Model 3 - Totaled or Repairable?

[3indyfan]

Hello everyone, last weekend someone ran a red light and hit my 2021 Model 3 Standard Range Plus. He was found 100% at fault (obviously, it was red for him for a solid 10 seconds before he entered the intersection).

This is the damage. I instantly considered it totaled and placed an order for a new model 3 before delivery times get pushed back more.

But… the adjuster from Root Insurance (his insurance) calls me, and it was a mess… first of all, she did not know that a Tesla was an electric car. I do not feel comfortable with her valuing my car if she has never even seen a Tesla before. So any advice here would be appreciated… I refuse to get ripped off, as I have only had the car for 8 months and refuse to take a penny less than what it’s worth.

Well.. she thinks it is repairable? The frame is bent, multiple panels are crumpled, I am pretty certain his car dug in towards my battery, and the airbags all went off? She quoted the repair at 5,000 dollars… and the shop called me to tell me that it will be much more than that, and they will work with the insurance.

I just don’t see how this is not a total loss? I don’t see it costing less than 20,000… 35,000 if the battery was damaged… plus quite a bit in diminished value. Between the salvage value, high DV, high cost… I don’t see why they aren’t totaling it and sending me a 50k check?

I guess what I am asking here is:
1. What do I do when my adjuster is clearly incompetent about Teslas?
2. IF they do repair it, how much could I get in a diminished value claim? It was a perfect condition car with very low miles and only 8 months old.
3. How is it not totaled? Do any of you have experience with this? I do not want to get ripped off by getting a nearly brand new car completely reconstructed.

Thank you in advance. I have attached pictures.

 

[3indyfan]

Also, no electrical components worked at all after the crash… which makes me think the battery did take some damage.

 

[jjrandorin]

Hello, welcome to TMC,

We seem to have a lot of these "is my car totaled?" threads lately, and unfortunately nothing that anyone says here matters in that regard. What you should likely do is take it to a tesla authorized body shop (preferably one run by tesla, but if not, the highest rated one you can get the car to) and let them provide an estimate.

The insurance (especially the other persons insurance) has a vested interest in trying to keep costs down, so of course will tell you whatever, and try to get you to accept whatever. Whether they think its repairable or not, it matters what a body shop determines is going to be the cost to fix, for starters.

It seems to me that teslas have been totaled for a lot less than that, and I would also be demanding to be put in a rental car for the time frame of the car being fixed (which increases the cost).

Even the body shop quote is a starting point.

You can search this subforum for "is my car totaled?" and see some other threads (quite a few actually) on this topic, to see pictures of others cars. I personally think that is totaled but the other persons insurance is likely to try to "work for their customer".

If you choose to work through them, then you are sort of signing up for that headache. Its more annoying for some to work through your own insurance, and let them fight with the other insurance company (which is what you pay them to do), but you have to pay your deductible, and likely wouldnt have a rental car for as long, and your own insurance doesnt do diminished value cases, if thats even available in your state.

 

[SlimJim]

Totaled.
Time to shop for a new car!

 

[BigNick]

$5000 wouldn't even cover replacing the left-rear quarter panel.
Either that insurance adjuster is a total n00b (possible), playing dumb (also possible) or just plain clueless (again, possible.)
Make sure the body shop is Tesla approved.

 

[Randy-12]

I fail to understand why you just don't call your insurance company and let them figure it out and fight with the other insurance company.
Is that not why you pay them?

I know that up here in Quebec you're not even supposed to talk with the other insurance company without your insurance companies permission as they may deny you claim if you do. It is the job of your insurance company to talk with them.

 

[jebinc]

I fail to understand why you just don't call your insurance company and let them figure it out and fight with the other insurance company.
Is that not why you pay them?

I know that up here in Quebec you're not even supposed to talk with the other insurance company without your insurance companies permission as they may deny you claim if you do. It is the job of your insurance company to talk with them.

EXACTLY my thought as well.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

EXACTLY my thought as well.

don't have to. the authorized body shop will send the offenders insurance the quote of how much it really costs and they will pay or total it. it's that simple. with the offender being 100% at fault the other insurance doesnt have many options. they can't even force you to go to a specific repair shop - you get to pick that.

and $5000 is hilarious... once airbags go off you are well beyond a $5000 repair bill

 

[jebinc]

And never settle the injury claim, or say you’re not injured until AFTER the property claim is settled!

 

[UniTess]

I just got into a car accident like yours 2 weeks ago where a teenager ate the red light - unfortunately going through therapy now.

I have a 2021 SR+; The only difference from your damage is that my rear wheel bent inward on the top.

I have Allstate and they estimated $34K.

Since the other party doesn’t have a sufficient amount in liability, my insurance have to pay for the damage *eye roll*

I’m also confused as to why it’s not considered totaled.

