Pebbles,
Please don't agree to anything or sign anything until you consult with a lawyer. You can pay a good accident lawyer for a consultation about your options. Do remember that insurance adjusters get paid to make you settle for the lowest amount possible.

Speedy recovery thoughts going out your way.

 

The insurance company may have totaled the bike - which means you should get to keep it. I'm sure you can get it rebuilt for a lot less than the insurance check..at least its worthj checking into

 

This is good info above!
The thing to remember is, state law dictates how these things are settled, and they don't owe you for a brand new bike, they owe you for the bike that was damaged, and its value based on mileage/condition/and market value at the date of loss. (If the bike was newly ridden off the showroom floor, you would get new value.) Another thing you will run into is accessories. We see bikes all the time that have $10k or more in chrome added, but when it comes to sale time, it may add little to the value that someone would actually pay for the bike.

 

More good info! Usually you can retain the bike for "salvage value" which is a wholesale amount that a salvage yard would pay for the bike. This is pennies on the dollar to what a damaged Harley is worth. Even if you didn't want to have it fixed, you can usually "part it out" and regain a large portion of your money.

 

Glad he survived! Check you PM

 

Don't sign anything until you, at least, talk to a lawyer. Their insurance may not buy you a new bike but the settlement will certainly help in that respect also. My son's settlement fixed his bike to "like new" and paid for his college education.

 

I had a similar experience years ago. I had a headon in an intersection when I guy who was not looking tried to make a left turn in front of me. I had my 4 kids in the car at the time, and although not really hurt, were shook up a bit, with a few bruises.

The insurance adjuster told me they would give me $300 for my totaled car and that was it. That was way below what my 59 chevy convertible was worth, even though it had around 200,000 miles on it. I told him I would not except that. So he left.

A week later he came back and asked me if I was ready to settle up for the car. I told him no way. So he left again.

I went to my insurance agent, and told him my story. He said " don't you ever pull this on me, but next time the adjuster comes around, you tell him that you will take $500 for the car, and you want $ 800 for the kids that were shook up in the wreck."

When the adjuster came the next time, I gave him my terms as my agent had said, and he wrote out a check on the spot for $1300. I did not cash it for a while, just to make them sweat. Until you cash the check, they are still on the hook for whatever comes up at a later date. Good luck.

 

Jumper,
In our defense, that was the way some companies handled claims long go. States have passed laws to protect us (the public), and insurance companies do everything possible to abide by the laws. Keep in mind that adjusters get into accidents and have to go through the same hassles as everyone else.
Virtually all "in house" adjusters get paid hourly or salary with no incentive to low-ball claims. "Independant" adjusters actually get paid a percentage of the claim value--so it is in their benefit to pay as much as possible! We try to pay the "correct" amount that is actually owed, and believe it or not it is in our own best interest to pay as much as possible & have happy customers! It's also in an insurance company's best interest to have happy customers & stay out of court whenever possible. When attorneys get involved, they are the only ones that come out ahead!
Sadly, there are many times when a good attorney is necessary to ensure you get taken care of. There are a few bad apples out there (as there are in any industry), and if you do run into someone that is purposely low-balling a claim, they need to be reported to the state insurance commisioner ASAP!

To the OP: sorry if I hijacked the thread, just rying to help you out!

 

Give these guys a call. All they do is motorcycle claims. They got me more than I paid for my bike. And you are also entitled to rental fees, the whole time you are out of a bike, which they got me as well.

http://www.twowheeljustice.com/

 

Sounds like you're talking about what HER insurance would owe. What the at-fault party's insurance owes can be a whole different story and it most likely doesn't end at what the current value of the bike is. She really needs to talk to a lawyer in her jurisdiction and stuff posted here may be very misleading. When I'm not a soldier, I'm a lawyer and I've done both insurance law for the insurance company and the plaintiff (and for myself, as plaintiff). I'm not giving online advice in this case, other than it may be time to see a lawyer. There are cases where a person comes out worse by getting a lawyer, but most of the time, especially if the other side's insurer is low-balling, you probably need legal advice.