$37,000 and 3 Months Later—My Rivian R1S Is Finally Back
- Ivan W
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
I never imagined I’d be writing a story about a car accident—but here we are. My new 2025 Rivian R1S was rear-ended on the freeway three months ago, and I just got it fully repaired and picked up this week. It’s also why I haven’t had much of a chance to write about Rivian so far in 2025.
WHAT HAPPENED
In late January, I was heading out for a weekend getaway in my 2025 Gen 2 Rivian R1S, aka the "IVAN" mobile, with my wife, our 4-year-old, and our 14-year-old cat. We were cruising on the freeway when I suddenly spotted a large metal ladder—one of those industrial ones contractors mount on truck racks—lying right in the middle of the lane, about 700 feet ahead. By the way, please, if you don't know how to securely mount stuff, just don't....
I immediately turned on my hazard lights and began slowing down, scanning for a chance to change lanes safely. I noticed that the Mitsubishi crossover behind me was also slowing and keeping a safe distance. Unfortunately, the Toyota Corolla behind the Mitsubishi wasn’t paying attention.
Just as I was about to change lanes, the Toyota slammed into the Mitsubishi, which appeared to panic and suddenly accelerated—crashing into the rear of my R1S at around 40 mph.
Both the Mitsubishi and the Corolla were badly damaged, with smoke coming from their hoods. My Rivian took a hit to the rear bumper and liftgate, but thankfully, it was still 100% drivable. Everyone inside was okay—my wife and kid had actually been asleep and barely realized what happened. I, on the other hand, braced for impact and ended up with lingering neck and back pain, especially on the left side. I lost my appetite and felt nauseous for a few days. According to my chiropractor, being tense during impact actually makes it worse—so I guess sleeping through it was the safer bet...until the eyes' free self driving becomes standard I guess.
As for our cat… well, I haven’t figured out how to interpret the cat language yet, so I can only hope he’s forgiven us.
After documenting everything with highway patrol, we decided to continue the trip. We drove another 200 miles before heading home two days later. I’d like to share my experience for those who haven’t—and hopefully never will—go through something like this. But if you do, I hope this helps you feel a little more prepared for what to expect and what to do when it happens.
CALL 911
I called 911 immediately—and looked it up afterward to confirm I did the right thing. In situations like mine, where the accident is more than just a fender bender and traffic is being blocked, calling 911 is absolutely the right move. Rivian's sytem also detected the impact and called to make sure everyone's okay.
You’ll want law enforcement on-site to document everything. The official crash report is critical—it’s what you’ll need to file an insurance claim, and if you choose to hire an attorney (which we did), they’ll need that report to proceed. Thanks to Gear Guard Gary, we were able to provide more video proof to expedite the process and protect oursleves. Keep in mind that officers typically won’t take photos or videos of the scene for you—so it’s important that you also document everything yourself as needed. In my case, the first thing they did was remove the ladder from the lane. I’m really glad I took photos beforehand. That said, only do this if it’s safe. Your safety is always the top priority.
It’s also best not to engage with the other parties directly. Avoid unnecessary interaction—let the officers handle it. They’ll collect everyone’s statements, names, addresses, insurance information, and anything else that's required. In most cases, if you’re the one who got rear-ended, you’re not at fault.
Once the officers are done, they’ll hand you a small card with a case number and a QR code. About a week later, you’ll be able to scan it and download the full crash report.
HIRE AN ATTORNEY
It’s recommended to contact a personal injury attorney within 24 hours. Once they’ve reviewed your case and agreed to take it on, they’ll handle almost everything from that point forward. You won’t have to pay anything at all.
Your legal team will:
• Deal with the insurance companies
• Seek compensation on your behalf
• Cover all your medical treatment costs up front
Usually, you’ll receive 30–40% of the total settlement, and your medical bills (like chiropractic care) will be covered. I’ve been seeing a chiropractor for the past three months since the accident, and I’m allowed to continue until “I no longer feel pain.”
