2009 Sierra Accident Insurance Total--Frame Damage

[drfood]

We were involved in an accident recently where the front end of the 2009 Sierra was damaged, mostly the right 2/3 of the grill and hood. Looking at the vehicle there is not that much damage, perhaps 4-5,000 including labor. The vehicle is at a GMC dealer right now awaiting finalizing things with the insurance company.

 

The insurance company has sent out 2 adjusters who have stated emphatically that the right side of the frame is bent/damaged and the vehicle is a total loss. When we challenged the adjuster they said that the frame is hydroformed and requires extensive work to repair which would take the value of the repair within $2,000 of the cash value of the truck. Since a very small piece of the right side of the frame has been damaged, they have to replace the entire front section, which will require removal of the engine and 16 hours of labor costs. We have climbed under the truck several times looking for damage and taken photos and shown to our independent mechanic. He says there is no way the frame is bent/damaged but as a caveat he says anything is possible.

 

The insurance adjuster said if we keep the vehicle, a shop may sleeve the frame to repair it, but they can't do that because GM says this isn't safe in a subsequent crash. Has anyone heard of sleeve repair to a frame and is this a good idea?

 

The insurance company is offering $14000ish as a settlement for totalling the truck. Their basis is is that fixing the frame would cost between $4000 and $5000 plus bodywork and labor which would end up being more than 75% of the cash value of the truck.

 

We've never been involved in a "total" loss before and really question the entire frame bent/damage claim of the adjusters. That's why the post here. There is a lot of doubt on our part that we're being told the truth and someone is trying to take advantage of us.

 

Do any of you have any experience with the frames of the 2009 GMC Sierra or any idea as to how the insurance company could be claiming a total loss with moderate visible damage?

 

Any and all advice or other questions would be greatly appreciated.

[calgator73]

Scroll down to the end of this article. http://gmrepairinsights.com/2013/07/reframing-replacement-work-gm-rail-parts-give-partial-replacement-the-edge-over-full-replacement-2/

 

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[Tony Bianco]

I am an estimator for a large body shop chain. A "sleeve" is basically a piece of steel that is fabricated to be placed over each end of the bent frame after the frame has been cut. The sleeve is then used for what's called a floor pull in which the frame is brought back to within factory/NTSB specs. This can be costly. If the frame has an extreme bend then it's likely the frame would have to be replaced. On a truck as old as yours that isn't likely to be the case.

 

Sometimes it isn't easy to see the bend in a frame as it can be a subtle and long bend. A mechanic is definitely NOT the person to tell you yes or no if the frame is bent. The body shop would have likely had it on a lift as there's no other way that this type of damage would be viewable. Two adjusters have come out to look at it. The body shop estimator likely has looked at it as well. Who is the insurance company you're insured with? Each insurance company has different criteria to meet for a vehicle to be declared a total loss.

 

If they're offering $14K for the vehicle then the damage would have to be valued somewhere around $9K. What they're telling you doesn't make much sense. Companies such as Mercury, Safeco and Geico will attempt to do whatever they can to keep a vehicle from being totaled.

 

Any pics you might have would really be helpful for me to see what kind of damage the truck suffered. The frame would have to have a significant bend (unrepairable) for any company to to declare a total loss.

[Duelin]

Has anyone put this truck on a frame machine? If not I am surprised. I would have them put the truck on a frame machine and hang the gauges. Then call the insurance company and have the adjuster look at at it. If you have the gauges hanging then there is no guessing what is wrong.

[RyanbabZ71]

How many miles on the truck?

[Btuggle88]

Most of the time if it's a hard enough hit the frame will give right behind the upper control arm where the curve is. To check to see if this is what happened stick your hand in between the tire and fender to see if the gap is the same. If it is bent in this spot they total most of the time because it is a hard spot to straighten and with GM you can only heat it to a certain temperature or it messes with the strength of the frame. Without seeing it it is hard to say what it is and justify their decision. I do paint and body for a living.

[anumber1]

My '99 Silverado was hit broadside 11 years ago. No frame damage was found at the time.

 

Today, that frame is cracked at the transmission crossmember and welded with a couple of plates.

 

Hydroformed frame also.

 

Compared to the older, non Hydroformed frame trucks, the newer frames are much more brittle.

 

They will crack over time if they have been subjected to a hard shock.

 

Google silverado frame crack. Lots of evidence of this.

[drfood]

RyanbabZ71

The truck has 79,000 miles.

 

TFTADetail

Do you know anyone who can sleeve a frame in Houston? The adjuster looked under the truck while parked on a lot and made the determination that the frame was bent. I'm with AAA which seems to be inflexible when compared to companies like Geico.

 

 

Duelin

The truck was never lifted or put on a frame machine.

 

 

Btuggle88

Thanks for the info. Yes there is a difference between the tire and fender of both front wheels. Thought that was the result of a broken axel and not frame, but not sure.

 

 

Trying to post pics. Thanks so much for your response.

[LA lightning]

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/09e35rdw4z566qa/AACos8TFm2Te6x-iUGeTOvrHa

[Gurrzt]

I would take the money, and run, if there is extensive frame damage. The vehicle will NEVER track correctly after the repair, and you will have a lot of sqeaks and sounds.

 

If the air bags deployed the vehicle is considered "totaled" and if you purchase it back, it will be on a "salvage" title and will be worthless upon resale.

 

Find another vehicle.

[LA lightning]

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/g2ujez392qgyx7u/AADqgKN2c0gecRhO272wZrCha

 

Hope these pics help.

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/g2ujez392qgyx7u/AADqgKN2c0gecRhO272wZrCha

 

Hope these pics help.

[Btuggle88]

I can't really tell anything from the pics but if you look at the frame just behind the upper control arm and see if it is curved in more than the other side. As far as the price offer they usually offer fair retail value minus your deductible if you were at fault, I would do a search with the same year and options and miles as your truck and see what they are selling for, $14,000 sounds kinda low to me but it depends on your location. Don't settle for the first number they throw at you research a little, their job is to get out of it with as little loss of money as possible.

[drfood]

They are offering actual cash value. Thanks, I'll do a little research.

[Tony Bianco]

TFTADetail

 

Do you know anyone who can sleeve a frame in Houston? The adjuster looked under the truck while parked on a lot and made the determination that the frame was bent. I'm with AAA which seems to be inflexible when compared to companies like Geico.

 

Unless the truck has been on a lift or AT THE LEAST had a full tear down of the front end to investigate the full extent of damage; there's no way to know if the frame is actually bent beyond repair. I don't understand why the insurance company hasn't ordered the tear down of the damaged area. No way to actually value the repairs. We've had trucks that had extensive damage beyond that of yours that were.'t totaled. The insurance company must really want out of this one.

 

As far as value of the truck, the body shop will also do a general assessment of the vehicle when they receive it. The biggest factors behind valuing the vehicle are model year, mileage and overall condition of the truck.

 

The only real repair shops that will be able to do a frame pull or assessment is just about any body shop. Our shops are all located within the Austin and San Antonio areas.

[Tony Bianco]

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/g2ujez392qgyx7u/AADqgKN2c0gecRhO272wZrCha

 

Hope these pics help.

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/g2ujez392qgyx7u/AADqgKN2c0gecRhO272wZrCha

 

Hope these pics help.

 

 

 

Somewhat, but we need to see the damage behind the bumper.