well what they said.
get it checked out. if there jsut a radio and shit missing don;t put a claim in.
if it got torched put claim in.
did the cops give you an idea on how much damage.
is it drivable?
so my thoughts would be more than 2.5 K damage put in claim.
remember cops will charge tow fee and shit as well.
why the amount over the excess, well your premium will go up for a few years.
I made mistake when my car got pinched and stereo stolen to claim as it was only a few hundred over my excess thinking anything better than nothing, then premiums up for next few years and I ended up paying much more.
when you get access to view?