Some bad information in this thread. Here's my take from 30 years (so far) and an insurance adjuster.
Insurance companies DO NOT call dealers and get quotes. Nor should you. Dealers ALWAYS low ball you on your car's value. After all, they want it as low as possible so they can sell it at a maximum profit. You can't use trade in value anyway.
In realty, there's a rather complex algorithm insurers use to determine Diminution In Value (DIV). Several things are taken into consideration. Among them:
1) were the repairs done properly? If so, there will be very little DIV to claim. If not, you will have to fight with the repair facility to get them to repair it properly. DIV is not owed based on shoddy repairs.
2) has your car every been in a prior accident? If so, then your DIV claim will be minimal. If not, your claim will not be impacted.
3) does your car have high mileage? If so, the DIV allowance will be reduced.
4) is your car a rolling turd? If the repairs look better than the rest of your car, you will have zero DIV claim. (BTW, if the repairs look better than the rest of your car, are you willing to give some money back for the betterment?)
Let the insurer make you an offer. If you disagree , you will need your own appraisal to fight them. You'll need your own appraisal from a certified appraiser. Anyone else is not considered an "expert." A quote from CarMax or a dealer isn't worth wiping your ass on. No one will accept it. You'll need three figures: 1) the appraised value of the car the moment before the accident, 2) the value of the car following repairs, and 3) (and hardly anyone gets this) the value of the car in it's post-accident, pre-repaired condition. Many courts will not consider a claim for DIV without all three figures. Why they need #3 is beyond me, but that's the way it is in many venues.
Listen, if repairs are done properly, DIV claims are minimal. Dealers use the fact the car has been ion an accident to give you far less than it's worth. But courts don't care about trade in value. They care about person-to-person private sale retail value. And private buyers simply do not gouge a seller over a minor fender bender like dealers do.
I've fought many folks on DIV claims over the years and never had a loosing verdict on any case I didn't settle. Keep your expectations reasonable. If you decide to fight, try and determine if the juice is worth the squeeze. The cost of an appraiser may exceed the difference between what you want and what you're offered.
From one adjuster to another, you don’t know what the [bleep] you’re talking about. 😂
