You do not want this. You want the car repaired correctly or a check for the value of the car if it is totaled. The value of the totaled car can be negotiated with the insurance adjuster. Bring receipts, bring a repair logbook, pictures, anything that can prove your car is nicer than every other 13 year old Civic.
If it is totaled, you should be able buy it back, maybe with a salvage title, and get it repaired enough to drive on with some cosmetic issues. That is your choice.
Wife got rear ended at a stoplight. Our insurance had a list of shops they work with, reputable shops they were, and Cover everything the body shop needs to do and includes rental car.
If it is totaled and they offer you a cash settlement, make sure it is the retail value of a car like yours, not the trade-in value. When I say like yours, I mean the exact model with the same options, in the same condition, and with the same mileage. A place to start is Edmunds.com and nadaguides.com. They have features that let you assess the value of your car before the accident.
I noticed that on Emunds, there’s a third price: the dealer price. Should I be asking for the dealer price or the private party price? Thanks.
You don’t ever have to let the other driver or ANY insurance company pick your collision shop. Insurance companies work with whatever shop you select. It is always the insurance companies call to decide if the car is totaled using your states guidelines. I had a 2004 PT Cruiser that was 7 1/2 years old that was struck at 90 degrees by someone talking on a cell phone and turning left and looking right with his foot full on the gas. My insurance company told me the damage was $3800 and the value was $7500 so it wasn’t totaled. I asked the agent if the quote included any transaxle damage because the car was hit squarely on the right front wheel wit the other car crushing the end of my bumper and the front door. The ins.co. authorized taking the car apart to look for further damage and the transaxle was toast.
I only dealt with my insurance co. and after about 6 months of kicking and screaming from the other insurance company, it went to arbitration and I got my deductible back.
Ask for dealer price. If you need a car right now, you pretty much have to go to the dealer.
I’d like to thank all of you who helped me out in my hour of need. Turned out that the car wasn’t totaled but did need a couple of thou worth of work. A kindly neighbor with some good connections steered me toward a good body shop and the work seems to have been done well. Cannot say that laying out all that cash and dealing with other guy’s insurance company was that easy, but at least I don’t have a hulk on the street that I don’t know what to do with. Hopefully, I’ll get paid back. Thanks to everyone again.