So my rx8 was hit while parked last week. Insurance adjuster came out yesterday and wrote me up an estimate.
Im was still upset that we were just not even a week away from trading her in. Now her value is lower because well. she WAS accident free...

Im going to call about Diminished Value claim, Any idea how much i should expect, or ask for?



the back left panel was dented as well and has to be repainted =/

 

The insurance settlement should be sufficient to return the car to the same (or better) shape then it was before the accident. If it isn't, don't cash the check. Call your insurance claims adjuster and protest the amount.
In many cases, cashing that check is an acceptance to the amount of the settlement.

 

okay. thank you!

they only "approved 2,700" for fixing her.

 

If you have a favorite body shop, go there and have them write up a estimate. Use that as a negotiating tool.

You may be able to call up Mazmart and get these doors in your color and replace them yourself for less than the settlement.

 

I also have to point out the fact that your damage is just superficial body damage to the door skin.

If the damage was severe enough to affect the integrity of the frame of the car, requiring straightening, then that would give you a valid claim at Diminished Value.

A good body shop will not only repair all that damage so that you could not tell that the car was ever hit, but the paint matching will be perfect, also.

Do not accept the car back from your favorite shop until it is 100% perfect.
They will get all the additional money from the other person's insurance company that they need to do the job correctly.

BC.

 

Well think of it this way, at least it was your old car that got hit and not the new one youre gonna be trading in for.

 

+1 to bladecutter if the frame was not bent you probably will not be eligible for diminished value claim

make sure the damage is fixed completely

 

It's not the damage to the car per se that results in diminished value, it's the 3 lines of text on a carfax report that says the car was in an accident. That right there throws up enough flags to make a loss of value for the resale of the car.

The only real way to prove diminished value is to sell the car, and then you actually have a real provable loss to claim, and you'll probably still have to sue in small claims to get it.

 

I have experience with DV Claims...they can be a pain.

Here's what I did on my 2007 GC SRT8. I took it to a dealer - got a written quote on a trade WITHOUT them doing a carfax. Then took to a similar (Infiniti) dealer - and told them about the accident and had them pull a carfax. Got it in writing.

Then pulled comparable prices from the internet...put into a nice folder. The accident MUST show on Carfax- and it can't be an at fault accident.

The difference between the two dealer quotes (one w/accident - one w/o) totalled almost 5k. I got a DV claim re-imbursement for the entire 5k.

I was slightly t-boned...so the damage was more significant. BUt no matter - you have to prove or "show" that you are taking a loss as a result of the accident.

Just my experience.

OH - and I've done this 3 times successfully.