Laptops stolen and destroyed during break in -How does this work?

[untouchables21]

Not going to get into too many specifics, but my house was broken into and for the most part just vandalized. My kids and my wife's laptops were all moved from the desks they were on. My wife and son's laptops were thrown upstairs, and one doesnt do anything when powered on, and the other was smashed. My daughters laptop looks like it was taken upstairs as well (the power adapter was up there) but it is nowhere to be found.

So I have a claim in, and talked to the adjuster who said that they'll give me the depreciated value up front, but they will them pay me the full price to replace them. So I'm guessing I have to go out and buy replacement laptops, then submit the receipts to be reimbursed.

The laptops are all 2-3 years old. I've upgraded them over the years, but they're still old as computers go. But they were $800-$1100 laptops back when purchased. So my question is this - do I base my replacement purchases on what the machines cost? Because obviously that kind of money will get me a heck of lot better machine than I had. And do they have to be the same kind of computer, or is a laptop a laptop? Basically, can I replace the laptops with Macs if I wanted, so long as the price was comparable? I really don't know how to proceed here, and my kids and wife need their laptops. They're driving me nuts fighting over the one desktop PC we have. I'm really glad I bought myself an iPad a few weeks ago....

 

[moburkes]

You haven't provided your state, but you will buy a new laptop with similar features. A laptop with similar features should cost less than the ones you bought 2 or 3 years ago.

 

[Zigner]

I paid about $800 (more?) for a 17" laptop about 4 years ago. Today, I can get a 17" laptop that is twice as powerful for under $500. My 17" laptop is currently worth probably $200 on a good day (including the RAM upgrades and the fact that they are very lightly used)

 

[ecmst12]

You really need to ask your adjuster about this.

 

[untouchables21]

You haven't provided your state, but you will buy a new laptop with similar features. A laptop with similar features should cost less than the ones you bought 2 or 3 years ago.

Sorry about that. I'm in Pennsylvania. And yes, a much more powerful laptop will cost less than the ones I bought back then. Thats why I was unsure of how to proceed, I can't really compare apples to apples on the computer specs.

I paid about $800 (more?) for a 17" laptop about 4 years ago. Today, I can get a 17" laptop that is twice as powerful for under $500. My 17" laptop is currently worth probably $200 on a good day (including the RAM upgrades and the fact that they are very lightly used)

Yea, my daughters laptop was $800-$900, and I could easily buy a much more powerful one for around $600 these days.

You really need to ask your adjuster about this.

I hear ya. I just don't want him to think I'm trying to rip them off, because I'm certainly not. But since the laptops are gone/wrecked, I'd like to take the "opportunity" to upgrade two of them to Macs. I'm willing to pay the difference between what they consider fair replacement value and the cost of a Macbook or Macbook Pro.

This really is a pain in the butt. Not that I expected it to be fun, but ya know.