Backed Into, How Much To Fix?

[volvogeek]

So once again my wife's curse strikes. She's been in some kind of accident in EVERY SINGLE car she's ever driven, and now I guess my nearly pristine '97 855R is no exception. So here are pics of the damage...it's not TOO bad, but the unibody is definitely tweaked at the backside of the turn signal, so it'll require some hammering and paint. What would you guys estimate the damage to be (before I go and make a claim on my insurance co)? The person who did it - wether it be my wife not noticing that she's backed into someone (which has happened before) or someone backing into the car in a parking lot - didn't leave a note, so I've got no recourse but to make a claim or just eat the expense.

Here are the pics of the carnage:

Full view - lower turn signal cracked, bumper cover gouged (and tire marks below), unibody bent behind turn signal, lower cover possibly mangled

Closeup of taillight crack and body damage

Lower cover and taillight crack

Bumper cover gouge

Another shot of above, flash kinda washed it out

Tire marks

It looks like things might be tweaked a bit more than I thought...right side looks closer to tailgate than left side.

Whaddya think? Me, I'm devastated. :(

[robert213]

I am saddened to see the damage resulting from the accident. I would guess that the grey trim on the rear bumper will be the most difficult to replace. Everything else is adjustment and new paint.

I regret that I don't have any other advice to offer.

[prasamin]

if I were fixing it, I would just get a new lower tailight assembly, or used, whatever, and get the lower piece painted to match your car color.

that lower piece below the taillight is part of the taillight.....