My 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid got into a car crash and the other driver admitted fault. The damage on my car was the right rear door. I went to a local body shop to get an estimate of the cost, and it came to $5,400 including parts and labor. This is close to the value of my car, and the insurance company might total it, now I’m just waiting for the insurance company to call me and tell me what they want to do. If they decide to total it, what should I do?
If they total it then your choices are take the money, or drop your claim.
If the vehicle is structurally compromised then it gets a salvage title.
If it's only a damaged door (sounds like the b/c pillars MAY have been affected at that price) yet it in fact drives safely then tell insurance you'll take slightly less to not total it.
That way you get the money & can still drive it or sell parts, etc. I did that about 4-5x with my first car, 2x with my second & I can't even recall how many with my third.
These were close to 20 years old at the time so despite the upgrades the insurance was trying to bone me claiming they had no value despite having a receipt for a crate engine, etc.
