[RIP.Kiki]

I was rear ended while sitting at a red light last week. A JEEP Grand Cherokee slammed into the back corner of the passenger side, making it undriveable (hit by an older gentleman who “didn’t see us”). Luckily I have dashcams for the front and back, so it captured everything and the guy admitted he was at fault and was very polite about it.
Insurance still hasn’t gotten back as to whether they’re going to repair or total it, so I thought I could maybe get some opinions here to prep myself. Hurt my heart taking pictures and seeing it get towed away, I spent the first two years of my first real 9-5 job paying it off, named it, vacuumed it every month, washed it regularly…I really really hope it’s repairable!

(pushed all the way into the next lane! Good thing there weren’t any other cars there)

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Glad your ok, that's the most important thing. I hope your dealing with the other persons insurance company and not your own since he caused the accident. If you deal with your company it will show up as a "claim" on your records even though your company will subrogate it to their insurance. What ever don't let emotion cloud your judgement. From the pics it looks like maybe your gonna have rear suspension damage and maybe ever structural damage. Hopefully they will total it and you can get a new car. If your friendly with a Kia dealer maybe they can help you making sure your get the correct number for your car. Don't wait for the insurance company bug the **** out of them for action. They should be paying for a rental (your might be still making payments on your car that your denied use of due to the other guys negligence, you need to go to work and to the doctor to get checked out, keep mentioning that). If it gets fixed make sure your the one that can choose a body shop. Make sure you get a good one. Good luck.

Thank you for the advice! Currently I have the claim submitted with the other party’s insurance. I do have a rental, though I’ve had to tell them to provide me with a comparable car like a compact suv rather than the basic sedan. Doctor appointment is lined up and the Norm Reeves collision center by my place has a decent amount of good reviews. Hope it goes smoothly but I’ve started looking around dealerships in my area for the 2023 Niros just in case. Thank you again!

 

[RIP.Kiki]

If the rear doors don't open smoothly then the structure is buckled and it'll likely be totaled.

While I agree with @FlNiro in principle that going through the other driver's insurance is a good idea don't be afraid to loop yours in if you feel you are getting a raw deal. We had a similar situation where the other driver's insurance company tried to low-ball us on the value of our car. Could I have fought it myself? Maybe, but I pay premiums for a reason. Insurance companies have teams of flesh eating lawyers kept starving in dark rooms for just this type of situation. I just called my company, submitted a claim, got a fair value and several months later got a check for my deductible back after my guys pummled the other driver's in arbitration. My rates didn't really change much if at all as a result and I didn't have to do anything but make one more phone call. If you don't have a big history of claims then getting creamed by one old geezer won't do much harm to your risk profile. I tend to err on the side of lowering my own stress and letting the professionals deal with it when I can. YMMV obviously. Good luck and hopefully you get it sorted out quickly.

Oh.. That’s what I was worried about, since the other party’s insurance seems to be dragging their feet, I wondered if they were going to give me a value way below my expectation. It was still a baby, just 27,660 miles! This is my first time being involved in an accident so I’m kinda in the dark with how things should go, I have over 50 tabs open with google. Did you have to cancel the claim with the other party’s insurance in order to open one with your own insurance? Thank you for the advice!

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Also Demand a second party survey (body shop) of the car before accepting it. I had a truck that was hit from the rear and the frame was bent. The garage just put some Bondo on it and let it go. It tracked like a crab on the street, however they had adjusted the alignment off center to compensate so it felt ok while driving it off the lot. They called me on a Friday to pick it up late (closing time) in the day. The following week I took it back and was told that I must have hit a big hole in the road. The long story short, It took 3 more months and 2 law firms to get the truck totaled and a check for a replacement. The check was prorated at first and I had to get another lawyer involved to get the full value for the truck.

Come to find out that the insurance adjuster and the body shop were greasing each other hands and taking a cut. The insurance adjuster went to jail and the shop had their license revoked, but was was under new ownership the next week and never missed a beet (funny how that works). I would never sign another another paper for accepting a auto that had been repaired again with out a test drive to another shop to inspect the repairs. Or take some one with you that can survey the fix and test drive it with someone following you for a mile or two.

