License suspension/insurance coverage

[adjusterjack]

So I have another question on this. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The insurance company is offering $30 less than payoff (roughly $11,400). I’m telling her to take the offer, but she is insisting that she can get more. She feels that the insurance company should at least give her a couple thousand more so she can get something else to drive, and that since the other driver was at fault that she is “owed” more money to replace her vehicle.

She is owed the Actual Cash Value of the vehicle. She doesn't get more just to "punish" the other driver.

However, used car values are all over the map these days.

She could be entitled to more money if she can prove that her car is worth more. To accomplish that she will need to compile evidence to refute the offer.

Resources for used car values:

Auto Trader for sale prices.
Craigs List for sale prices.
Edmunds value guide.
Kelley Blue Book value guide.
NADA value guide.
cargurus.com
https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-value-estimator/
https://www.truecar.com/trade/

She can compile photos and ads for comparable vehicles and present them to the claim rep.

No guarantees, and it certainly won't be thousands, maybe a few hundred.

Her boyfriend keeps telling her that he has dealt with insurance lots of times and you just need to know the laws and that she should get an attorney.

He's an idiot. An attorney will want a retainer against $300 to $400 per hour, fees that she won't get back. Nobody's going to touch car damage on a contingency.

She gets one shot at presenting a coherent, factual rebuttal to the claim rep. If that doesn't work, so be it.