Got T-boned today

Doing about 30-33 mph in the rain with full headlights on when a short driver in a RAV4 didn't see me as she hit the gas to come out of a side street to my right and attempted a left turn. Brakes & horn, then a jolt to the left with a deep crunching sound. No injuries. No airbags deployed. Both cars still drive.

 

Her car was newer than mine, so I figure she was insured. It'll be on the police report. I carry coverage for uninsured motorists, but if the ins. co. "totals" the car I may have to look for extra help getting a fair price above average book value. So Mendel, what was your car like after the repairs?

 

Nice wreck. My back door unlatches and opens one inch but even when closed it leaks rain from the top. The front door can't move at all.

 

That sounds good to me, but we'll have to wait and see what the insurance offers.

 

Today the body shop offered to "total" the car, if that's what I wanted. We have 3 numbers: The value of the car before it was damaged, the cost of repairs, and the salvage value, which is about half of the value of the car before the accident. When the repair cost nearly matches the salvage value, things can go either way. They can pay you what the car was worth before the accident, but then they keep the car for themselves and sell it as is for its salvage value, or they can pay for the repairs and let you keep the car. For better or worse, I told them I want the car repaired.

 

Ballpark estimate: $12,000 to $14,000 and $7,400 salvage value. I am within $200 of that.

 

I think it will be OK. It sill drives the same as it always did, but they're including a 4-wheel alignment just to be safe. The guy seemed impressed that the salvage value was so high and commented that there must be a lot of demand for this model.

 

A few morbid pictures of the repair in progress.

 

I stopped by the shop again to check on the work, and I thought you may be interested in something the owner told me. He said most cars have a salvage value which runs about 20% to 25% of their pre-collision worth. So, normally if the cost of your repairs exceeds that number the insurance will insist on totalling the car and selling the hulk to a junkyard. The industry tables say that the Plug-In's salvage value is more like 50% of the pre-collision worth, so Nationwide dispatched their henchman to inspect the car at the body shop before they could approve $7,500 worth of repairs. Mileage is 55,280 for this 2012.