Oh wow, I really hoped that my car was repairable but it sounds like the easiest way to get through all of this is to have them total it. I feel like I’m putting down a loyal steed thinking about it, but maybe it would be for the best. Thank you for the advice, I’ll definitely get a second party to check over any repairs! There are a couple of KIA service centers/certified KIA body shops I know of that aren’t too far.

 

[RIP.Kiki]

I should have also added.....If you get any kind of push back from the insurance company consult a GOOD lawyer. Unfortunately in this day and age it seems you need lawyers for everything to protect your interests. Remember personal injury means more than just physical, your also injured personally in other ways like your pocketbook and other things that may have escaped your train of thought.

Will do! I’ve had a few coworkers refer me to lawyers that helped them in similar accidents that I’m keeping on hand. There’s a whole list of expenses that I’ve been putting into an excel sheet to keep track of like the researched averaged ACV, license registration, vehicle registration, sales tax, diminished value, loss of wages, etc.

 

[RIP.Kiki]

RIP.Kiki, are your dashcams installed by Kia, per the LX trim, or did you go on your own to have them installed? I only have the rear-view camera. I wonder if it even saves images, such as when a rear-end collision occurs, and how to get them out from the info system for evidence purposes.

I installed my dashcams myself, the VIOFO A129 Pro that I got off Amazon. You do have to purchase the micro sd card separately, but Best Buy has sales pretty often. I got them in November 2021, so after all this time I was kinda thinking that spending about $200 maybe wasn’t worth it, but now it’s saved me thousands of dollars so I don’t regret it at all! I don’t believe the camera view that shows up when you reverse records anything, it’s just to help you to see behind. Maybe on the more premium trims they do?

 

[RIP.Kiki]

I would just think you should just call your insurance and start a claim. You can explain that you've contacted the other driver's company and they can help you from there. In my case I just refused the other companies estimate and let my company handle it.

Ahh I see, okay thank you very much!

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Same thing happened to me sitting on I-76 in in backed up Philly traffic returning from the beach to central PA. A car hit me on the rear corner on the driver's side and then backed up and took off down an exit ramp (it was a hit and run). I could tell it was a maroon sedan with 3 male occupants, but other than that I had no evidence. Damage looked similar to yours. After I bent back some sheet metal that was rubbing on the tire, my Niro was driveable, so I drove home and filed a claim. After 2 weeks in the shop, my car was repaired. I was lucky the impact was not harder, or it could have ended up much worse.

I’m glad your car was repairable! Those guys are horrible, seriously, a hit and run? I think some of the whiplash force was dissipated by getting the corner hit instead of dead on in the back, glad you’re okay too!

 

[RIP.Kiki]

RIP.Kiki, sorry for your accident, and hopefully your dashcam data will help if needed. I'm concened how the wheel definitely looks off. I wouldn't cancel the other person's insurance company working on the issue, but would contact my insurance agent (I have an agent that is in my neighborhood and will talk to him or assistant (who I prefer since she is very knowledgeable and in more than my agent)... Not that I have submitted any claims... LOL

If I don’t hear from them by tomorrow afternoon (adjuster hours are 8-5CT M-F) I will definitely contact my own insurance to reopen my claim with them. Thank you for the advice!

 

[RIP.Kiki]

As much as you were attached to the car, at this point you have to detach emotionally and think of it as a twisted hunk of metal. If it can be fixed, great. If it’s totaled, fine. The important thing is that you are taken care of, physically, and made whole, financially.

Yes, I blame Toy Story and the Brave Little Toaster for making me so sentimentally attached. People can’t be replaced though, so it did its job well in keeping us safe. I’ll think of it fondly in my memories and start asking around for quotes in case it is to be totaled.

 

[RIP.Kiki]

I think that even if they do repair it really well, it’s going to have a lot of handling/alignment issues. I would just total it.

They did say that if it were to be fixed, the repairs would have a lifetime warranty. But it’s probably better to be safe than sorry…

 

[RIP.Kiki]

If your car is repaired know that some states require insurance companies to pay for diminished value. This is the difference in value of a wrecked car that has been repaired vs. one that has never been in an accident. You do have to request this. Also if the car is totaled request prorated registration costs. Please Google your rights for your state.

