How I see the world differently than my insurance company.

The automotive world has two sets of scales, maybe even three, but two that I'm sure of. When they're selling a used vehicle, they pull out the book which shows the highest amount possible. When negotiating a trade, they use the book that shows the lowest possible value. Insurance companies like this trick, too. When they insure your vehicle, they use the HV book, and by golly, it's gonna be expensive to fix or replace that vehicle of yours (in the case of being totaled or stolen). So on you go, paying insurance premiums based on the "Higher Value" book, and then when your vehicle is stolen or totaled, they pull out the "Lower Value" book. They know we know what they're doing, but the game is not to give away that they know. Unless you become a screaming lunatic, they will act like there is only one way to value a vehicle. A "secret sauce" that we should all agree upon. But I guarantee you, that at the time they are calculating their premiums, they wipe away the sauce and shine the paint up real nice and pretty, and presto - a higher value and hence justifiable premiums. Cynical? Me?