At-fault driver wrecked my car right before I needed it for a cross-country move — can I claim those costs?

I went through something weirdly similar — not a move, but I had a pre-paid work trip that got derailed when my car was in the shop after a rear-ender. I submitted the extra transportation costs as part of my claim and the adjuster actually paid out most of it once I showed them the original booking confirmations. The key for me was proving those plans existed before the accident and that the accident directly caused the extra expense. Your dashcam footage sounds like a huge plus — no liability fight means they're more likely to just settle the whole thing cleanly.

Don't be surprised if the adjuster tries to tell you those costs are "not covered" right out of the gate. That's often just an opening position, not the final word. They're trained to say no first and see who pushes back. If you have solid documentation and the liability is clear-cut like you're describing, push back in writing. Emails create a paper trail. Phone calls don't.

Honestly, from the other side of the desk — the cleaner the liability, the more wiggle room adjusters have to approve things like this without it becoming a whole thing internally. When fault is disputed, everything gets scrutinized. When it's obvious like your dashcam situation, the file moves faster and there's less appetite for a fight over add-on expenses. That said, itemize everything and keep the amounts reasonable. Inflated claims raise flags even on clean files.

Not legal advice, but generally speaking, you can absolutely include out-of-pocket losses beyond the vehicle repair in a claim against an at-fault driver's liability coverage. The burden is on you to show those costs were a direct, foreseeable result of the accident — and your pre-existing moving plans help establish that. If the carrier pushes back hard, a quick consult with a PI attorney is worth it. Many do free consultations and can tell you pretty quickly if it's worth pursuing formally.

Document everything. Every single receipt. Write a short timeline — accident date, car drop-off date, shop estimate for completion, your original move date — and attach it to the receipts when you submit. Make it impossible for them to claim you didn't prove the connection. And do it all in writing via email so you have a record.

Ugh, this is so stressful, I'm sorry. Moving is already a nightmare even when everything goes right. I really hope the insurance stuff works out — it seems so unfair that you're eating these extra costs when none of this was your fault. Hang in there.

Quick question — did the body shop give you a written estimated completion date? Because if you're claiming the move delay was caused by the repair timeline, you'll want that documented formally, not just a verbal estimate from a tech. If you don't have it in writing, get it now before you submit anything.