Anyone had trouble with USAA closing a car claim?

Over a year ago, my car was totaled in an accident where I wasn’t at fault. I’m still waiting for USAA to sell my car at the junkyard so they can officially close the claim. Has anyone here gone through something like this? How long did it take for them to close your case? Thanks for any advice!

Be cautious with this. I had a renters insurance claim, and during the pandemic, USAA dragged things out so much that they ran out the clock on my case.

Marin said:
Be cautious with this. I had a renters insurance claim, and during the pandemic, USAA dragged things out so much that they ran out the clock on my case.

How long did they take? I’m stuck waiting for them to close this claim so I can send a demand letter to the company that caused the damage by not securing my hood properly.

That actually makes sense. If the salvage sale is holding things up, try pressuring your rep to lower the salvage demand. USAA usually gives salvage providers like IAA or Copart a minimum price (e.g., no less than 20% of the car’s value). Call your rep and ask for their supervisor, then see if they can push their salvage liaison to adjust the price. Out of curiosity, what kind of car are we talking about?

Something about this doesn’t sound right. In a total loss, they should’ve given you a settlement offer when they declared the car totaled. Once you accept it, they pay you, and you handle any liens. What happens to the car after that shouldn’t involve you—it’s usually sold to a salvage company like Copart.

@Hale
I already got the settlement and payment. But they’re saying the claim won’t be fully closed until they confirm the salvage yard sold my car. The at-fault party’s company won’t let me send a demand letter until the claim is officially closed.

You might want to check out a service like this: http://collisionsafetyconsultants.com. They could help you navigate situations like this.