Adjuster just called — thinks my truck is totaled. I'm not ready for this.

Went through almost the exact same thing last year — paid-off car, hit at an intersection, total loss call before they even put it on a lift. The payout process is basically: they pull "comparable vehicles" in your area to set the market value, then offer you that minus your deductible. The key thing nobody told me is that you can dispute their comps. I found several listings for similar vehicles that were priced higher than what they used, sent the links over, and they actually bumped the offer up. Not by a ton but enough to matter. Don't just accept the first number.

So I used to work on the claims side and here's the honest truth: that initial total loss estimate is not a final offer, even though adjusters sometimes let you feel like it is. The comparable vehicle search they run is automated and it can pull bad data — wrong trim level, wrong mileage range, missing options packages. You have every right to request the full valuation report, go line by line, and submit your own comps. Do it in writing, not just over the phone. Also — if you had any aftermarket additions or recent major repairs, document those now because they rarely get factored in automatically.

Please do not let them pressure you into a quick settlement. They love when people are stressed and just want it over with — that's when you accept a number that's lower than you deserve. Take your time. Get your own appraisal if you can.

A couple of procedural things worth knowing: most states give you the right to dispute a total loss valuation through an appraisal process — it's usually written right into your policy, look for a section called "appraisal clause" or "dispute resolution." Also, if the other driver was at fault, you may have a claim against their liability coverage in addition to your own, which changes the math a little. Not saying that's your situation but worth understanding what coverage you're actually dealing with here.

I just want to gently flag — you mentioned airbags didn't deploy but you still took a significant side impact. Please make sure you've been seen by a doctor if you haven't already. Adrenaline masks a lot in the hours after a crash, and some injuries (soft tissue stuff especially) don't show up until days later. The car stuff is stressful but your body matters more right now.

Ugh I'm so sorry. The timing of this sounds genuinely awful with everything else you've got going on. It's okay to be upset about more than just the injury — losing something that was finally yours and paid off is a real loss. Be kind to yourself while you figure this out.

Short version of what you need to do: (1) request the written valuation report, (2) pull your own comparable listings from the same region, (3) respond in writing with anything they missed — options, condition, recent work done on it. If you think there's a gap between what they're offering and what it's actually worth, an independent appraiser costs a few hundred bucks and often pays for itself. Don't skip that step just because it feels like a hassle.

Not legal advice, but if the other driver was at fault you likely have more options than just dealing with your own insurer's total loss process. Property damage and any injury claims can be separate tracks. Worth at least understanding what the at-fault driver's policy looks like before you close anything out — once you settle, that's usually it.