Insurance-Diminished Value after Accident

[evldave]

Not my direct experience, but here's what happened:

4 years ago, my mom was driving her brand new (15 miles on the ODO) 2002 Tahoe home from the dealer ($40k off the lot). She was 1 mile from the dealer and got rearended at a stop sign by some jerkoff in a chrysler lebaron convertible.

Well, the insurance refused to pay diminished value or whatever, and the dealer had a $15k 'loss' on the frame repair required because he hit her at an angle and tweaked it good (required a frame rebend, cut, and reweld).

Since then, she's put on 90k miles, long miles from Washington to California, once to Chicago and back, and probably 30-40k miles pulling a 24' travel trailer or my brother's 19' boat. It has driven PERFECTLY, with no problems (a serious concern we all had since it was bought as a tow rig)

Couple weeks ago, she traded in on a new Tahoe, and the dealer (same place she bought originally, and also gave her the $15k loss estimate for the insurance company that wouldn't listen) - gave her FULL PRICE for her tradein, even though they knew it had frame repair. I seriously doubt that most people would get this kind of service, but we've been a family full of buyers from the dealer, so they cut her a break.

Note: Her title does NOT have a note, and carfax does NOT indicate an accident. I'm guessing the dealer sold off her Tahoe to a reseller and never said a word...