yes it does look nasty! I couldn't quite tell from the pictures but it almost looks like the rear part of the fender well is closer to the tire than the front of the fender well.... if that's the case then the WHOLE trunk is pushed in/crumpled due to the uni-body shock absorbing characteristics of new cars.... I'd say it's totalled...

 

Right on.
Although I normally do not lowball somebody whether it is a "claimant" or an "insured." Unless they act like a total @$$ before I even get a chance to talk dollars & cents with them. If somebody gives me a legitimatereason toadd more $, I always add it.I don't get any bonuses fora few hundred dollars saved to the company. Some insurance adjusters are major ****heads,but manyare great people who actually enjoy helping others.
Look around on AutoTrader while you are waiting for them to call.Try your best to find one exactly like yoursonAutoTrader.That way you can knowthe $ range they should be offering. Plus, you could be like "well I saw one for sale nearbyon autotrader for $____." But remember, the cars on AutoTrader doNOT include tax.Make SURE the insurance companyis adding 5% sales tax to their offer.

 

Yes, the trunk is pushed/crumpled in. You probably can't tell very well from the pictures but its not pretty. I started it afterwards to get my CDs out and there is an awful noise coming from the muffler so its definitely in no condition to be driven right now. I do love it but again I don't want to have problems with it if they do fix it. Especially if it has frame damage, because I know that will come back to haunt me.

I have done some research to see how much an equivalent is in my area on Autotrader. I've heard different stories (my car salesman at Honda says one thing, the guy at the body shop says another, and I read other things on the internet) about what they use to base "actual cash value" on. I used to work for an insurance company that sold GAP insurance and I would audit the claims and the biggest problem we had with the primary insurer was that they didn't pay a reasonable amount for "actual cash value" and we were forced to eat the difference. That's the only thing that worries me. I want to get a fair settlement so I can put a sizeable down payment on a new car.

My body shop told me that someone came out to look at the car yesterday but didn't leave any paperwork so they didn't know what the plan was. I called today and talked to someone at the insurance company (not my adjuster) that said my estimate hadn't been put in the system yet but the one for the guy that hit me (their insured) was already processed so I already kind of feel like I'm being given the runaround. My insurance agent said not to report it to my insurance yet, to wait and see what this other one came up with and go from there.

 

I have the initial estimate from the insurance company and they are saying it will be $7000 to repair. The adjuster says if there is any hidden damage it is "minor". I'll be interested to see what it looks like when the body shop breaks it down. So, I guess I'm looking at doing some research on what would be a fair settlement on "diminished value". Any advice on what to base this off of would be great!

 

So I guess I was pretty close
DEFINITELY bring up the diminished value issue. You know if you go to sell that thing somebody is going to be like "what was the $7k repair for?"
Now might be the time to report it to your own insurance company and voice your concerns to them. They will do a fast estimate & determine if they think it is repairable too. Plus you could ask them what a reasonable amont of diminished value would be. I am pretty shocked his insurance company decided to repair it.
I would tell the other company's adjuster that the value of the car has been diminished by at least $2k and see what he says. That way you can get a feel if he is going to even consider a "dimunition of value" claim.
I would seriously report it to my insurance company though. If you wait too long to report it to them, they will not be very happy with you.
It will not go against you... you were rear-ended.

 

I agree with 00AccordLX5spd. You should fight to get this totalled. Have you signed off on anythign from their insurance co yet? Do you have any medical issues? If your bill of health is clean from the wreck, offer to sign a waiver to that effect if they will total it. That's worked for me in the past.

 

Good point. Try what smaglik said. If you are not satisfied with what they are doing, tell the adjuster: "My neck started hurting really bad and I'm having terrible headaches. I think I need to go to the doctor." He knows if you go to the doctor the first thing they will do will be a $2500 MRI and ER fees will already be around $500.
How long ago did this happen? If you want to pull the "i'm hurt" card, you need to do it ASAP.

I just read back to the beginning & see that it happened last week. It may be a better chance if you claimed you have "been having terrible headaches and never realized until now that they didn't start till after the accident."

 

I went to the ER right afterwards so they are already going to be hit with that bill. I had a headache and was dizzy and nauseous(I'm an EMT and my mom is a nurse so I know what can signal a head injury). My CT was negative but my x-rays were abnormal. I had a curvature in my spine and my Dr. said it was most likely from muscle spasms pulling my spine to the left. I have a previous x-ray from September for a surgery clearance that can prove it wasn't messed up before the accident.

I just talked to my insurance agent and he gave the same advice about diminished value. He said once they take that into account that it might be better off to total it. When I talked to the other guy's insurance adjuster this morning she said that diminished value wouldn't affect it because it was a Honda but I know that's not true. The salesguy at Honda already told me it would because they wouldn't be able to sell it as a "Certifed Used Honda" because of the damages.

 

Keep us posted. Its always good to see how these come out, couse you never know when you might (unfortunately) be in the same position.

 

Sounds like you have a wise agent. I am glad you are an EMT (you just gained some MUCHO respect from me there)because you know all the "legitimate" injuries you could sustain in an accident such as this one. From looking at the pics that guy really creamed you.
Yeah that sounds like some crap that other adjuster would pull: "no diminished value because it's a Honda" WTF! Does she actually think you are that gullible? My God...I would take that as an insult! Tell her dumb @$$ to call a Honda dealership and ask them about it!