car that you buy the car back from the insurance company for buttons and spend the difference repairing it.