Hello,
My 2017 Model S 90D was involved in an accident a few days back. My wife was in the carpool lane on the freeway going at about 60 mph, when another driver made an unsafe lane change into her lane. She braked but the distance was too short and the other car ended up crashing into the right front passenger side of our car, bounced off and then hit a van in front of him. The front and knee airbags deployed in our car. Thankfully no one was hurt.
The driver of the other car was in a rental, and it is still not clear who will assume liability - the driver’s insurance, or the rental car’s coverage (if he purchased insurance from them). To expedite things, I just went through my own insurance (Farmers).
Long story short, the other party was clearly at fault, and the police report indicates this. My car is obviously not drivable. After several days in the body shop, they came back with a repair estimate of over $43,500! I got a call from my insurance company and they indicated that the car would be declared a total loss, and I would hear from the total loss department soon regarding valuation and further steps, etc.
While we love our car and are sad that it cannot be fixed, given the extensive damage and repairs needed, we are glad that it will be totalled (will the fixed car ever be as safe or reliable?)
I need to do some homework, and I have a few questions, which I hope some of you can help answer:
1) How can I get a fair estimate of my car’s pre-accident value? It was in pristine condition with just 31,000 miles on it.
2) Have any of you had any success negotiating with the insurance companies on the valuation? Any recommendations for data / tactics to use? Anything I can do to justify a higher valuation than they come up with?
3) Should I continue the claim through my insurance, or file directly with the liable party’s? Is there any advantage of doing one vs the other?
4) I will submit a loss-of-use claim with the liable party – any tips for this?
Thank you for your help!
My 2017 Model S 90D was involved in an accident a few days back. My wife was in the carpool lane on the freeway going at about 60 mph, when another driver made an unsafe lane change into her lane. She braked but the distance was too short and the other car ended up crashing into the right front passenger side of our car, bounced off and then hit a van in front of him. The front and knee airbags deployed in our car. Thankfully no one was hurt.
The driver of the other car was in a rental, and it is still not clear who will assume liability - the driver’s insurance, or the rental car’s coverage (if he purchased insurance from them). To expedite things, I just went through my own insurance (Farmers).
Long story short, the other party was clearly at fault, and the police report indicates this. My car is obviously not drivable. After several days in the body shop, they came back with a repair estimate of over $43,500! I got a call from my insurance company and they indicated that the car would be declared a total loss, and I would hear from the total loss department soon regarding valuation and further steps, etc.
While we love our car and are sad that it cannot be fixed, given the extensive damage and repairs needed, we are glad that it will be totalled (will the fixed car ever be as safe or reliable?)
I need to do some homework, and I have a few questions, which I hope some of you can help answer:
1) How can I get a fair estimate of my car’s pre-accident value? It was in pristine condition with just 31,000 miles on it.
2) Have any of you had any success negotiating with the insurance companies on the valuation? Any recommendations for data / tactics to use? Anything I can do to justify a higher valuation than they come up with?
3) Should I continue the claim through my insurance, or file directly with the liable party’s? Is there any advantage of doing one vs the other?
4) I will submit a loss-of-use claim with the liable party – any tips for this?
Thank you for your help!
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