EXTRA CLAIMS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT
If you had car seats in the vehicle during the crash, you can file a claim for those, and the insurance company will reimburse you at full retail value to replace them.
Additionally, I was able to claim up to $1,000 worth of aftermarket accessories—including things like window tint, wraps, and more. It all depends on your insurance policy.
You may also want to file a diminished value claim, since your vehicle’s market value often decreases after an accident—even after it’s been fully repaired. I was advised that insurance companies often try to deny these claims, but it’s still worth submitting. I filed mine, and although I haven’t heard back yet, I’ll update once I do.
WORK WITH YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER TO REPAIR YOUR CAR
First, a quick shoutout to Rivian—they were incredibly helpful after the accident. I contacted Joe and Hector, my contacts at Rivian right away to confirm whether it was safe to continue driving the vehicle. Not only were they responsive and reassuring, they also recommended a certified body shop.
The next day, the general manager of Fix Auto Temple City, David, personally showed up at my place to pick up the Rivian and transport it to their shop. Talk about going above and beyond.
As for insurance, I was using Tesla Insurance for my Rivian, since I already have other Tesla vehicles under the same policy. And yes, like many have said: Tesla Insurance is great—until you actually need to file a claim.
David completed a full inspection in under a week and sent all the necessary documentation to Tesla. Then… we heard nothing. The assigned Tesla adjuster ghosted us for two weeks. After following up multiple times, she finally replied and said she never received the quote. We then showed her a screenshot proving the email had been sent two weeks earlier. Her response? “You could not CC anyone. If you copied someone, the attachement won’t be seen.” —which is bizarre and of course we had no way of knowing.
Her tone throughout was rude, impatient, and unprofessional—but thankfully, I didn’t have to deal with her much personally. David and his team handled most of it.
In late February—about a month after the accident—Tesla Insurance finally approved the repair estimate. Instead of totaling the vehicle, they agreed to pay $37,000 for the repairs.
However, shortly after, Fix Auto Temple City informed me that Rivian requested the vehicle be transferred to another facility. Their location wasn’t equipped to handle certain specialized repair work required for the R1S. I was then referred to Fix Auto in Anaheim North, where Andrew Cobos, the GM, took over the case.
Andrew was incredibly responsive and easy to work with. After reassessing the vehicle, they were able to bring the repair cost down a bit. This time, Tesla approved everything within a week, and Rivian shipped all the necessary parts and components without delay.
Just three weeks later, I was informed that the repairs were complete. I headed to the Anaheim North facility to pick it up—and I have to say, the experience was great. The shop was clean, everyone was friendly, and they even had a certified installer apply a fresh XPEL PPF film, followed by a full interior and exterior detail. If you’re in SoCal and need a collision repair center, I’d absolutely recommend checking them out.
BACK IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT
My son and I were both pumped to be back in our Gen 2 Rivian R1S, and we couldn’t stop smiling on the drive home. There’s just something about Gen 2—it drives and rides so much better than Gen 1.
In fact, over the past three months, I’ve already convinced four friends to buy Rivians. If you’re feeling tired of Tesla or looking for something more adventurous and versatile, you won’t regret it.
And hey—feel free to use my referral code for $500 in free charging and shop credits. Let’s hit the trails.
ADVENTURE GEAR FOR EVS
Some of you may already know that alongside many things I do, I launched a passion project last year with a few fellow camping friends: Mars Adventure Gear. Not really for money, It all started because we couldn’t find high-quality overlanding gear designed specifically for electric vehicles. We saw the growing potential of electric camping, off-roading, and overlanding—and decided to build the kind of gear we wanted for ourselves: rugged, versatile, and thoughtfully designed without compromising on aesthetics.
Every roof rack we create features a stealthy, low-profile look with no exposed bolts—blending utility with clean design. And now, we’re proud to offer our systems for Rivian R1 vehicles.
Drive safe and stay safe out there, fellow adventurers.
