An estimated 6 million vehicle collisions happen in the U.S. each year. Many of these cars will be badly damaged. After a vehicle is involved in a collision, one of the most critical aspects of the repair process is assessing the frame and structural damage.
First, you’ll need to understand what structural damage is. We’ll also cover how structural damage differs from frame damage and how both can devalue your vehicle. Learning this information can be extremely helpful as you navigate post-accident repairs and insurance claims.
What Is Structural Damage on a Car?
You might be wondering: what is considered structural damage on a car? To answer that correctly, we first need to clarify the vehicle’s construction type, which refers to how the vehicle is built.
Many passenger cars are constructed using a unibody design, with major body panels welded together to form a body shell, while most large trucks use a body-on-frame construction. Body-on-frame vehicles have an actual “frame” with separate body parts bolted to the frame.
Structural car damage with unibody construction includes damage to the parts that support the vehicle’s weight and absorb collision energy.
These components could include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Radiator support
- Apron
- Wheelhouse assemblies
- Front upper unirails
- Lower side member rails
- Strut towers
- Firewall
- Uniside, rocker panel, body pillars (hinge pillar, center pillar, lock pillar, corner pillar)
- Passenger floor pan
- Rear rails
- Trunk floor pan
- Rear body panel
- Some quarter panels
- Roof bows and upper inner roof rails
Frame damage to a car with body-on-frame construction, commonly found on trucks, includes any damage to the underlying frame itself. This damage could be minor bends in the frame, twisting, crushing, and even kinks in the frame. Severely damaged frames can lead to automobile misalignment.
Additionally, cars with damaged frames often cause uneven weight distribution. This problem can wear down other components of your vehicle, such as its tires and suspension parts, faster than usual.
What’s the Difference Between Structural Damage and Frame Damage to a Car?
Frame damage and structural damage both refer to serious issues with a vehicle’s underlying support system, but they are not exactly the same. These terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinction between them.
Structural damage on a car refers to any damage that impacts the integrity of a vehicle’s structure, including the frame and other body components that support the vehicle’s weight and absorb collision forces.
Frame damage specifically refers to damage to the vehicle’s frame and would be considered a type of structural damage.
While structural damage may involve frame damage to a car, it can also include damage to other critical structural parts of the vehicle. Because of that, thorough automobile inspections are a must after a damage-inducing collision. A qualified mechanic should be able to spot whether your damage is frame-specific or not.
Does Structural Car Damage Mean This Vehicle Is Totaled?
Structural damage to a car doesn’t necessarily deem it a total loss. Generally, insurance companies will only declare a vehicle a total loss if repairing the frame damage to a car is deemed too costly. It’s often an economic decision.
State-specific thresholds also influence total loss determinations, which are typically based on when the cost of repairs surpasses a certain percentage of the vehicle’s value, such as 75%.
In states without thresholds, the insurer makes an economic decision. If the repairs are cheaper than the vehicle’s value minus what it will fetch at a salvage auction, vehicles with structural car damage will be repaired.
- No Prior Accidents
- No Accidents Reported
- Personal Vehicle
- Service History
- 1-Owner Vehicle
- Fair Market Value: $48,250
- Wrecked and Repaired
- Frame Damage Reported
- Personal Vehicle
- Service History
- 1-Owner Vehicle
- Fair Market Value: $39,565
- Diminished Value: $8,685
How Much Does Frame Damage Devalue a Car?
Any sort of damage, incident, or accident history, even minor, can reduce a vehicle’s value. Having structural damage on a car will worsen the situation, leading to a further decrease in its value
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Improperly repaired frame damage to a car can pose a safety risk, and the car may not perform well in a subsequent collision, putting occupants at risk.
Beyond safety concerns, improperly repaired frame damage can lead to uneven tire wear, handling problems, and other mechanical issues as time goes on.
Potential buyers or dealerships may hesitate to purchase a vehicle with a history of structural car damage, even if it’s been repaired. Structural or frame damage to a car can make it very difficult to sell and could diminish its value by as much as 15% to 20% of its fair market value.
Are you planning to trade in or sell an automobile with structural damage? If so, having post-accident repair documents can come in handy. These papers can verify the quality of repairs performed, which may instill more confidence in the person considering buying your automobile.
Recover Lost Value With a Diminished Value Claim
There is good news. If the accident wasn’t your fault, you can file a diminished value claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company in most states. These claims enable you to recover the lost value, ensuring you are made whole
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Sustaining frame damage to a car can frustrate any driver. Thankfully, a diminished value claim can help you recoup losses due to an accident-related damage that wasn’t your fault.
Wondering how much diminished value your vehicle may have? Complete our free estimate form, and we will reach out to provide a free, no-obligation diminished value quote.
