Quote:
Originally Posted by henrylee
Did I miss something? Why isn’t this totaled?
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because the insurance company thinks it is more economical for them to repair it. While this is certainly a bummer, this is a fairly simple quarter skin replacement, plus whatever is bent on the rear suspension (likely some control arms, maybe a knuckle, shock, etc.). Probably ~$25K to repair at a reputable shop by the time it's all said and done. That $21K initial estimate will not be the final number, and the insurance company knows it, but even with a couple of supplements, this repair is unlikely to exceed $25K, unless someone is not good at what they do and they miss something fairly major on the initial inspection.
If they write it off, they need to cut a check to OP for ~$60K-$64K incl. tax, reg, etc. The salvage value is probably around $25K-$28K or so as is, leaving them with a net loss of $35K-$38K (guesstimate). By comparison, if the estimate was written at $21K for the repair, and it ends up costing $25K, they get to save the difference if the car is repaired instead of totaled, which in this case is a significant amount.
When the difference is borderline, many insurers will choose to total since it generally means a quicker settlement and less of a headache overall.