Need advice on accident and claim

[furrti]

Hello everyone,

I was in a car accident a few weeks ago and I'm trying to figure out the best steps to take. I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts on this. The car was a 2022 Model S Plaid.

Here's a quick summary of what happened: I was driving in the left lane through an intersection, and there was another car in the right lane. As we passed the intersection, a car came from the right and ran a red light, hitting both of our cars. The driver who ran the red light was trying to escape from the police, which is why he ignored the signal, but he was caught soon after.

I filed a claim through my insurance because I wasn't sure if the person at fault had insurance at the time. The appraiser provided a repair estimate of $47,000 and deemed the car repairable. However, I was hoping they would declare the car a total loss because the Tesla-certified repair shops in my area are quite busy, and they won't be able to start repairs until January or February. At that point, I'm not sure if they might discover more damage and decide to total the car.

On the other hand, I found out that the driver who caused the accident has insurance. Their insurance company is investigating the situation, and they will likely assign responsibility to the driver who ran the red light.

Now I'm uncertain about what to do next. Should I stick with my insurance and proceed with getting the car looked at several months from now, or should I go through the other driver's insurance and see what they propose?

My preference is for my car to be declared a total loss since I can get a replacement vehicle more quickly than waiting for repairs. If I choose the other driver's insurance, they'll provide a rental car while mine is being repaired. Additionally, once repairs are completed, I intend to request compensation for the diminished value of my car due to the accident.

My insurance won't offer a rental for more than a few weeks, and they've mentioned that the other party's insurance will handle diminished value claims. If I choose the at-fault party's insurance, will they take into account the cost of diminished value and a 4-6 month rental period when deciding whether to total the car instead of repairing it?

Regarding the accident sequence, everyone believes that the at-fault party's car hit mine. However, upon reviewing the dashcam footage, I realized that the at-fault car actually T-boned the car in the right lane, which then hit my car. Is it worth mentioning this information? I'm unsure if the driver who ran the red light might attempt to avoid responsibility since their car didn't directly hit mine. Also, I'm uncertain if the other car that was initially hit is insured. Currently, only I am aware of this detail, and I want to share it only if it benefits my case and doesn't complicate matters.

I'm making an effort to make the most informed decision, especially with this new information about the accident sequence. Thank you for your advice!

 

[blodg1]

If fault falls on the other driver, you may be able to get the car totaled. The other carrier owes for a comparable rental from the date of loss. Adding that expense to the estimated repair should push it over the limit. One caveat would be lack of coverage on the other drivers policy. If they hold state minimums, you may fall back to your own policy and be left waiting for repair with no rental after your coverage runs out.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

I am no expert, but I have some experience with insured whackos. Chances are that someone that runs from the cops is also someone that doesn't want to pay too much for their car insurance, so they probably have the $10K min liability property damage coverage required in Washington state.

So that $10K will be used up pretty quickly on the first car they hit and their insurance will wash their hands of anything over $10K. But, yes, just because they didn't hit you directly, they are responsible for your damage too. The twit that hit me, also cause 2 other cars to get hit, and was responsible for all the damages.

Definitely do whatever it takes to get the car totaled. I wouldn't want my car back with that much damage repair. These are poorly built cars already, so having a bunch of body shop workers trying to piece it back together is not attractive.

Watch out for body shops that will purposely underestimate the damage, start the job so as to spend all the initial estimated costs, and then put the insurance company in a rock an hard place by asking for more money that would have totaled it. All the body shop owners have figured out they can own a personal fleet of vacation homes and Lamborghini's with this trick. It's disgusting. You get to choose the body shop, so find one that will rack up the costs upfront.

 

[scsteigerwald]

Hi - did you ever get anyone from Tesla Service to speak with you about this?

 

[hsfrank]

your insurance is considered first party insurance. The car that hit you or as you state the other car and then into you is third-party insurance. Since you pay the premium for your insurance, the obligation is theirs to fulfill the contractual terms. They have the right to get an appraisal of your car and make it determination whether it is repairable or not. However, you also have a right to get an appraisal and determine that it is not repairable and should be totaled. In fact, that is the preferred option any major collision repair diminishes the value upon resale or trade-in , even if fully repaired. I would suggest that you get your own appraisal to determine whether it is truly repairable or can be totaled. At that point present it to the insurance company and request arbitration if they will not accept your appraisal.

 

[hsfrank]

there are also many things you can do to bring pressure on the insurance company to accept your appraisal. Reporting to the Better Business Bureau is one. Reporting to the insurance department of your state is another you must determine whether it is worth that effort to accomplish your goal.

 

[scsteigerwald]

How do Insurance companies 'value' FSD in their calculations?

 

[TLLMRRJ]

How do Insurance companies 'value' FSD in their calculations?

I seem to remember others saying $0.00