2021 Model Y Rear-Ended, literally does not turn on and adjuster says damage is 9k- need help with DV claim

[dubbsl]

Hi Everyone,
My 2021 Model Y got rear-ended on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles last week. The hit pushed my car into the car in front of me. I have the footage from Tesla dashcam and it is pretty clear the person who hit me was on their phone and did not break at all, came in at full speed. The car was working after the accident but just completely went offline an hour later and has been offline ever since. It has been at the tow yard for over a week now (not even sure how they got it there lol); but there have been a few tow truck drivers attempt at transporting it to the body shop from the tow yard but they are unsuccessful.
This is my first car and my first accident so I am not sure what I am supposed to do. The insurance adjuster went to the tow yard today and said damage is only 9K... the car just does not turn on though and I am hoping it is a total loss when the body shop looks at it internally. If not, I definitely will file a DV claim but if anyone has any experience in that, please let me know how it went for you. I researched about it but there are a lot of different things being said on how to go about it and I am a little confused, I don't want to get lawyers involved but will if I have to.
I attached photos below... it truly sucks when this stuff happens and you didn't even do anything, you just have to deal with the aftermath.. so inconvenient with finals coming up.

 

[nate704]

I looks okay meaning it will not be totaled.

 

[C-Bus Y]

100% will be more than $9K. I bet closer to $15-$18K but not likely totaled. Make sure to seek diminished value compensation.

I had small damage to my hatch, after all said and done mine is nearing $14K in damages. So sorry.

 

[DanDi58]

Might have blown the pyro fuse that shuts down the battery in an accident.

 

[dubbsl]

Appreciate it all, thank you. If anyone has an experience with Diminished Value claims, would appreciate some advice and tips on how to get the most for it.
Here is another photo as well.

 

[dubbsl]

Insurance adjuster said that front bumper, rear bumper, liftgate and rear body panel need to be replaced. Probably will be additional damages when the body shop checks it out.

 

[Level 1]

Is this at a body shop that is familiar with Teslas?

 

[dubbsl]

Is this at a body shop that is familiar with Teslas?

Yes, they are Tesla certified

 

[baldyloxx]

...Why not use the dedicated TowHook in the front?

 

[ArcticStation]

You didn't indicate if the insurance adjuster represents you or the other driver. If you are communicating directly with the other driver's insurance company, I recommend you contact your insurance company soonest. It is their job to represent you and since this is all new to you, they will help guide you through the process.

Be prepared for a long wait before your car is back in your driveway, along with some frustration along the way. Sourcing spare parts for Teslas can be a slow process. And the shop always seems to find more damage once they get into it.

You won't be reimbursed for all the time you put into working with the insurance companies and the repair facility. If you have a rental car rider on your policy or if the other driver's insurance is willing to provide you with a rental, it may not cover the length of time it will take to repair your car, so be prepared to pay out of pocket.

Good luck. Those of us who have been through the process may be more familiar with how it works than folks experiencing it for the first time, but it sure doesn't get any easier.

 

[dubbsl]

...Why not use the dedicated TowHook in the front?

Well, I didn't know there was one - but I will let my claim service rep know to communicate that and they can figure that out

 

[brkaus]

DV claims are typically done after repairs. But make it clear to the adjuster that you plan on filing a DV claim. You would likely want to hire a specialist for the DV part.

That doesn’t look totaled to me.

 

[dubbsl]

You didn't indicate if the insurance adjuster represents you or the other driver. If you are communicating directly with the other driver's insurance company, I recommend you contact your insurance company soonest. It is their job to represent you and since this is all new to you, they will help guide you through the process.

Be prepared for a long wait before your car is back in your driveway, along with some frustration along the way. Sourcing spare parts for Teslas can be a slow process. And the shop always seems to find more damage once they get into it.

You won't be reimbursed for all the time you put into working with the insurance companies and the repair facility. If you have a rental car rider on your policy or if the other driver's insurance is willing to provide you with a rental, it may not cover the length of time it will take to repair your car, so be prepared to pay out of pocket.

Good luck. Those of us who have been through the process may be more familiar with how it works than folks experiencing it for the first time, but it sure doesn't get any easier.

Oh yes, this was with my insurance company. The insurance adjuster repping me said that it would take 12-14 days but I know it will take wayyyyyy longer. Thank you, I need that luck lol, I know it will get even more frustrating down the road :/ At least I am learning and will know what to do in this situation if it ever occurs again, which I hope it does not.

 

[dubbsl]

DV claims are typically done after repairs. But make it clear to the adjuster that you plan on filing a DV claim. You would likely want to hire a specialist for the DV part.

That doesn’t look totaled to me.

Ahh okay I see, thank you. I will let the adjuster know tomorrow. Appreciate it!

 

[brkaus]

Ahh okay I see, thank you. I will let the adjuster know tomorrow. Appreciate it!

Does the other party have insurance?

