humble-vole-21019h ago

Rear-ended at high speed — airbags deployed. Is my car definitely totaled?

So this happened last Thursday and I'm still kind of in shock about the whole thing. I was sitting at a stoplight on my way to work when someone slammed into the back of me going what witnesses said was probably 45-50 mph. My car got pushed forward into the intersection and both the rear and front airbags went off.

I bought this SUV brand new about 14 months ago. Still have that new-car smell, you know? Or I did. The whole rear end looks crushed inward and the trunk won't open at all. Front has damage too from where I got pushed into the intersection.

The other driver was cited at the scene — ran a red light on a phone, according to witnesses — so liability seems pretty clear. I have a police report and got contact info from two people who saw everything.

His insurance has already called me (three times in two days, which feels weird). They said they're "working on getting an appraiser out" but haven't told me anything concrete.

My questions: 1. With airbag deployment and that level of damage, is it almost certain they'll total it? 2. If they do total it, how do they calculate what they owe me? I still owe quite a bit on my loan and I'm scared about being underwater. 3. Should I even be talking to their insurance directly or is that a mistake?

I have no idea how any of this works and I feel like I'm flying blind. Any experience with this appreciated.

8 replies

Most helpful first

gentle-seal-38019h ago
Went through almost the exact same thing last year — someone blew a stop sign and crushed my passenger side, airbags everywhere. When airbags deploy, repair costs almost always push the car past that threshold where they just declare it a total loss. It's not just the bag replacement — it's all the sensors, the structural stuff, the labor. I was honestly surprised how fast they moved once they saw the airbag situation. Hang tight, you'll probably get that total loss call pretty soon.
- bright-kestrel-67119h ago
  Those three calls in two days? That's not them being helpful — that's them trying to get you to say something they can use later or get you to settle fast before you know what your car (or your body) is really worth. Do NOT give them a recorded statement and don't accept any offer until you fully understand what you're owed. They work for the other driver, not you. Please remember that.
- warm-elk-08419h ago
  Not legal advice, but I'd strongly suggest you stop talking to the other driver's insurance directly, at least until you understand your rights. You have no obligation to cooperate with them — that obligation runs to your own insurer. Given that liability sounds clear and you have witnesses plus a police report, you're actually in a decent position, but that position can erode if you say the wrong thing. Most PI attorneys do free consultations and can at least help you understand what you're dealing with.
daring-grouse-88819h ago
Former adjuster here. A few things: yes, airbag deployment alone usually signals a total loss because the cost to replace the bags, clock springs, sensors, and then do a proper structural inspection almost always pushes the repair estimate past the vehicle's actual cash value — especially on a newer car that's depreciated a bit but not dramatically.

On the loan gap: this is where people get blindsided. The insurance company owes you the market value of the vehicle, not what you paid or what you owe. If you're underwater, that difference is yours to cover unless you have gap insurance through your lender or your own policy. Check your paperwork tonight. Seriously.
hearty-grouse-62119h ago
One thing worth doing right now: pull your own insurance policy and see if you have gap coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage. Also, you can go through your own insurance for the vehicle claim even when it's the other person's fault — they'll subrogate against his insurance. Sometimes that's faster and your insurer is at least theoretically on your side. Not legal advice, just process stuff I've seen come up a lot.
kind-sparrow-70219h ago
Please make sure you're getting checked out medically if you haven't already. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries from that kind of impact often don't show up until 48-72 hours later. I've seen people feel totally fine right after and then wake up on day three barely able to turn their head. Go to urgent care or your doctor and get it documented even if you feel okay right now.
swift-owl-28119h ago
Short answers: yes, probably totaled. They'll use local comparable sales to set ACV (actual cash value) — you can and should dispute it if the number seems low by pulling your own comps from listings in your area. And stop answering their calls without knowing what you want to say first. You're not required to be available to them 24/7.
daring-dove-72919h ago
I'm so sorry this happened to you. 14 months into a new car and someone just destroys it because they were on their phone — that's infuriating on top of everything else. I hope you're physically okay. Please don't try to navigate all of this alone, it sounds really overwhelming.