Thank you for the advice, I’ve been looking into it and and added this to the expense spreadsheet I have been making. I’ve heard it’s difficult to prove how much your car was previously worth compared to after the damage though, without having to fight the insurance company for it. Hopefully it won’t come to that.

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Here's some more pictures from damaged to road-worthy. View attachment 8329
View attachment 8325
View attachment 8328
View attachment 8327
View attachment 8326

Here's some more pictures from damaged to road-worthy. View attachment 8329
View attachment 8325
View attachment 8328
View attachment 8327
View attachment 8326

Looks like a big SUV hit you. Makes me sad that we're equipping worse and worse drivers with larger and larger vehicles in a dumb arms race.

The Niro's unibody can take a hit. I purchased a totaled one at an auction - I was specifically looking for the PHEV.

Fixing up accident damaged cars is not something the typical mechanic shop is going to do for you. It's for hobbyists, DIYers, body shops and insurance companies. Some states will give you a hard time trying to put it back on the road if its title has been wholly or partially condemned (salvaged, totaled, etc.) by the insurance company.

A competent body shop can do an evaluation for a couple hundred dollars, provided you give them the car with mangled panels and components removed. You'd need to be good at looking through parts diagrams and will need a cooperative Kia dealer to help you with this. If the air bags went off you'll need to figure out the costs of resetting the system and replacing those (it can be a lot, and a Kia dealer will most likely have to do this).

The Niro's body is pretty bendable - what is out of alignment can be bent back so long as nothing structural is cracked.

Mine took a hit on the front right corner - you can see the red paint on the bumper area. I picked this one because the hit was minor. The front cage took all of the damage and went about 1.5" to 2" out of alignment.

The insurance company estimated over $8,000 in repairs but elected to send it to auction instead of having it repaired. I put under $2,500 in parts and expenses into it. I had a local body shop put the car on the frame machine and bend it back into alignment. I had them paint the new front bumper cover, which came unfinished. I scoured all the parts from diagrams I got from a Kia dealer and got everything I needed except two plastic clips (the diagrams can be hard to tell which parts come in sets and what come alone). It took me about three months to get it together, titled by my state, insured and registered (as a "rebuilt title" that is pretty much only good in my state - most states will not honor another states rebuilt car because many will not even allow them back on the road like Maine will). Insurance is a wild card too. I had to shop around and couldn't get comprehensive coverage.


View attachment 8322
View attachment 8323
View attachment 8324

Under $2500 for a PHEV, that’s impressive! I didn’t know that rebuilt titles were a thing. Thank you for the advice and the walk through, luckily no air bags went off so there no need to worry about them when factoring costs.

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Looking over the pictures though, I'm pretty sure the rear bumper absorbed most of the energy of the hit. But you have a few panel issues, trim issues, tail light issues and suspension issues. I'm sure that's $5,000 minimum in dealer parts, at the body shop's cost. The seals in the hatch and rear door will not likely line up well again. I wouldn't be surprised to have this be a $12,000 or more claim by the adjuster if it's deemed repairable. This is well into the territory where they will consider totaling it and selling it at the auction (it will go for parts - only older irredeemable cars go right to the crusher). Many states have a "for parts only" salvage title that means the car can never be made road legal again.

A piece of my poor car’s tail light was dangling from the bottom like a zombie eyeball 😭 The Jeep hit us twice actually, the initial impact and then he swung the wheel or hit the accelerator in panic, I think. Initially slammed into the back corner of the car and then where the wheel is. Well, if they choose to total it, I can think of my car as being an organ donor. Saving the lives of other Niros, it will live on!

