Car didn't go into gear after impact

Yes, you need your insurance to get involved. That is why you buy insurance.

 

Unless mechanical damage is found when they inspect the left wheel I agree with the insurance company. The situation with your brakes should be a warranty claim.

You were sideswiped. Relax, it isn't the end of the world. The advantage of going through the other insurance company is that they will pay 100% for the repair & rental. When going through your insurance you'd have to file a claim with the other company for the unreimbursed portion of the rental. Your insurance would submit a claim for the deductible and send a check when they are paid. You should also be able to submit a claim for lost wages to the other insurance company.

Sometimes it is easier going through your company. Sometimes it is easier going through the other party's.

 

By making an insurance claim, the accident is already recorded. Nothing to do with dmv. You can ask the insurance to pay you a diminished value on the car, maybe they'll allow that in California

 

In California you can file a diminished value claim with the other party's insurance company or file suit against the other party. This is not going to be a DIY job as you will need to prove the diminished value.

 

But there's not much to have to prove. If you're in a reported accident with nearly any damage to a new vehicle or pristine vehicle, that automatically diminishes value.

With carfax's and/or similar reports, once a vehicle has been in a reported wreck, NO dealership is going to give you the full value for the vehicle in trade. They are going to always claim that because of that wreck in it's history, they can't sell it for as much resale. Thus they will offer you less.

Private party, I suppose there's a degree of ethics involved. Unless your title get's adjusted, you can always fail to mention an event in it's history. But todays buyers are pretty savy and anyone can get a carfax. And personally I operate on an honest and full disclosure code of ethics.

IMO with a 2015 vehicle, an accident like this automatically results in diminished value.