At-fault driver's insurance says my high-end car lost ZERO value after major repairs. That can't be right?
Honestly still fuming about this so bear with me.
About eight months ago someone ran a red light and plowed into my sports car while it was sitting legally parked on the street. Their fault, 100%, no dispute there. The car needed serious structural and body work — we're talking nearly five months in the shop and a repair bill that almost pushed it into total-loss territory.
Here's the thing: I bought this car less than a year before the accident. It's a lower-production specialty model — not a daily driver, more of a weekend/collector type vehicle. These things hold their value, and actually the market for this segment has climbed since I bought it.
So now I'm trying to figure out where I stand financially. I had an independent appraiser look at everything — actual comparable sales data, dealer feedback, the works — and they came back saying the car has lost a meaningful chunk of its market value due to the accident history alone. Doesn't matter how good the bodywork is; a carfax hit on this kind of car is a serious red flag to buyers and dealers alike. The color blend isn't perfect either, and anyone who knows these cars will notice.
I submitted all of this to the at-fault driver's insurance. Their response? Zero diminished value. Literally zero. No report, no comps, no methodology explained — just a one-liner saying the repairs met industry standards and therefore there's no loss in value.
That's... not how this works, is it? Repair quality and market value are two completely different things. I'm not making this up — I've seen people successfully claim DV in situations just like this.
Has anyone dealt with an insurance company just stonewalling a diminished value claim like this? Do I need to get an attorney involved, or is there another move I should make first?