 

[RIP.Kiki]

I was hit in rear passenger door when making a sudden, impulsive lane change, Car that hit me was going about 15 mph. Thankfully no one was hurt but passengers (wife & 6 yr old granddaughter are not gonna forget when grandpa decided to make a sudden U turn (my fault 🤮) ! There was some damage that was more than skin deep and cost of my repair about $6500. Looks like yours has way more damaged parts than mine. Glad to hear no one was hurt in your accident. Good luck with repairs or replacement. The used Niros with reasonable mileage (4-10K / yr) are selling for about 10% below the cost of new.

replacement View attachment 8332

I’m glad you and your family were okay too! I’ve been putting a spreadsheet together of cost of Niros of the same year/trim/area code/mileage (27k)/color/condition(great condition and also after similar rear end damage), and they’ve been consistently around 23-25k, average 24k. Sources like NADA, KBB, Edmunds, Carfax, Carmax, TrueCar, IAA, etc. I’m hoping for at least 20k if they decide to total it, and then definitely the prorated registration fees that @Glenn mentioned. I appreciate the well wishes!

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Glad your ok, that's the most important thing. I hope your dealing with the other persons insurance company and not your own since he caused the accident. If you deal with your company it will show up as a "claim" on your records even though your company will subrogate it to their insurance. What ever don't let emotion cloud your judgement. From the pics it looks like maybe your gonna have rear suspension damage and maybe ever structural damage. Hopefully they will total it and you can get a new car. If your friendly with a Kia dealer maybe they can help you making sure your get the correct number for your car. Don't wait for the insurance company bug the **** out of them for action. They should be paying for a rental (your might be still making payments on your car that your denied use of due to the other guys negligence, you need to go to work and to the doctor to get checked out, keep mentioning that). If it gets fixed make sure your the one that can choose a body shop. Make sure you get a good one. Good luck.

I was rear ended while sitting at a red light last week. A JEEP Grand Cherokee slammed into the back corner of the passenger side, making it undriveable (hit by an older gentleman who “didn’t see us”). Luckily I have dashcams for the front and back, so it captured everything and the guy admitted he was at fault and was very polite about it.
Insurance still hasn’t gotten back as to whether they’re going to repair or total it, so I thought I could maybe get some opinions here to prep myself. Hurt my heart taking pictures and seeing it get towed away, I spent the first two years of my first real 9-5 job paying it off, named it, vacuumed it every month, washed it regularly…I really really hope it’s repairable! View attachment 8302
View attachment 8300
View attachment 8301
View attachment 8299
(pushed all the way into the next lane! Good thing there weren’t any other cars there)

Small update 10MAR2023: as of now it’s been 2 1/2 weeks since I was rear ended. It took the insurance until Monday, almost 2 weeks, to get it from the tow yard! It’s currently at a nearby Norm Reeves where they drew up an estimate of record that they submitted to Kia and the adjuster. I asked for a copy and in all, their estimate total is just over $15k with no ETA on one of the parts, followed by an estimated 4-6 week repair time after all of the parts are received. All the adjuster will tell me is that my rental has been extended to next Friday 😔

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Well at least that's a little progress. I would keep after the claims person assigned to your case. I don't think the adjuster has the power to total your car. A rental for 6 weeks will really add up quick and if they don't provide one to you that would be the final straw for me to get a lawyer. Somehow make sure they know that.

Conclusion:
In the end, they have decided to total it and originally offered me $23.6k before I asked them to redo the valuation for an LX instead of an FE. New valuation is $24.3 and then additional for sales tax and fees. Which is pretty much what I had paid in 2018. Now it’s just a whole bunch paperwork and tackling getting a prorated refund for my extended warranty. And getting a new car.

I dropped off the extra key fob and got to sit inside one last time to grab things before releasing to them. All warm from the sunshine and I ended up crying again because from the front she was still perfect. Good-bye Kiki, you were the best 😭

 

[RIP.Kiki]

Probably the best outcome, despite having to say farewell to an old friend. Overall, were you satisfied with the outcome?

I think I’m pretty satisfied. I was all geared up to duke it out with them over the valuation but they came back with more than I had averaged. And they included additional for the sales and tax and fees without me having to request it. It took a while to get the ball rolling, but their service was polite and helpful. Like FINiro said, timing seems to be in my side since the value of my car was still high but the dealerships I’ve visited are now more stocked and more open to negotiations than they were last year.