There are companies that do the diminished value claims on cars. I have done this twice and it works pretty well. They are generally independent contractors and the insurance companies have all agreed to compensate me for the diminished value except for the appraisal cost. I think that was somewhere between $200 and $300. Can't remember exactly.
Either way it was more money that I would receive from the insurance company than if I didn't do it and my car would be repaired with or without it. They insurance companies don't advertise this is available when it happened to me. I had to initiate it.
