What is required to total a vehicle

[dumbass]

This morning I was in an accident. Other driver, going about 30, hit my front passenger side.

The damage doesn't look that dramatic, but most of the airbags went off. And there is this torn bit of metal...

Other driver was cited, has State Farm. Not sure limits.

Any one think I have a shot at getting it totaled and starting over? 1,912 miles

 

[brkaus]

Photos? Hard to say. Haven’t seen much repair info on a model 3 yet.

 

[dumbass]

Oh yeah...

 

[dumbass]

 

[JohnSnowNW]

Most likely more than that, based on personal experience with other vehicles.

 

[jjrandorin]

This depends on how insurance works in your state, but in general, the amount of damage has to be more than XX percentage of what the car is worth at that time. I am not an expert on these matters, but I believe in california its something like 70-75% or something.

Look at your insurance policy documentation (the policy binder information). It will likely have that information in it. Since its a new car, the threshhold of getting it totaled will be high, but when all airbags deploy there is normally a much larger amount of damage than you would think. If (for example) the car is worth 40k right now and it will take 35k to fix it, it would be totaled in most places.

With a "regular" car, you are always concerned with frame damage etc with a large impact, and some cars do not have a "frame" per se to be straightened (or they can not be made safe again after the frame is damaged. No idea how tesla's are made in this regard, but they are so different from other cars.

I suspect that your damage may be more than it "looks" like but no idea if enough to total. I am going to throw a number at the wall so to speak and say I think that repair will end up being between 17-22k when all accounted for. Let us know what number they come back with, and understand that the first number is normally an estimate, so you wont get a real number until a body shop has the car and digs into it to see whats REALLY wrong with all the underlying structure.

 

[brkaus]

Dang. That stinks! Glad you are ok.

 

[AviP]

If the repair job exceeds 80% of the current value of the car, it will be a total loss. If the frame is damaged, it's usually a total loss. In your case, it looks cosmetic: bumper, fender, headlight. If you don't have any electrical issues or frame damage, I'd say it will go to the body shop and be as good as new.

 

[brkaus]

I think the wildcard in your case is the airbags.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

In an accident with airbag deployment they take a closer, harder look at the total cost of the damage, but in your case, I think that will still be under what would be required to total the vehicle.

I had an accident in my Model S about 3 years ago, lots of damage -- left side wheels, tires, hubs, brake rotors, broken suspension control arms, broken air suspension, broken drive shafts (AWD car), bent frame in the front. Total damage about $40K. Insurance repaired it, did not total it. Body shop did a fantastic job, you could not even tell that anything had ever happened to it.

In some states, you may have the ability to file a diminished value claim against your insurance (i.e. compensation for the devaulation of the car because it's been in an accident, even though it may be fully repaired and as good as new). Getting diminished value claims paid is usually quite difficult, there are a few threads on this forum that can help you with the details.

 

[PhatCat]

I had a similar accident in my S a year and a half ago. No structural damage but airbags deployed. Cost 25K to repair at Tesla authorized shop who did a great job. Can't see insurance company totaling your 3 but I'm no expert. Take heed: you may be driving a rental for months waiting on Tesla to deliver the parts to the body shop.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

Take heed: you may be driving a rental for months waiting on Tesla to deliver the parts to the body shop.

Absolutely, prepare for this. My S took 10 weeks to repair, and that was back when they weren't that busy.

 

[dumbass]

Yep I've heard about the wait, so not shocked. Called the local store to see if they had anything to rent, but didn't sound hopeful.

I'd rather it be done right than quick. Other drivers insurance is paying, so I'm sure they'll push in other direction. Hopefully USAA has my back.