Clarity rear ended, seems minor. Diminished value claim possible?

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ommatidia

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Our '20 Touring Clarity got hit at the red light. Rear ended but the impact does not appear to be significant. Other party faulty 100%. I see some scratches and paint peeling off on the rear bumper. I would like some suggestions.
- Should I request the car gets checked at a Honda dealer to inspect underlying damage, if any? Possibly battery, and hybrid system.
- Can we claim diminished value from the other driver's insurance company? Even though the car gets repaired, the accident claim will appear on the records. I live in California. I was planning to sell the car or trade-in at some point in near future.
thanks,
 
ommatidia said:
Our '20 Touring Clarity got hit at the red light. Rear ended but the impact does not appear to be significant. Other party faulty 100%. I see some scratches and paint peeling off on the rear bumper. I would like some suggestions.
- Should I request the car gets checked at a Honda dealer to inspect underlying damage, if any? Possibly battery, and hybrid system.
- Can we claim diminished value from the other driver's insurance company? Even though the car gets repaired, the accident claim will appear on the records. I live in California. I was planning to sell the car or trade-in at some point in near future.
thanks,
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Regarding getting it checked out, I would. Hidden damage is a real thing. Diminished value, there sure is, but how much money are you talking? It’s only going to show on your CarFax if there’s a police report. California isn’t a no fault state, so it depends how the insurance company determines. I’ve totaled a car by rear ending it, and was 100% not at fault.
 
There was no police called to the scene. I also think all claims reported to insurance appear in the reports like Carfax.
 
ommatidia said:
Our '20 Touring Clarity got hit at the red light. Rear ended but the impact does not appear to be significant. Other party faulty 100%. I see some scratches and paint peeling off on the rear bumper. I would like some suggestions.
- Should I request the car gets checked at a Honda dealer to inspect underlying damage, if any? Possibly battery, and hybrid system.
- Can we claim diminished value from the other driver's insurance company? Even though the car gets repaired, the accident claim will appear on the records. I live in California. I was planning to sell the car or trade-in at some point in near future.
thanks,
Click to expand...
I will suggest to have your car checked by a dealer or a good body shop. In our previous clarity, someone hit our car in a parking lot (hit and run), and apparently was a minor cosmetic situation, but when we took it to the body shop to repair the dent, they found hidden damage and the bill went up to $8500.
 
Boston_Pilot said:
So out of curiosity, how do you think CarFax would find out about the other persons insurance writing you (or the auto body shop, but probably you) a check?
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I assume the shop doing the repair would enter my VIN information as this is an insurance paid job. I also gave my own insurance policy number when I was talking to the other driver's insurance. I don't know the exact procedure, what they do etc. My main inquiry was: can I also get diminished value compensation in addition to the repairs assuming that the accident will appear in car history reports.
 
ommatidia said:
I assume the shop doing the repair would enter my VIN information as this is an insurance paid job. I also gave my own insurance policy number when I was talking to the other driver's insurance. I don't know the exact procedure, what they do etc. My main inquiry was: can I also get diminished value compensation in addition to the repairs assuming that the accident will appear in car history reports.
Click to expand...

Lol, well make sure and let us know!
 
You should get the car checked out. I would try a auto body instead of dealer since dealer doesn't do body work. The plastic bumper cover could cover any damages behind it.

As for diminished resale, the car will get a hit if you claim insurance. I was involved with a similar accident. I was rear-ended. Bumper was scratched and the cover was replaced. There was no body damage at all. but when I trade it in, it showed up as being in an accident. Multiple dealers didn't care if the damage was minor and there was no structural damage. Just the fact the car showed up in a carfax report was enough to reduce the resale value.

So think twice before getting an insurance claim for something minor even if the other insurance company is paying for it.
 
From the horses mouth (carfax):

6. Hail Damage Title Brand
Nearly 60% of severe weather insurance claims in 2015 were attributed to hail. At the same time, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration reports that $1 billion in property damage is caused by hail each year.

As you can imagine, hail damage can have a significant impact on the resale value of a vehicle. That can mean significant savings for used-car shoppers if the damage is disclosed, but it can also hit buyers hard if an unethical seller tries to hide information about hail damage.

If you’re considering a used car, examine it closely. Hail damage can be more severe than you might notice at first glance, so a thorough visual inspection is crucial. Ideally, you should have the vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic. Further, an insurance provider might not issue comprehensive coverage on a hail-damaged car, and some lenders will not finance a car with hail damage.

Many states issue a title brand for hail damage, but some (such as Texas) do not. When hail damage has been reported by an insurance company, or a state department of motor vehicles, you’ll find that information on a CARFAX Vehicle History Report. In addition to looking for a hail damage title brand, be on the lookout for total loss or salvage title brands, and check to see in which states the vehicle you’re considering was previously registered.

The following DMVs issue a title brand specifically for hail damage:

Arizona
District of Columbia
Florida
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Lousiana
Maryland
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Hampshire
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsi
 
There is another database that is used by insurance company. More than 99% of auto insurance companies and 96% of home insurance companies contribute to CLUE, according to LexisNexis. Only insurance companies that report information to CLUE can also withdraw information from the LexisNexis database.
 
If you wind up going through getting any repairs paid for by the other party's insurance, then ABSOLUTELY include a diminished value claim.
 
I called the California Insurance Commissioner's consumer hotline. I was told that in CA, diminished value claims are not enforced, the insurance companies do not need to include that and it all depends on the company we are dealing with. It is up to them to consider the diminished value.
I am in the process of getting repair estimates from independent body shops. The other party is willing to pay out of pocket if the cost does not exceed a certain amount. They would not get hit by the insurance and I will probably benefit not having the scratch as an accident in the car history. The estimates I got so far are all larger then $1K. I don't know if it is the Covid-19 but the pricing went up a lot. I did not expect it would cost that much. I will update accordingly.
 
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Body repairs are almost always higher than you think.

If you have 'estimates' that are all 'larger than' $1K - What are the estimates? Exactly what do they delinineate they would do to repair it?

For example, replacement rear bumper cover is around $400, and that doesn't include labor / materials to paint it and do the installation. With all of the plastic parts used these days (rear bumper cover included), shops often will not mess around trying to repair chips, scratches, cracks, and will opt to just replace the part.

A body shop will also not be able to give you a definitive estimate until they take some things apart because it is impossible to evaluate possible damage underneath without being able to see it.

Do you have a photo of the damaged area?
 
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