Ted, I am going through the same thing with another car.
Right now it doesnt matter who is as fault. What difference would it make if the other ins comapany totals it or yours. Just make sure you get your own estimate on repairing it from someone reasonable.
What their objective is to claim the cost of the damage exceeds the cost of repair. It does not. They win big time in this equation. They will give you $12k for the car and auction it for $6k, effectively only coming $6k out of pocket.
You have to prove the car is worth $25K (due to all the modifications and recent work) and the repair will be $8k. And it is not like another XKR with 100k miles on the odometer that can be bought for $15k.
You are very fortunate that in California law the entire cost must be calculated, including what they will get from the scrap. In my state the cost of the repair merely has to exceed 75% of the cost of replacement.

Many dont know that its entirely negotiable. I did it once before. There is another reason they want to total it- even if you buy the car back from them- they will demand a much higher rate to insure it. Dont let them total it.
Look for a used door and fender today! (dont tell them its used)

 

Ted - sorry to hear about the XKR but glad you were not injured

 

Get an estimate from the Jaguar Certified Auto Body shop. There is particular training and standards that authorized shops have to go through that are more expensive to work on than an Audi or BMW. Use this as an estimate as to have this done "correct" per Jaguar; could be a lot more than the guy down the street auto body.

 

Ted - Sorry to hear about the damage to the XKR, but glad there is no damage to you; That is hat really counts. Call me and we can set up a lunch. Ralph

 

It can make a BIG difference in your future insurance premiums! If you're not at fault, your rates probably won't go up. But if you're 100% at fault, your rates probably will increase. It depends:
https://www.esurance.com/info/car/ho...insurance-rate

 

Sorry to hear of the damage and getting cars repaired is stressful, I know

However, you are unhurt and that is the important part.

Hope the repairs look good in the end and you are happy again..

 

Any chance you let us see the damage with a pic?

 

oh no! Hope everything works out for you. But what a pain in the a$$....

Q&C is right. Negotiate with the insurance co. I've also done it before. It just takes a little work on your end but it's worth it, you don't want a salvage title on a car that only had the door replaced..

 

Its terrible, insurance uses every trick in the book to convince you they set the rules. They dont.
They will tell you $30 per day is all you can get for a rental car. I billed them $280 per day for over a month.

 

How much you can get reimbursed for a rental car depends on the type of claim you make: First Party (against your own policy) or Third Party (against the other driver's policy).

Your policy sets the contractual limits of how much your policy will pay for a covered claim against your own policy. A $30 daily limit for a rental car is common, if you opted for that coverage.

But if the other party is 100% at fault, their liability coverage sets the limit of how much that policy will pay for your claim. So, even if you don't have rental car coverage, you can still rent a comparable car and make a claim for those costs against the other party's liability coverage. They are liable to put you back in the same or similar position as you were in immediately before the accident.

Remember to plan your accidents so the other driver is always 100% at fault.

For an explanation of First Party and Third Party claims, see:
https://www.arnolditkin.com/personal...party-insuran/

 

I don't care about rental cars as I have plenty of extra cars to drive. I am more concerned with establishing liability and getting my car fixed. I sent it through my insurance to expedite the repair process. My body shop will cover my deductible, so I'm not even concerned about that. I just want to get my car fixed quickly and properly. That is my only concern.

 

If, your "being more concerned with establishing liability" you mean that the accident was 100% the fault of the other driver, then I agree with you. Your insurance company should agree with you because you were parked and exiting your car when she hit your door. She was driving too close to your car. She should be charged for this accident and your rates should not be affected because of this accident. Just my opinion.

 

Do we assume the police were involved and they wrote up an accident report. If so what did it say as they would have established fault .

 

I just received the estimate at what my insurance, Mercury, is figuring for the repair and is willing to pay. It was $7800.16. Surprising in that although my car was in perfect condition, it does have nearly 160,000 miles on it. But, anyway, parts have been ordered and I should have it back in a couple of weeks. We'll see.

 

Really fantastic news!
Keep in mind to collect for the lost value and loss of use of car. That should be another $3500

 

You'll most likely get a low-ball Diminished Value check in the mail. If you deposit or cash it, that's all you'll get. If you're OK with that amount, take the money and move on. But know that if you had employed a professional appraiser, you probably would have gotten a lot more. But, as explained below, you don't need to spend the money on an appraiser.

The only problem is the 160,000 miles; that really hurts value. What do you think your pristine 2010 XKR was worth immediately before the accident? And what will it be worth immediately after it's repaired? Take your car to CarMax and see what they'll pay you for it and get it in writing. The difference is the Diminished Value. That's where to begin your negotiations with the insurance company.

 

I never sell a car. I either keep them til they die or I pass them on to a relative. The XKR has been too good to ever give up, so its value to someone else was never going to be the issue. The most important thing now besides repairing her to the way she was is to get the woman who hit me to admit it and have her insurance take liability for the accident so that I'm not stuck with a higher insurance rate. I guess I should change the Post's title to , "A Happy Day."

 

As I mentioned get a copy of the police report and that should resolve your question as to fault.

 

Getting her to admit that it was her fault is The Impossible Dream. But don't worry, because your insurance company should make that determination in your favor simply because you were parked and exiting your car when she ran into your car. She failed to avoid hitting you; you did not run into her. And when you began to exit your car you looked and didn't see anyone coming. She must have either been speeding or been distracted and didn't see you. Was she texting?

You bought insurance for peace of mind. Your insurance company has a duty to defend you, and the facts are in your favor. You need to tell your insurance company that it wasn't your fault and that you want them to subrogate against the other driver's insurance because she was 100% at fault.

I know it's aggravating, but try to not lose any sleep over this; it's just a car and not your health. It will be repaired to your satisfaction without any cost out of your pocket because it was her fault.

 

Glad to hear that you managed to dodge write-off.

Some suggestions:

1 - Body shop will likely order a used door shell and try to transfer existing guts, including door seals. I recommend paying out of pocket to replace window and door seals with new parts. This will save you a lot of grief fighting future water leaks and internal door rust.
2 - Body shop is unlikely to transfer vapor barrier (plastic sheet between door panel and door shell) as having to deal with the barrier glue is a hassle. I recommend you directly address it yourself after repair or give them a new OEM vapor barrier that is easy to apply.
3 - I strongly recommend cleaning and lubricating window lifter motor and guides prior to installation into a new door shell.
4 - Also order new glass window holder clips instead of allowing reuse of old, potentially brittle parts.
5 - Consider paying them extra to get inside of the door shell painted, especially if they use a donor of a different color. Doing this is not a standard procedure.
6 - Ensure that door drains were not plugged with paint (usually put in toothpicks prior to painting) - door shell has to be able to drain well or it will rust. Bring this up to the shop foreman, so they know you will check.