Accident...repair or not

Hi!
2009, 174,000 miles with new tires. : } I'm dealing with a trustworthy auto body shop and he's saying the insurance estimate for repairs is based on low value parts from Valueline not the typical certified after market parts he would usually buy. The goal was to at least negotiate for OEM bumpers but at this point that would supposedly put the car into totaled category.

If newer used Prius's were easier to find (insurance company only gives 1-2 wks, right?), if I had a partner or neighbor to drive me around to look for a newer car and if COVID wasn't causing elevated used car prices then this might be the ideal time to hope for an insurance check. It took me 3 months to find this 2009 back in 2015. If car gets repaired, then I would have some time to shop for a newer Prius and maybe sell this one privately. There is always the age of the hybrid battery to consider. : /

The auto body shop said they would call insurance rep and discuss upgrading to certified after market bumpers but there is very little wiggle room for additional costs.

I always thought the insurance company either offered to repair or it was definitely totaled. Obviously the insurance company (not mine) is trying to cut their losses. Any thoughts? Anything else I should be considering? Thanks!

 

That's what I initially had in mind but insurance company only pays supplement repair amount if repairs are done. I couldn't walk away with only $1400 knowing there was over $3000 plus worth of damage.

 

I was wondering about that. I don't really understand how that would work. Technically they haven't totaled it. I guess they are trying to repair it with cheap parts so they don't have to total. Interesting part is that if I had been hit in the state where I live, car would definitely be totaled. I was hit across the boarder and that state has different laws for totaling a car.

 

My state uses 60% of value and other state uses 75%

 

Yes, the repair shop mentioned the $50 difference. I guess OEM is $100 more. I do have the estimate. How would I show you? Upload file? I was initially nervous regarding talking about it here. Insurance rep is probably not lurking but you never know.

 

How do you delete a post? I tried deleting one earlier and couldn't figure it out. Thanks

 

One more try in a few minutes. Info was cut off!

 

Hope you can read it.

 

No error codes and I've been driving it for a year. I'm also looking at this estimate form today and it's looking like they just changed the estimate amount and didn't categorize it as supplemental damage. Maybe because the initial estimate was based on photos.