A driver says a semi-truck backed into their 2006 Saturn Ion, leaving them with thousands of dollars in estimated repairs. But things took a turn when the trucking company told them their vehicle was only worth $800.
The driver shared the situation on the r/Insurance subreddit. In their post, they explained that the accident happened on Aug. 4, 2026. The truck driver was backing up while making a left turn when they hit the Saturn Ion. Police arrived at the scene and collected insurance information from both drivers.
According to the post, both the driver’s insurance company, Allstate, and the trucking company, MN89 Inc., determined that the truck driver was at fault. However, the owner said they weren’t happy with the compensation being offered and believed they were being “lowballed.”
Things got more frustrating for the owner after a repair shop estimated the damage at $7,614.72. The owner said they were offered only $800 for the vehicle and also had to pay $500 in towing and storage fees.
The Owner Disagrees With the Offer
A trucking company named MN89 Inc claims my vehicle with 60,000 mileage is worth $800
by
u/FrequentBandicoot538 in
Insurance
According to the owner, their Saturn Ion had fewer than 60,000 miles on it and was in pristine condition before the accident. They also ran a Carfax report on the vehicle, which only showed two previous owners.
The owner explained that at the time of the accident, they didn’t have collision coverage, but they did have liability insurance and the coverage required under Illinois law. They later contacted MN89 Inc. and were told the company would pay them directly.
They questioned the company’s decision to pay directly rather than having its insurance cover the damages. The owner speculated that it could be an attempt to avoid reporting the accident, although there was no evidence to prove that claim.
On Sept. 29, they received the $800 valuation, with the owner saying the company cited Kelley Blue Book when determining the vehicle’s value. However, they believed the vehicle was worth more, given its condition and mileage. The owner also compiled a list of similar vehicles with low mileage that were being sold for around $5,000 to $9,000. Seeing those prices only reinforced their belief that the company was lowballing them.
Commenters Provide Some Advice
In the comments, not everyone agreed with the owner’s assessment. One commenter said that the Saturn Ion is an older model from a discontinued brand and argued that low mileage doesn’t make a 20-year-old vehicle valuable.
Another commenter echoed the sentiment, saying that low mileage and good condition don’t necessarily make the car worth more. They said that, based on their experience handling total-loss claims and vehicle inspections, they estimated the Saturn was worth around $1,200, or maybe $2,500 in a best-case scenario.
The commenter also explained that the situation could be different since the owner wasn’t going through the trucking company’s insurance. They suggested the company might be self-insured or simply looking to pay for the damages directly, but the post doesn’t say which arrangement applies.
They also noted that lacking collision coverage limited the owner’s options. Had the owner gone through their own insurance with collision coverage, they potentially could have used an appraisal clause if they disagreed with the valuation.
No further updates have been made to the post, so it’s unclear whether the owner was able to finalize a resolution.