Help! How do I submit diminished value to insurance?

[medtech]

Some A-hole rear-ended me last week. To me it looked like minor cosmetic, but the body shop came back w/ $8k of repairs.

I remember reading a post about submitting a claim to insurance for the diminished value of a P-car after an accident. I can't find that post, but it mentioned a website or company that even provides devalued estimates to submit (I think). Does anyone know what I am talking about, or have I been sniffing 91 octane too much?

Thanks,

Medtech

[70Sixter]

Here's one I keep "just in case."

http://www.ican2000.com/dvfaqs.html

[whs]

My mother works for a major insurance company. Recently my father in law was driving his Mercedes SLK three days after he purchased it used (it is a 2004) and was rear ended by a large SUV resulting in significant damage. Since the claim was going against a different insurance company I asked her what he should ask for in dimished vaule. Her answer was good luck getting anything. Their position is that when they pay to have your car repaired it is repaired to same value as prior to the accident. My response was that if he sold the car the repair would show up on CarFax and that would lead most people to either not want to purchase the car or at least pay less for the car compared to a similar car with no accidents. She said they would take any diminished value claim to the court system and that they win virtually all claims. She indicated that about the only claims they loose are on vintage cars that a claim could be made that it is not possible to repair to same vaule due to value of the car being based on all original parts. Of course she also said it never hurts to ask.