Obtain Estimates

• After your accident, you should have obtained several estimates. Do not simply rely on the estimate from the body shop the insurance company uses. Get estimates from several independent shops around town. When obtaining those estimates, always ask that the damage be repaired using genuine manufacturer parts. Some body shops, including those that work with insurance companies, provide low-ball estimates that include not genuine parts but inferior, after-market versions of those parts. That could put your safety, and the safety of your family, at risk.
  
  

Document Vehicle Value

• In some cases, the insurance company might try to declare your vehicle a total loss by saying that the needed repairs cost more than the car is worth. You can fight this assertion by providing estimates of your vehicle's value from authoritative sources like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book (See Resources.) You can also use classified ads and dealer advertisements showing the price of the same make and model. If you have photographs of the car before the crash, you can use them to prove that the vehicle was in excellent condition and is therefore worth more than the insurance company is offering.
  
  

Review Your Policy

• Review your insurance policy carefully before you contact the company to protest their low-ball estimate. Your insurance policy could provide valuable ammunition you can use to back up your claim that more money is needed to bring your vehicle back to its original condition. If your insurance policy indicates that all repairs will be made with genuine parts, you can use that language to back up a higher estimate that includes those genuine parts, as opposed to a lower estimate that uses generic parts instead. Copy the relevant pages in your policy, highlight those sections and submit them to your claims adjuster.
  
  

Hold Out

• Having the ability to wait out the insurance company can give you the upper hand. If you can drive your car safely without making the repair or doing any additional damage, consider waiting to have the damage repaired. If you have another car in the family, or if you can afford alternate transportation, you are in an even better position. Eventually the insurance company will want to close out its old claims, and they may be willing to renegotiate and offer more money to get your claim off the books. The less you need to finalize your claim, the stronger your bargaining position.