You say that the repair shops are stating that the vehicle is a total loss but did not mention the amount of the repairs. Insurance companies normally decide if a car is "totaled" if it costs the same or more than the actual cash value of your vehicle.

If the insurance company is stating that the repairs are $8000 and the value of the car is higher (depending on the model, it appears to be about $15,000 according to an estimate in by Kelley Blue Book for a Maxima with your mileage) then the insurance company involved would for economical reasons want to fix the car and not total it out, unless other expenses are involved (storage, etc.).

If the repair shops are telling you that to fix the car it will cost the same as the car's worth, thus more than what the insurance company's appraiser is stating, then you need to bring this to the attention of the claims adjuster on your case and request a second appraisal. It would help if you have documentation from the body shops stating that the costs of repairs are more than what the appraiser assessed them to be.

You can check with the Connecticut Insurance Department to find out for certain if you can demand a second appraiser to estimate the damages and cost to fix the car or not. This state agency should also be able to tell you what other consumer rights you have to help you settle this claim with the at-fault party's insurance company.