[RahnStap83]

My partner had an accident a few weeks back. The driver of the vehicle is at fault. I own a 2018 Red Honda Accord Sport 2.0t (Beautiful car!) and the other driver (I think) drives a 2015 Hyundai Accent (hatchback)? The Hyundai was attempting to make a left lane while my partner was driving through a green lane, and the other driver underestimated my partner was already entering the intersection. He (the other driver) ends up crashing into my partner, and bam, a left-leaning frontal impact. As you can see, the vehicle head-on crashed into my partner, who was clearly past half-way of the intersection upon impact.

Fast forward, the Hyundai driver has accepted liability. He's trying to claim that my partner was going through a yellow light (which is still was my partner's right of way, regardless), but that's for another story lol.

My insurance company at first told me by the looks of it, the car should be totaled out. I get a call yesterday from the insurance saying that the car is now "repairable." WTF!? No, I do not want this car in the condition is in. The car will never drive the same. Here's a list of the major apparent damages to my vehicle (per the estimate) and without tearing apart the vehicle:

FRONT BUMPER & GRILLE, FRONT LAMPS, RADIATOR SUPPORT, HOOD, FENDER, CONSOLE, RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, PILLARS, ROCKER & FLOOR, FRONT DOOR, AND VEHICLE DIAGNOSTICS.

Insurance says initial estimated repairs are at $7.6K. Of course, a body shop will need to take it apart and that's going to be costly, too. I don't care what body shop fixes this car, there is just TOO MUCH DAMN damage not to be concerned with driving this car again. Wat can I do in this situation? Can I dispute the fact that this damage is beyond repairable? I don't know, but to me, this just seems too crazy. Clearly, the insurance company wants to save their ass money by not paying the value of the car. So, how can I win in this situation? HELPPP!

 

[DARKART]

Partner? What business are you two in?

 

[Ronch]

If the other driver was at fault (Is there a police report documenting that?), why are you going through your insurance company and not the other driver's company?

If you go through your own company, you'll likely have to eat your collision deductible. If you go through the other person's company, they should cover everything, including your deductible.

I guess you could always get it fixed and sell it. Either way, ask for an additional payment for "diminished value" before you sign off on the final agreement, assuming you can get it, which depends on your state's laws, which company pays for the repairs, and/or if they refuse...

 

[RahnStap83]

Partner? What business are you two in?

Not sure the relevance of your question here. If I say partner, there are many meanings to it, but that’s not important.

If the other driver was at fault (Is there a police report documenting that?), why are you going through your insurance company and not the other driver's company?

If you go through your own company, you'll likely have to eat your collision deductible. If you go through the other person's company, they should cover everything, including your deductible.

I guess you could always get it fixed and sell it. Either way, ask for an additional payment for "diminished value" before you sign off on the final agreement, assuming you can get it, which depends on your state's laws, which company pays for the repairs, and/or if they refuse...

Yea, I did it to speed up the process and since it was over the weekend, I needed to have a rental so I can get to work. The other driver has accepted liability so there’ll be some subrogation in this case.

Thanks for the tip on the “diminished value.” I’ll definitely ask my adjustor.I would just like to get it off my hands bc of my own safety concerns.

 

[Hudouc]

1. I feel like the initial estimate is low based on damage seen here.
2. You should not be worried about the safety of the vehicle as long as the repair is completed properly. It may look bad, but if nothing structural is damaged (and it doesn;t seem like it from the initial report), I would not even think twice about it. I'd personally be much more worried about whether the new paint matches the old one or not.

 

[Ion]

Once the shop starts to take it apart and there's a supplemental, that initial estimate could go way up.

 

[TGHI]

I imagine the estimate is on the low side, however I can see them attempting a repair since the car is so new and the airbags didn't deploy (near as I can tell from the photos, anyways).

 

[RahnStap83]

I imagine the estimate is on the low side, however I can see them attempting a repair since the car is so new and the airbags didn't deploy (near as I can tell from the photos, anyways).

Yes, front airbag and knee driver airbags deployed

Once the shop starts to take it apart and there's a supplemental, that initial estimate could go way up.

I expect it to be, so I guess we’ll wait. I just don’t want it. Especially after getting rear-ended last year

 

[MattK83]

Most insurance companies will repair a vehicle up to 60% of its worth....some even more. So let’s say your accord is worth $25K, that’s still $15000 in repairs before they will total it. My guess is they will fix it. Same thing happened to my a few years back. I got an attorney, who sued for dimished value, I got 20% cash back (my states maximum) after my car wash finished. I was never happy with the repairs. So I traded it in on a brand new Same car and used the $8,000 dimished value to eat up the loss. It’s just a car. My advice it get a brand new one.

 

[Samuelx]

Glad (I'm assuming) your partner is ok! I agree with Hudouc that the quote they gave you seems too low (but I'm not an appraiser either!) - was that quote from someone your insurance sent out to check your vehicle or someone from the other party's insurance? Dunno if you can get a Honda dealership to perform an inspection and give you an estimate? I'm surprised that the frame isn't damaged?

 

[thefisch]

Assuming this is not a leased vehicle, then I would also not be thrilled about the car not being totalled. Not sure what your options are though outside of getting your own independent damage estimate with a higher repair cost and arguing with insurance. Dimiinshed value claim as suggested is the only way to protect your lost value. Might have to fight for that too - folks sometimes use independent appraisers to justify a higher claim.

Not to justify the comment, but I think the partner comment was a reference to a quote from American Beauty. No relevance to the discussion of course. And I don't recall that movie being about car insurance.

 

[RCarlL]

First, I'm glad that your partner is okay. That's the most important thing.

It is unfortunate, but it's generally not up to the consumer to decide if the car is "totaled" or not. That's up to the bean counters at the insurance company based on the initial estimate- which might indeed be increased if they find additional damage. The agreement you made with your insurance company when you signed up for your policy likely says that you as a consumer have no right to decide if the car should be totaled or not. Since you are using your insurance rather than the other person's, there's probably not much you can do about this other than hope that they find more damage during the repair that will lead to it being totaled.

Read your policy to be sure. That policy will spell out any options you might have.

If they insist on repairing it, inspect the repairs with a fine tooth comb (maybe even insist on a dealer giving it an inspection before accepting it back). Submit a diminished value claim and then sell the car and get something new.

Good luck.

 

[TGHI]

Yes, front airbag and knee driver airbags deployed

Ah, my bad.

I only mentioned this because in my experience with a 5-year old (at that time) Saab, the deciding factor of it being written off wasn't the damage as much as the fact that the curtain and seat bags deployed.

 

[grumpypolecat]

You can have the car repaired and paid for by the insurance company. Or you can not have the car fixed, sell it for a major loss, and continue to whine. Your choice. What knowledge and skills do you possess to determine the car has been totaled? Cars get in accidents and get repaired all the time.

Get the car repaired, file a diminished value claim, and move on.

 

[next1cruise]

You might try to obtain an independent estimate (at your expense) from a good body shop. I had an experience many years ago where my insurance company was required to consider an estimate provided by a qualified provider at the customer's expense. This may give you some negotiating power. Good luck.

 

[Vegashybrid]

Why don't you call your agent and see what he/she says? As a former broker most of these questions should be answered by them for example:
You have the right to get different estimates and try to come to an agreement sometimes with a referee or third party mediating. As others have said you can take a diminished value and trade it ect. Your agent/company should be going over these options with you of you call and ask them. I love how everyone straight off says ge t a lawyer right away which is only going to slow things down for you, especially in this case where your company has already assigned blame to the other driver/insurance.

 

[03LXV6]

People are stuck in their ways of saying a car will never drive the same. Today's repair technology is far more advanced than years ago. Reputable repair shops now use laser measurements to correct any shifts and make sure the car is straight after repairs. The front section of the car is designed to crumple in a crash. A proper repair will include pulling all the damaged parts then replacing them

That estimate is likely to go up once the shop start tearing things apart. The Honda Sensing radar is most likely damaged so that will bump things up.

 

[emeron]

Decent insurance companies work with the best body shops in town, and they cut no corners in my experience. The car is assembled in a way that the pillars (horizontal structural members under the hood on each side) can be replaced with new parts easily. The cabin does not seem to be dinged. With new pillars and all new sheet metal, all will be good (possibly better than new considering the factory assembly quality). If they throw in a wheel alignment (they probably won't) the car will drive even better than before.

The new paint will match just fine because the car is new, and the factory paint has not faded much.

VIN records will show airbag deployment, which will affect the value of the car. Covered above under diminished value.

Again good body shops don't bother repairing locked seat belts, stitching upholstery or reprogramming srs modules; they buy all new from Honda. BUT someone will have to disassemble the interior to replace all that, and -in my experience- interior work is not always as good as mechanical work. They may put tool marks on soft plastic trim pieces when prying them, or worse break some tabs.

Bottom line is the car for all practical purposes will not lose anything from its utility or safety. The actual cost of repairs will go up with 99.9% certainty (more so with all the sensors and junk in the front of the car) but that's insurance company's problem.

 

[scar_cle]

TBH, rear end accidents are fine with me...Front end, probably not. Here are my examples:
We owned a dodge years ago that was in a front end accident and it was never the same afterwards. Rattles, paint peel (after several years) and just wacky things breaking that were not known to break on a car. Also the tires wore unevenly. (the car was repaired by a "progressive insurance" shop) Wife had to go there as she had progressive insurance. Not sure if things are different now?

2nd story is a Rear end accident in a 7th gen accord. Car was repaired and it even fixed the trunk leak I couldn't pinpoint. Never had any issues with the car, not even 1.

So IMO, front end accidents = sell. Rear end accidents= keep. Just my 2 cents tho.
Even when I look for IAA or Copart cars, I prefer side impact or rear impact crashes. I dont mess with ones that crunch the front end like yours.

 

[2Accordz]

Once the shop starts to take it apart and there's a supplemental, that initial estimate could go way up.

^This.
In addition, I've seen many shops change their mind and then "total" the car once they get into it.