Btw, I’m in NY.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

I just got into a car accident like yours 2 weeks ago where a teenager ate the red light - unfortunately going through therapy now.

I have a 2021 SR+; The only difference from your damage is that my rear wheel bent inward on the top.

I have Allstate and they estimated $34K.

Since the other party doesn’t have a sufficient amount in liability, my insurance have to pay for the damage *eye roll*

I’m also confused as to why it’s not considered totaled.

Btw, I’m in NY.

your insurance will have to pay (be glad you have the underinsured motorist coverage) but they most certainly will attempt to go after the at fault party personally to recover that money. It would be a great start and lower everyones premiums if the mandatory liability limits for property and injury would be $100k / $100k instead of some comically low amounts like $20-$30k / $50k like in many states.

 

[Resist]

Also, no electrical components worked at all after the crash… which makes me think the battery did take some damage.

Most likely no damage to the battery pack and more likely the force to the car caused it to blow a safety charge designed to cut the high voltage battery pack from the rest of the car, so there wouldn't be a fire or anyone could get electrocuted. It's a huge safety feature and normal.

 

[dmurphy]

your insurance will have to pay (be glad you have the underinsured motorist coverage) but they most certainly will attempt to go after the at fault party personally to recover that money. It would be a great start and lower everyones premiums if the mandatory liability limits for property and injury would be $100k / $100k instead of some comically low amounts like $20-$30k / $50k like in many states.

Until a week ago, the minimum required property coverage here in NJ was ... $5,000. It's now $25,000 and even that -- there's a lot of screaming about how that "screws the working class" because insurance premiums will go up...

... this is why it's so crazy-important to review one's policy to make sure your underinsured/uninsured coverage is appropriate.

Sigh.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

Until a week ago, the minimum required property coverage here in NJ was ... $5,000. It's now $25,000 and even that -- there's a lot of screaming about how that "screws the working class" because insurance premiums will go up...

... this is why it's so crazy-important to review one's policy to make sure your underinsured/uninsured coverage is appropriate.

Sigh.

yeah. it's pure insanity. the notion that you are entitled to dirt cheap junk car insurance and the expectation that the opponent (who might not be at fault at all) is then buying additional insurance to compensate for your junk insurance.

 

[voxel]

yeah. it's pure insanity. the notion that you are entitled to dirt cheap junk car insurance and the expectation that the opponent (who might not be at fault at all) is then buying additional insurance to compensate for your junk insurance.

In Florida we have over 20% drivers without insurance and I’ve heard my co workers who say they don’t have uninsured motorist coverage because their insurance told them it was not needed. Doh they don’t want you not to buy it because they don’t want to do cover uninsured accidents. I believe it’s some law that requires them to offer it.

 

[ShelJW]

This week, I got my Model Y back from the body shop. My car was hit by a woman coming out of a commercial shopping center driveway. You can see her car just pulling out, as I'm driving in the center lane, far from her. She pulls out and straight into the passanger side of my 4 month old Model Y, crushing both doors!

This was the DAY AFTER my son's ONE MONTH old Model 3 was involved in a hit and run on the 405 freeway!

Yesterday, my neighbor contacted me, asking for the name of the body shop that repaired my car (they did a great job... looks completely like brand new, as it should)... His son, who got his dads 2018 Model 3 when his dad received his 2022 Model Y about a month ago, was involved in a similar accident to mine, and their car may be totalled!

Really strange how Teslas seem to attract stupid drivers to crash into them!

 

[davewill]

If it were me, I'd get it to a Tesla certified shop and let them do a complete quote. The size of that quote is the only input to the decision whether to total the car or not, and the insurance company has the sole discretion on whether they total it. So, the only thing you can do is make sure that the quote is as accurate and complete as possible.

 

[Resist]

This week, I got my Model Y back from the body shop. My car was hit by a woman coming out of a commercial shopping center driveway. You can see her car just pulling out, as I'm driving in the center lane, far from her. She pulls out and straight into the passenger side of my 4 month old Model Y, crushing both doors!

Sorry to hear that. The problem is your car will never be like brand new and now has a tarnished title. And I can guarantee you that the repair people missed installing clips/bolts/screws that you can't see and probably some things you can see, if you knew what to look for. When my Model 3 was repaired after being hit when it was only 4 months old, I didn't notice the things the repair shop missed until driving it the two hours home. Then I discovered more things wrong days later after a closer look.

But it does suck how Tesla's seem to attract being hit by other vehicles.

 

[Chattanooga3]

It's totaled, and you absolutely want it to be.

 

[Resist]

It's totaled, and you absolutely want it to be.

The downside to this is the build delays for a new Tesla and if it had FSD, you'd be buying it all over again. And if Tesla increased the price of the car and FSD that would really suck.