I'm looking for some help from you guys regarding an accident I was just in with my 06 HCH. I was in the process of selling my hybrid (just put it up on autotrader this morning). I got into a major accident this afternoon where I was rear ended by a minivan on the highway.

I was very impressed with the HCH during the accident. We were on the exit ramp going 50mph and were hit by the van going at least 80mph. She knocked me back into the highway with 3 lanes of traffic. I was able to get the car back under control after doing a 360 through those lanes and am praising the Lord neither my wife or I were hurt.

Our car had significant damage to the rear of the car. The trunk won't relatch. The spare tire was popped out of its storage area and the hybrid battery was knocked. The rear was smashed up pretty good. I was not able to start the car after it sat for about 30 minutes just running its flashers. I'm assuming the hybrid battery was damaged.

Does anyone have any advice for me how to handle the insurance companies? I know the car will be losing value because it was in an accident. Can I recoup any of that money from the insurance? If the hybrid battery was damaged, do they total the car? I don't think the damage to the rear would warrant totaling the car. I want to make sure the battery is in correct order.

I'd love any help or advice as to what I should do with the insurance company.

Sorry for the long post - but thanks for the help!

Jeff

 

Glad to hear that you're okay, but what's going on? Is March "National Wreck a Hybrid" month? Everybody's doing it.

Anyway, I stand by what I've heard: that the damage has to be 80% of the value of the car for the ins. co. to total it.

If the battery is shot, that might do it.
.

 

Glad to hear you're ok!

Most of my mom's side of the family are insurance agents and insurance talk is common around holiday meals. Here's what I've learned from them over the years:

Assuming you were not at fault, if the car is declared a total loss you will want to know what comparable vehicles are selling for in your area (aka like vehicle replacement cost). That should be the minimum you agree to settle for.

If it is deemed repairable, you want to get your own estimates from repair shops of your choosing. You also want to ask them for a diminished value appraisal. The amount to repair + the diminished value will be the minimum you want to settle with the other insurance company.

Most repair shops don't want to mess with hybrids, unless given a significant incentive by an insurance company or individual to do so. The electronic system on hybrids is more complex than a standard vehicle, leading to a perception that post-accident 'return repair' claims will be higher and more frequent. Repainting can be difficult if heat is required to cure the paint.

The 80% value = total loss is not a hard rule. There's a lot of case-by-case variables that factor in, including diminished value and injury claims. If the insurance company feels it can get off lighter on the overall claim loss by totaling a car with a 50% repair value, it will. Also keep in mind that the damaged car still has a value when totalled...the less damage to the totalled car, the more money the insurer can recoup at auction.

It's all a numbers game, and it's done by people who do nothing but this kind of analysis for a living.

The important thing is that you're all ok. Cars can be replaced.

 

Thanks so much for both of your responses. I'll keep both of those things in mind.

I probably won't hear anything until Monday and I'll try to keep everyone posted with what happens. Hopefully it helps someone else in the same situation.

 

Its sad, but the only way is to get an attorney. The wreck I was in last Sept taught me this. The at fault insurance company is the reason I hired one. They said to the effect that I was only entitled to a rental car WHILE mine was being worked on, not while waiting for parts or discussing repair costs etc. They were telling me all sorts of things that made no sense.

This was unacceptable to me as I had no experience in car wreck claims so I had to hire someone that would assist me, someone who knew how to play the insurance company game to get them to stop messing with me.

My 02 prius was rear ended by a company truck doing 60+miles per hour and accelerating while I was doing 30. The poor prius was smashed to the back window and not a dent on the truck at all.

I thought for sure my car was totaled but they repaired it at a cost over 10k$.

Jerk that hit me was on a cell phone.

I wouldnt hesitate to get assistance with something we have such little experience with (meaning insurance claims)

Best of luck to you.

 

Mind if I ask how much money you ended up shelling out for an attorney?

Did you feel you got more in return for your money with them?

 

Sure, no problem. I put out ZERO money up front. They will be getting a hair more than 25% and less than 30%.

Its not over so I dont have an exact #.

The AT FAULT insurance company was NOT going to pay the rental and based on principle I didnt want MY company to be responsible so I bought a car I was going to use for the interim and then sell. The attorney was able to get the rental reimbursement for each and every day I was without my car no matter if it sat in the garage or was being worked on. Plus, the attorney will get for me whats known as 'diminished value'. This is what your car was worth before the accident and then afterwards. There are soooo many things that they can do which made my head spin. In other words, the insurance company is good at what they do, they are pros. I didnt have any experience at all, I needed support and ended up using legal guidance. Its actually a good feeling leaving the dirty work up to them, its their job.

I can say things that were being denied to me from the at fault company were all of a sudden flowing as one would expect.

So, yes, definitely yes in my new experience, it IS beneficial to have some form of representation for this entire process.

If the at fault company had just been realistic in their behavior, I would have been led down their path and they would have made out like a bandit. Because they were playing unfair imo, I got the attorney and without a doubt there will be benefits which were no where in sight before obtaining their guidance.

I hope this helps.

 

It's a shame that's the way things have to go. Did your attorney give you any idea about the diminished value you could expect to get? That's one of my big questions. I've heard it talked about before, but I'm not sure what type of a percentage is typical to ask for etc. 20% 30%, etc?

I'm surprised they didn't total your car for 10K worth of damage. Just out of curiosity, was the hybrid battery or any electrical things damaged? I've heard others say that most companies don't want to work with that and total the car a little quicker in those situations.

 

I BEGGED for them to total the car, seems the more I begged, the more they felt they should fix it.

The rear end wreck caused a power inverter and some circuit pack which controls the power steering to go out. My MFD panel was lit with all sorts of errors moments after the impact. The attorney advised the car to go to Toyota to have hybrid portion checked and repaired, which they then did. Also the 12v agm battery was replaced with Toyotas recommended type which I think now is a lead acid. 1k$ was the toyota portion of the bill.

Last I saw/heard was the car was taken to several buyers and 'i think' the value was put now at 4500 even though the car looked and ran great. The diminished value will be the difference between the average sale price of an 02 Prius with similar amount of miles and options and the 4500$. The bottom line will approximately come in at 7000+/- some $s. I could never see me as a car owner getting ANYTHING, even a return call from the at fault company, let alone KNOWING such a thing existed.

There must be some television or radio ad in your area about law firms that specialize in collisions, give them a call and see what they have to say. I understand there is no obligation. They dont get paid if you dont get compensated somehow.

So, lets say I got 1000$ for the whole ordeal, the firm would get approx 30% which is 300$. IMO, 700$ is 500% more than I would have been able to settle for on my own.

I agree, it is a real shame because collisions do happen.