Yesterday, while at a light, a 16 year old teenager slammed my commuter car in the rear going about 40mph.

There is clear frame damage. Most likely the car will be repaired to look new again (it's a 2007, only 5 months old, 5k mls).

How/where do I go about getting a diminished value inspection for my claim?

Anyone been down this road?

 

http://www.autoappraisal.com/
http://www.collisionclaims.com/index.html

 

Please keep us posted on how well this turns out for you.

 

Crap! That's not fun. Hope everything works out...

 

I went own this road years ago. My opinion is that diminished value has become more hype than reality - with many people believing that it is almost a foregone conclusion (not saying you are). In my experience - DV is pretty hard to prove and even harder to get. A lot of insurance companies will just tell you to that the car will be repaired to pre-accident condition and they don't entertain DV claims. Expect resistance - a LOT of it (even if you are very dedicated to getting it).

I ended up getting it after recruiting my dealer to jump in on my side and sign an affidavit certifying the DV and stating that if the car was traded - what the DV would be. Then my lawyer went to work with it. Even given this - it was really HARD. If you have a good relationship with your dealer - they would be a good place to start with a DV inspection.

The other person's insurance company has little interest in making you happy - because you aren't their paying customer. So they will give you what they legally need to give you - and no more.

I know people that have tried to sue for DV - and in most cases the suit was going to cost more than the claim - and the probably of winning the DV claim was iffy.

Insurance companies have an army of lawyers so they aren't THAT afraid of lawsuits.

It isn't impossible - but they don't make it easy.

 

been that road in the past on my sister's car and going to go through it again with brother's car in a week or so.

PM me a number and I will call you to give you details.

 

Thanks much- I'll start there at the dealer, especially since I dont think I can keep the car now (just bad luck). Seems my dealer would have an interest in the DV if I get another car from them -

I'll post an update down the road, I think more people need to KNOW about diminished value.