 

[ArchEtech]

The DV claim can be started right away, the critical thing is, don’t agree on any kind of settlement until they agree on a DV amount. Not every state allows for a DV claim.

In my case, I am in an at fault state, and since both of my accidents were not my fault, the other drivers insurance paid out the claim. The down side is, they will try and get you to settle very quickly, and if you have a DV added to it, they will wait you out. Prepare to wait it out a long time. On the second accident I said right away that I’d be going after a DV claim to encourage the car to be total loss, and I was successful.

I used carguru, found 10-12 examples of cars with similar miles and features as a base. Then I used two online car value estimators, used vin numbers, then assessed the car with abs with a Major accident to see the difference. Get a buyout from Carvana and VROOM with and without a major accident. Most likely it will be a good chunk of money. Put it all into a PowerPoint. Their BS wholesale costs won’t reflect current market value, and they will talk you down. Making you whole means you need to be put back into the exact same car.

Since your own insurance company is covering your loss, maybe they will be going after the other drivers insurance and settling up after you’re whole. I would start the conversation right away and be sure you don’t agree or sign anything that finalizes your settlement until a DV is agreed upon.

It doesn’t looks like a total loss, but I can imagine with getting squashed you could mess some internal things up. That’s what happened in my total loss, car didn’t look bad, and I drove away, but the entire roof and frame was torqued. I know Teslas can cost a lot for parts and they can be hard to get. I wonder if there is a limit to how long you’d have to wait before that is factored out n too.

Good lucks

 

[STLUCIE]

In all states, you can make a third-party diminished value claim against the at-fault driver's insurance company. However, only in Georgia and North Carolina is it possible to make a first-party diminished value claim against your own insurer. From the photos I can see that your car did not suffer any structural damage so look at approximately 10%-15% loss in value due to the accident history. Best of luck. You'll need two things, a good appraisal and persistence. One poster wrote that he prepared an elaborate comparison of the asking prices of cars that were and were not involved in crashes. This is not a valid methodology simply because a dealer can ask any price they want for a car. Insurance companies use this approach for this reason. You'll find cars that were damaged and repaired being offered for more $$$ than previously undamaged cars sometimes. Of course, you'll also find the opposite where repaired cars are being offered for much less. You can compile a list but insurers almost always reject such evidence.

 

[Corndart]

Who cares what the adjuster says / guesstimates?

Insurance is going to pay the full repair bill unless you have crappy insurance. Speculating as to what it'll actually be is just spinning your self up and speculating for no reason. With all due respect to my fellow TMC members, not a single person here is going to be able to tell you whether or not the initial guesstimate is close to the actual repair costs without physically seeing the vehicle.

 

[Need]

While I cannot tell you the exact amount of the repair, I can tell you that just replacing the trunk lid of a Model 3 in Los Angeles is between $2000 to $4300 from two quotes. Tesla Pomona actually had the cheaper quote @ $2000 comparing to a 3rd party certified body shop (Euro Motor Work $4300). $9000 for all the body repair maybe doable on the cheaper end of things. A few years ago, it took about 4 days to replace the trunk lid. I guess 12 days to 14 days is possible if they have all the parts and not too busy.

I think the adjuster is doing his/her job well. I have never ever had an adjuster told me the cost of the repair that was higher than the actual repair cost. They were always under. Because in CA, you can go to any repair shop, so they are trying to discourage you to go to the expansive places. When my windshield was cracked back in 2018, the adjuster said they "may not" pay for Tesla Service Center to replace the windshield because their rate is too high. I took it to Tesla, send my insurance the bill and they paid me in full anyway.

 

[ArchEtech]

In all states, you can make a third-party diminished value claim against the at-fault driver's insurance company. However, only in Georgia and North Carolina is it possible to make a first-party diminished value claim against your own insurer. From the photos I can see that your car did not suffer any structural damage so look at approximately 10%-15% loss in value due to the accident history. Best of luck. You'll need two things, a good appraisal and persistence. One poster wrote that he prepared an elaborate comparison of the asking prices of cars that were and were not involved in crashes. This is not a valid methodology simply because a dealer can ask any price they want for a car. Insurance companies use this approach for this reason. You'll find cars that were damaged and repaired being offered for more $$$ than previously undamaged cars sometimes. Of course, you'll also find the opposite where repaired cars are being offered for much less. You can compile a list but insurers almost always reject such evidence.

It worked for me twice, helped to total one car out….so…I don’t know what to tell you. I disagree. A dealer can ask whatever he wants but if you have examples of several similar cars at similar prices…find averages, leave out the outliers. If you can’t find a car anywhere in the world for the low ball offer they try to settle you on, you haven’t been made whole. That is all of course related to the fine print of your carrier. I have good insurance.

In any case, first you will need the repair shop to give you a full picture of actual repairs costs. Then hopefully the insurance will match that shops estimate and you won’t have to worry about it. Start the conversation on the DV claim, after you get all that information and good luck.