Should I release my car to the at-fault driver’s insurance before getting a value?

So, my daughter’s car got totaled when she was rear-ended at a stoplight. The insurance company is telling me they can’t give a value on the car until I release it to their facility, but it’s still at the body shop where it was towed. Is that normal? What kind of leverage does keeping the car give me in this situation? Any advice?

Yeah, they’re probably trying to avoid those insane storage fees. I’d suggest releasing it to them just to cut down on costs, but make sure you’ve taken all the pictures you need and grabbed everything from the car.

@Lin
Good call. I didn’t even think about the storage fees stacking up. I’ll definitely take some pics and get my stuff out before doing anything.

They can actually give you a value without moving it, but some companies just stick to their process. It’s more about their convenience than a real need.

Calvine said:
They can actually give you a value without moving it, but some companies just stick to their process. It’s more about their convenience than a real need.

That’s what I was thinking too. It felt more like a procedure thing than a real reason. Guess I’ll push them on that.

From what I know, releasing the car doesn’t affect your leverage much unless you’re planning on taking legal action or need it for evidence in a personal injury claim. If your daughter got hurt, maybe hold off a bit.

@Lake
She’s okay, luckily, but thanks for mentioning that. I wasn’t sure if holding the car would give me any extra negotiation power.

Honestly, I’d get it out of the body shop ASAP. Those storage fees add up quick. You can still negotiate the value of the car after it’s moved.

PhantomPhoenix said:
Honestly, I’d get it out of the body shop ASAP. Those storage fees add up quick. You can still negotiate the value of the car after it’s moved.

Yeah, those fees are ridiculous. Moving it won’t hurt your negotiations, so you might as well avoid paying more to the shop.

Like others have said, you should release the car. It’s just sitting there racking up storage costs, and you’ll still have the chance to negotiate the total loss amount with the insurance company afterward.

@Vesper
Looks like I’ll be moving it then! Thanks for the advice everyone, it’s been super helpful.