Is my baby totaled?! 2013 Prius rear-ended

From the pictures it looks like there is a possibility of it being totaled if your insurance company uses new oem parts in its calculation.

 

I'd say that there's a good chance that the insurance company will total it - but that may be a very good thing. Or it may not.

1st, remember that your insurance company (or the insurance company of the guy who hit you, depending on where you live) is required to replace the car with one in "like kind and condition", or an equivalent amount of money. If their initial offer is too low, you do NOT have to take it. This is a negotiation, not a "take-it-or-leave-it" situation. You can counter the low offer by showing them the costs of purchasing the same model and trim level in the same condition, and with the same/similar mileage, in your area. They can't require you to settle for a lower trim level, or an earlier year, or higher mileage. They are also responsible for any/all expenses you incur for dealing with your damaged car. Also, ask about "subrogation", which could get you your deductible back from the other guy, instead of you paying it.

Actually consulting with a lawyer could potentially get you even more money - sometimes just (truthfully) mentioning that you have a lawyer will get the insurance company to bump up their estimate. Remember, the people you're dealing with get an accurate estimate of what the claim will cost from the appraiser who inspects your car. BUT...their bonus/salary is based on how much less than that they can trick you into accepting. Don't take their word for anything.

2nd, check to see if you can buy your totaled car back from them for the salvage value. If you then fix it on your own dime, you will get a rebuilt/salvage title, (and lower resale value) but you'll have your own car back with money left over, especially if you don't use OEM parts. This is a potentially good outcome, even more so if you can live with non-perfect (but less expensive) repair results.

Lastly, absolutely insist on a Toyota dealership repair estimate, and have them check for battery damage, powertrain damage, bent frame, etc. A Mom&Pop shop will not have the equipment or expertise to do this. It may turn out that you won't be able to get your Pri back on the road safely.

 

If it was just the bumper all smashed in, it can be a quick DYI fix but with your case, you got the hatchback door smashed in. I jacked my Prius up real quick by backing into a wall at a BP gas station trusting my backing cam too much without actually looking back. Oops. Thankfully thier was very little damage as it was the rear driver side black plastic rubber spoiler that broke off that fits right underneath the rear bumper. I did have some scuff and scratches on the bumper but no bumper but no dents. I spray painted the bumper, I repaired the spoiler and drilled back on, looks like nothing happened.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Is there such a thing? One of our local Toyota dealerships actually has a body shop wihithin their conglomerate, but I think they're the exception. Still, it is a good idea to ask dealerships for a body shop recommendation. Such body shops tend to have a close relationship with the dealership, use kosher parts when required.

 

At least here in SoCal most dealers do not have in-house body shops. They mostly rely on independent body shops that are closely aligned with insurance companies as recommended shops. This keeps the high overhead expenses of running a collision center left to a dedicated repair entity. As tightly networked as the body shops are, one is a good as the other in most instances. In short, you are going to get what you pay for. The cheaper the repair estimate equates to a lesser quality job.

 

Maybe a better way to put this is a repair estimate that's co-ordinated between the body shop's and the dealership's mechanics. Don't trust the collision center mechanics to tell you that there's nothing wrong, mechanically or electronically, with your Pri - insist that someone officially affiliated with Toyota make that determination - in writing.

 

That's not how it normally works. Insurance companies have their own adjusters who either investigate the damage themselves, or have repair shops that they get estimates from.

The insured person can get independent estimates and dispute claim offers, but they don't have anything directly to do with determining if the car will be totaled.

If a repair later turns out to be inadequate, the insured can again make a claim with the insurance company until the vehicle is either returned to pre-accident condition, or is replaced with one of equal or greater value.

 

That's what I was trying to say - I'm guessing I put this badly.

The insurance company will send an appraiser/adjuster out to investigate and take pictures. The results of that investigation will NOT be shared with the claimant. The insurance company will then make an offer, which may be as low as 50% of what they estimate the repair cost to be, just to see if the claimant will take it. If not, they will grudgingly increase it a bit, and repeat. Or, they may decide to total the car, and then they will try to lowball that figure also. That's where the "like kind and condition" bit I was talking about comes in.

What I was trying to say is that the OP needs to get an independent estimate himself, without involving the insurance company at all, from a body shop that will coordinate with a Toyota dealership on the mechanical/electrical part of the damage estimate. If the insurance company will not total the car, and the independent estimate is higher than they're willing to pay, the OP needs a lawyer.

If the insurance company will total the car, and a used car in like kind and condition" is higher than they're willing to pay, the OP needs a lawyer.

The insurance company will always, always try to minimize the amount of money they pay out, and they will lie to the OP in order to do it.

 

That has been my experience too. When my Subaru Legacy was rear ended, the initial offer from the insurance company was $1,000. They had totaled it out and gave me a low ball offer. I refused the amount and sent comps to them showing that it couldn't be replaced for that value. In the meantime, I continued to drive the car, but the rear hatch was caved in and wouldn't open. Insurance then gave me an offer of $1,500, and I again refused. They claimed my car wasn't worth more because of the pre-existing damage. I explained that the car had superficial damage, but was 100% mechanically, and that other used cars in that mechanical condition couldn't be purchased for $1,500. Finally, 3 months later and many comps submitted, they agreed to my firm price of $2,500.

Yes, exactly. Nobody should just accept an offer from the insurance company, regardless of if it's their own, or the other party's insurance company. They aren't on your side, and their motivation is to pay out as little as possible. Determine the total cost to repair or replace the vehicle independently. I always get 3 estimates and accept nothing less than the average of the 3.

Insurance companies know they have leverage because often the damaged car is the only one a person has, and they need to quickly resolve the matter so they can continue driving again. Fortunately I have many vehicles, and have no such pressure to resolve a problem.

 

I'm coming into this a little late, so you may already have the answers you needed, but for my two cents it's never totaled until insurance AND you agree that it's totaled. My 2006 was hit by a Ford F150 driving out of my street while i was turning onto the same street and caused $8,000 in damages. Originally the insurance company totaled it because the repair was more than 75% of the car's value, but since this was my mother's car that I inherited when she died, I asked them to please revisit my case with the body shop and make sure there's nothing that could be done. Just asking that simple question, and answering a few questions of theirs, the value was raised (due to some options I had that they didn't have on my file) and the body shop agreed to a set total without risk of increase once they tore down the car. I also got a brand new battery so she's good for another 10+ years. It's always worth asking the questions if you aren't ready to walk away from your car. If you intend to keep it until it falls apart, fight for it. Like a previous poster said, there's always the option of getting a salvage title, but I wouldn't recommend it if you think you may sell it down the road.


For your amusement, here's a picture of the truck's damage. Poor guy.