I got into a car accident recently, wasn’t my fault. I was in the roundabout, and the other driver didn’t yield and hit me on my quarter panel. My car’s totaled. (It’s an Audi S4, by the way.) Both of us are with State Farm, and this happened in WA.
I have about $25k in upgrades: custom wheels, airlift suspension, a wrap I got just 2 months ago, exhaust, downpipes, ECU tune, transmission tune, intake, etc. Bought everything new in the last year and a half, and I kept all receipts. I also use the car for personal use and some social media content. Maintenance receipts go back to 2018.
Their first offer valued my car at about 2/3 of its ACV because they were comparing it to rebuilt-title cars or ones without all the packages mine has. When I bring up the aftermarket parts, they ask for an endorsement. But I wasn’t at fault, so why should that matter?
The claim is on the other driver’s policy, not mine.
Shouldn’t they make me whole since it’s their driver’s fault? Or am I just being unrealistic? Haven’t hired a lawyer yet, but I’m considering it depending on their next offer, especially for my personal injury claim.
Aftermarket mods usually don’t add dollar-for-dollar value to your car. Sometimes they add no value, or they might even lower the car’s value because most buyers don’t want them.
Wynn said:
Aftermarket mods usually don’t add dollar-for-dollar value to your car. Sometimes they add no value, or they might even lower the car’s value because most buyers don’t want them.
Yeah, but doesn’t that mainly apply when you’re claiming through your own insurance? I get that most people prefer stock cars, but then wouldn’t they also just go for a base model instead of a performance one?
Wynn said: @Lian
No, fair market value is the same regardless of whose insurance you’re using.
What about mods that got damaged? Like my wheels are cracked ($4k, 6 months to replace), my air suspension isn’t working (rear bags might be damaged), and my exhaust is bent from going over the sidewalk.
@Lian
When your car’s totaled, they only owe you the market value of the car right before the crash. If you want, you can ask to keep the car for a reduced payout and then decide what to do with the parts. If you planned to return it to stock, you should’ve removed the parts before the payout process.
@Wynn
I can’t access some of the parts anymore. My plan was to return it to stock; I even had buyers lined up; but now a lot of the parts are damaged. I still have the OEM parts. So even though I wasn’t at fault and it’s not my policy, I’m stuck paying for someone else’s mistake? Great.
@Lian
A lot of insurers ask about mods over a certain value, like $300 or so. If it’s the other party paying, though, they should cover it. Imagine if you had an expensive bike on a rack that got damaged; it’s not much different. But you’re still unlikely to get full value for the mods.
@Rian
Yeah, I wasn’t expecting full value. I even had buyers offering 80% of the original price, but now I can’t sell the parts because they’re damaged. If they cover stuff like laptops or phones damaged in an accident, why wouldn’t they cover mods?
@Lian
Phones and laptops are usually considered personal items and not covered under auto insurance. Those would fall under renters or homeowners policies.
Nyx said: @Lian
Phones and laptops are usually considered personal items and not covered under auto insurance. Those would fall under renters or homeowners policies.
I think you’re talking about the at-fault driver’s insurance, not your own. Either way, there’s some confusion about what’s covered here.
Rowan said:
Did the car have a salvage title before this accident? If so, that really affects the value. And aftermarket mods usually aren’t covered anyway.
No, my car has a clean title. But they’re comparing it to cars with rebuilt titles or missing features mine has.
@Lian
Got it. They should be comparing it to clean-title cars, but if it’s a rare model, finding comps might be tricky. Mods are always a gray area unless you specifically insured them.
They might increase their offer a bit, but mods don’t add much value. You won’t get $25k. You could try invoking the appraisal clause if you think their offer is way off.
Zyler said:
They might increase their offer a bit, but mods don’t add much value. You won’t get $25k. You could try invoking the appraisal clause if you think their offer is way off.
I’m thinking about doing that because there aren’t any comparable cars within 500 miles. The ones they showed me weren’t even listed online.
@Lian
Keep in mind, they’re using confirmed sales, not just online listings. A car’s value is based on what it actually sold for, not what someone lists it for.
Zyler said: @Lian
Keep in mind, they’re using confirmed sales, not just online listings. A car’s value is based on what it actually sold for, not what someone lists it for.
Yeah, but one of their comps was a rebuilt title, and two others weren’t even listed on dealer sites. I sent them a comparable car, and its price dropped by $2.4k after being listed for a week.