While I do not want to excuse the LH's sad behavior in any way, I had a pretty positive experience with Dolfi1920. My (old and abused) Samsonite hard-shell bag was finally cracked one time upon arrival in MUC, and I had the baggage desk file an irregularity report. They gave me a Dolfi access code and I uploaded pictures. Due to it being a total loss they just accepted my (very generous) value guesstimation and gave me a voucher in the same amount to purchase a bag from Dolfi. I was able to get a brand new bag of the same type and brand within a few days at no cost to me, and was quite happy with the situation. Again, I don't think that this is a fair way to handle the situation—I should ideally be transferred the funds and have the freedom to purchase a replacement where I please, but if you are able to get them to consider your damage to be a total loss and are generous when indicating the value of your luggage, you should be able to make a net gain from the situation. I would agree that I would also never pay anything out of pocket to be reimbursed later... but they gave me the impression that in the event of a repair instead of a replacement I wouldn't be paying anything up front. In general, little more than a slightly damaged wheel is sufficient for a total loss of the bag... look at what shipping alone costs. LH and Dolfi both seem relatively inclined to give you a new bag and get on with their day, albeit with strong persuasion at times.