Just read about the car accident today. So sorry...That must have been so scary. I think I would have punched that guy.
Glad that you and your dogs are OK. That is what is important.
Take it easy for a while and feel better fast. I hope Mantha does well this weekend. That would be a great start for the new year.

Call your insurance company if you're unhappy with the rental and make sure they'll cover something closer to your Sienna. You may have a flat rate for coverage, which will limit your options, but double check and make sure you're spending your full rental allowance in order to get something more comparable to the disabled car. If you can't get a Sienna but a Honda Odyssey is an option, try it. Honda and Toyota are having a competition over making their minivans safer and nicer than each other's, and the results are pretty awesome.

with all due respect tippy, what I understood from Sally's mom is that she cannot find a similar car to rent. All the insurance company can do is provide payment for a rental, they cannot produce a rental vehicle that is not available at the rental company.

I would certainly start looking for a vehicle now. Most places have pretty good deals on the 2012 models as they are trying to replace them on the lot with the 2013.

with all due respect tippy, what I understood from Sally's mom is that she cannot find a similar car to rent. All the insurance company can do is provide payment for a rental, they cannot produce a rental vehicle that is not available at the rental company.

Since I didn't have all the information on why she was unable to find a Sienna, I was offering some suggestions on how to get something that wasn't too small for her needs and also offering alternative cars in the same niche that she might also like. Given that she may be without a personal car for an extended period while she evaluates whether to repair the current Sienna or to try to find or order something new, she shouldn't have to live with an inadequate vehicle in the interim.

On the basics of what an insurance company can do, though, that depends on what her coverage is and who is providing it. If she has a flat daily fee for rentals from a large provider, she can shop around for rental companies who can procure her what she wants or something comparable. If it's not available today, she may be able to swap out if they can find and deliver the right thing for her in a few days.

If she has an independent insurance agent, she can ask them for their help in locating what she wants and making sure the coverage applies. That might mean going through a series of rental companies on her behalf. Independent agents will often take an active role in helping you recover from a loss and in accessing all of the coverage you've paid for.

Without in depth knowledge of her insurance plan and the local rental agencies, I was only able to give general advice.

No particular respect due here, though I did work briefly for a large car insurance company.

As my friends have twins and a fairly old Honda Odyssey, I've been enjoying for shopping for replacement minivans for Sally's Mom in the last couple of days. There are some awesome vehicles in that class, both lightly used and brand new.

At issue with the rental is that I needed AWD. I live in the country and have to be able to drive up my driveway if there is a foot of snow.... I could've gotten a mini van.. Just not one with AWD. I believe, currently, Toyota is the only one that makes it... In any case, my vehicle is considered totaled just on the body damage alone, not counting the interior. Oh yea...

I have a 2010 Toyota RAV-4 Limited AWD 6-cylinder and I like it very much. Unfortunately, I drive 100 miles a day to/from work. It is a very comfortable car with plenty of room for the pups. You might want to look at one when it comes time. Vicki