Reddit user Deathcon-H had a really bad day. He was driving his his 1989 Volkswagen Jetta coupe on the highway when someone rear-ended him. His prized possession is a classic probably worth $6k. But he was in for a nasty surprise.

He admits the actual accident could have been worse, and the good news is the resulting police report found the other driver at fault. He says he truthfully just wanted his car repaired, so the two drivers filed the accident with the insurance companies. Then the insurance company hit him with the most frustrating offer. It told him the accident had caused more than a dented bumper. His classic VW had suffered frame damage. What’s more, fixing it would cost about $3,500. They said they wanted to total the car. Then they offered him $700 for it.

If you’re not familiar with old Volkswagens, you might say, “Yeah, I saw an old VW Rabbit listed for $700, sounds fair.” But Deathcon-H was probably right when he said, “This car is very rare and very clean…it would take $4000 to find a car that runs and 6-10k for ones that are the same condition as mine!”

I decided to check into his estimates. One 1989 Jetta coupe with the 1.8T engine on Bring a Trailer in 2023 bid up to $8,500. That auction didn’t meet the reserve. Back in 2021, another one sold for $7,200. Classic.com compiles various listings and found that in the past five years the average 1989 Volkswagen Jetta coupe has been listed for $14,300. Even if a couple really pristine cars are driving that average up, none have been listed below $6,200 in the past five years.

Deathcon-H was understandably flabbergasted. He said, “The insurance company wants to call my car a total loss and pay me $700 for it. HOW DOES THIS WORK??? Im heart broken and frustrated and so pissed off. I just want my car fixed. (sic)” Luckily some redditors came through with helpful solutions. The consensus was to not take the $700 offer. Doing so would mean the car belongs to the company who could then scrap it.

One recommendation was to lawyer up and fight the insurance company: “Keep fighting it. Don’t give up. Send them comps to prove the replacement cost. Be persistent. Hire a lawyer. Don’t sign anything and don’t accept their low-ball valuation.”

Another redditor said they won just such a case, “If it makes you feel better I was rear ended in my 1966 mustang by an uninsured driver. I took the car to a shop and they quoted $8,000 to repair. My geico offered me $2,500, but I fought it, showed comparable prices, as well as all the receipts for the modifications I made to the car, to build value. They sent a 3rd party adjuster to my house to take photos and verify everything I told them. Then then paid the full $8,000 and I had the car completely repaired. If you fight it you can win”

One commenter came in with a very precise plan, including running up the total bill: “If it’s the other guys insurance just send them the estimate or better get the highest estimate you can find and tell them to pay it. If they hem and haw and moan just file in small claims court and add in a charge for storage of the car while it isn’t getting fixed as well as rental car cost for the time they haven’t paid. Get it to the maximum you can find for small claims (usually 10k). They may try to settle before court if so don’t take less than what you are filing for….They are required to make you whole since it’s his insurance. Do not accept anything they send you or sign anything settling.”

Another suggestion was to sue the other driver: “Best you can do at this point is sue. DO NOT settle with your insurance company. Get proof of your cars value, comparables, an estimation from a pro. And see if your insurance company will make a decent offer. Sue the person who hit you, small claims is easier, no lawyer, but there may be a limit that’s too low to satisfy you.”

In the most upvoted comment, a redditor offered a way Deathon-H could have been more prepared and saved tons of money: “Classic car insurance on agreed upon value is your answer.” Another commenter specified, “the insurance company doesn’t give a f— about sentimental value; they pay you for what the car is worth in parts/wholesale situation. for future reference, try actual classic car insurance; you can usually set a value for the car and pay the premium based on that.”

You can learn more about insuring classic cars in the video below: