The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Property damagespry-wolf-141

UPDATE: Finally won my total loss fight after months of back-and-forth — here's what worked

Hey everyone — I posted a few months back about being totally lowballed on my totaled truck. Quick recap for anyone who missed it: I got rear-ended at a stoplight, my truck was declared a total loss, and the at-fault driver's insurance kept sending me valuations that were laughably low. Like, significantly lower than anything actually selling in my region. I do a lot of towing and hauling so I had specific tow package and payload upgrades — the insurer kept valuing it against base trim trucks with none of that.

After weeks of going nowhere with their adjuster, I finally switched the claim to my own insurance. Night and day difference in terms of responsiveness — I actually had a dedicated person I could reach.

Big thing that moved the needle: I hired an independent appraiser. My insurer accepted the appraisal process without much pushback, and the appraiser came in with comps that actually matched my truck's trim, options, and mileage. We ended up in a much better place than where the at-fault insurer had me.

A few things I wish I'd known from the start:

  • Document everything — screenshots, emails, dates of calls
  • If the other driver's insurer keeps stalling, your own insurer can go after them (subrogation)
  • Comparable listings from actual dealer sites and auction results ARE valid — don't let them gaslight you otherwise
  • Get the appraisal clause in your policy — most policies have it, most people don't know to invoke it

Still annoyed it took this long but glad it's finally resolved. Hope this helps someone else who's stuck in the same loop.

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10 replies

  • 17
    quiet-bison-049

    Glad it worked out, genuinely. But quick question — did your insurer end up covering your deductible out of pocket or did they recover it through subrogation? I'm in a similar spot and I can't figure out if I'll actually be made whole or end up eating that cost even if my insurer goes after the at-fault driver.

  • 12
    gentle-crow-218

    The lowball-then-stall tactic is so common it should be illegal. They're betting that you'll get worn down and just take whatever they offer. Switching to your own insurer removes their ability to just... ignore you. Your insurer has a contractual obligation to you. The at-fault insurer has zero incentive to treat you fairly.

    • 14
      tidy-beaver-303

      Not legal advice, but what you're describing with the at-fault insurer — rejecting submitted comps, misrepresenting comparable vehicles — can sometimes rise to the level of bad faith claims handling depending on your state. If you feel like you still didn't get a fair shake even after all this, a free consult with a PI attorney who handles property damage cases might be worth it. Many states have laws specifically protecting policyholders from this kind of thing.

    • 5
      grounded-co-pilot921

      Saving this whole thread. Really appreciate the honesty here.

  • 11
    calm-bison-605

    This mirrors my experience almost exactly. The at-fault insurer kept dragging things out until I just filed through my own carrier, and suddenly stuff started moving. Wish someone had told me to do that on week one instead of week six.

    • 15
      clever-swan-412

      The fact that you documented everything and didn't just give up is honestly the win here. A lot of people take the first offer because they're exhausted or don't realize they have options. You figured out the system and used it — that matters.

  • 11
    keen-mole-293

    I'll be honest — I used to work in claims and the valuation tools we were given defaulted to the lowest comparable configurations unless someone actively pushed back. It wasn't always malicious, sometimes it was just the path of least resistance built into the software. That said, when adjusters start cherry-picking comps and ignoring submitted listings? That's not a glitch, that's a strategy. You did the right thing escalating.

  • 10
    quick-dove-410

    Document everything, invoke appraisal, file through your own insurer if the at-fault one ghosts you. That's the whole playbook right there. Glad you figured it out, but more people need to hear this before they spend two months arguing with an adjuster who was never going to budge anyway.

    • 5
      patient-marmot-472

      Honestly just relieved this worked out for you. Reading your original post I was so frustrated on your behalf. Months of stress over something that wasn't even your fault — that takes a toll. Hope you're doing okay overall, not just with the settlement.

  • 6
    mellow-hare-095

    The appraisal clause is so underused. Most people don't even know it exists in their policy. Basically it lets both sides bring in independent appraisers and if they disagree, an umpire decides. It's not perfect but it gets the number out of the insurer's hands, which is the whole point. Worth reading your declarations page to see if you have it — most standard policies do.