Fender bender-minimal damage- advice

[sdskinner73]

I got very lightly rear ended the other day. Pretty straightforward fender bender, barely any damage. The truck that tapped my bumper left a couple scuffs and one crack measuring a little over an inch. The crack was my only real concern. There is no other damage so far as I can tell. I have never been through this before, so looking for advice on what to do here.



His insurance already agreed for full coverage through a business in their list of my choosing. The only options were caliber collision. I have an appointment next Wednesday. They told me there won’t really be an appraisal, it was already approved. Because it is plastic, they are expecting to replace the entire bumper. I confirmed, this will show as an accident on my CARFAX.



Because of this, I reached out for diminished value and did some research so I know a realistic number. I was told that an appraiser will review everything and reach out with an offer and we can discuss that. This won’t happen until after the bumper is replaced. I did ask if they would send me a check instead of all this so I could have it replaced elsewhere (and possibly avoid that negative value). They said no.



Upon my research looking at CARFAX equal vehicles nationwide with similar mileage, the car drops an average value of $3200. I have a 2018 Mustang GT premium with 56000 miles on it if anyone looks themselves.



I’ve never dealt with this before and was not looking for a payday exactly. I just want the car fixed to what it was prior to the fender bender. Any advice on how to proceed would be helpful.

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[sdskinner73]

 

[Fordphanatic]

I went through a similar situation a few months ago in my F150. Insurance company pretty much laughed at me and told me that my policy didn't cover diminished value. The guy that hit me had state minimum. My truck was covered including rental. I paid my deductible to have the work done right away and did get reimbursed for my deductible. The other insurance company offered me $500 for what they called my inconvenience. At the end of the day I had to sign a waiver absolving them of any further liability. No one was hurt and my truck is fixed. Still blows but I'm over it now.

 

[sdskinner73]

I went through a similar situation a few months ago in my F150. Insurance company pretty much laughed at me and told me that my policy didn't cover diminished value. The guy that hit me had state minimum. My truck was covered including rental. I paid my deductible to have the work done right away and did get reimbursed for my deductible. The other insurance company offered me $500 for what they called my inconvenience. At the end of the day I had to sign a waiver absolving them of any further liability. No one was hurt and my truck is fixed. Still blows but I'm over it now.

Understood. I have no plans as of right now to get rid of it, so it’s not the end of the world. Kind of silly that replacing a bumper gets lumped into the same category as most other accidents. Honestly, if it wasn’t cracked, I’d call it best case scenario really. No injuries. The guy who hit me was more scared than I was. He thought he was dying I guess, idk. Was screaming when I got out and said he was scared. I just asked if he was okay, and it was all good. Despite loving this car, I never lost my cool at all. Accidents happen, not much you can do after.

 

[G.T.]

Good no one was hurt.

Yes indeed that sucks! Hope it gets fixed properly and you are made whole.

It looks to be a best case scenario of just bumper cover and/or diffuser damage only, no sheetmetal involved. If it is fixed properly (with OE parts and painted well), it wouldnt concern me as a buyer if it happened to be in the market and I see the accident history and discover that is the case.

I'd document it fully with pictures to be able to show such in the future.

 

[cerbomark]

diminished value is different in every state. You first have to have a repair value when the car is fixed. I sued my own company when my new truck was hit and run. Got a check for dimisnhed value with no charge to my record right thru my own company. It s confusing because the rules are different depending on your state and the circumstances and the coverage. First get it fixed and get the value of damage and what was replaced. I doubt a bumper is going to be much of a diminished value. Then you can see which insurance company will let you file the claim for that if it s applicable .

 

[350 Feet]

Understood. I have no plans as of right now to get rid of it, so it’s not the end of the world. Kind of silly that replacing a bumper gets lumped into the same category as most other accidents. Honestly, if it wasn’t cracked, I’d call it best case scenario really. No injuries. The guy who hit me was more scared than I was. He thought he was dying I guess, idk. Was screaming when I got out and said he was scared. I just asked if he was okay, and it was all good. Despite loving this car, I never lost my cool at all. Accidents happen, not much you can do after.

It’s always a shame when something like this happens to someone that cares about their ride.
You can save yourself a bunch of pain and anguish. Just sell the Stang and buy a used Prius. No more car stress!
BTW, no more fun either…

 

[NightmareMoon]

Idk where you’re getting numbers for value loss from a carfax report. It was a very minor accident and a pretty easy repair.

Sell it private party to get the most money anyway and it wont matter much. Sell it to a dealer and you’ll get fleeced no matter what the carfax says.

get it fixed and enjoy the car.

 

[cerbomark]

Idk where you’re getting numbers for value loss from a carfax report. It was a very minor accident and a pretty easy repair.

Sell it private party to get the most money anyway and it wont matter much. Sell it to a dealer and you’ll get fleeced no matter what the carfax says.

get it fixed and enjoy the car.

correct, the value of loss needs to be calculated with damage cost and how many panels etc are damaged. they have a formula and the rest is just negotiation.

 

[sdskinner73]

correct, the value of loss needs to be calculated with damage cost and how many panels etc are damaged. they have a formula and the rest is just negotiation.

That is why I asked, I have zero idea how this works. Thanks!

 

[SHOdaddy68]

As others have said, a lot depends on the state statutes where you live.

Typically you have the choice of any repair shop you choose and it does not need to be on the "insurance preferred" list. You should also have the option of cashing-out and pocket the cash.

Most insurance policies will not cover diminished value on a claim for the insured person (your own policy) The other party will generally not discuss a DV claim until after the repairs are completed and some are even pushing it to the courts.

 

[CrazyHippie]

I went through a similar situation a few months ago in my F150. Insurance company pretty much laughed at me and told me that my policy didn't cover diminished value. The guy that hit me had state minimum. My truck was covered including rental. I paid my deductible to have the work done right away and did get reimbursed for my deductible. The other insurance company offered me $500 for what they called my inconvenience. At the end of the day I had to sign a waiver absolving them of any further liability. No one was hurt and my truck is fixed. Still blows but I'm over it now.

You should never accept a settlement amount offered by an insurance company without negotiating a higher payment. They're always willing to pay more if you negotiate.

 

[Fordphanatic]

To be honest I know this. But in this situation the other driver refused to cooperate with their own insurance company. Due to this they refused to pay anything for months. Thats why I went through my own insurance to be made whole in a timely manner. Out of nowhere I got a call from their insurance company saying they were accepting fault. I was happier for that and to get my deductible back plus $500 I just accepted to be done. No one was hurt. My truck looks perfect if not better than before. So, I'm happy.

 

[sdskinner73]

You should never accept a settlement amount offered by an insurance company without negotiating a higher payment. They're always willing to pay more if you negotiate.

How do you determine a reasonable amount?

 

[CrazyHippie]

What's reasonable depends on the circumstances and your personal comfort point. I'd consider inconvenience, time without the vehicle, and reduced value at the very least.

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