If the accident was entirely someone else’s fault, you’re entitled to payment for any damage done to your car. You ’ re besides entitled to requital for personal belongings and property that were in your cable car at the time of the accident .
personal property includes :
- electronic devices
- invest
- Eyewear
- Sports equipment
- other items
Items that may have been lost or stolen from your car are not covered .
How are you paid for damage to your car ?
Below are some guidelines to help you deal with the indemnity companies and get your car repaired after an accident that wasn ’ t your blame. These guidelines describe how to handle property damage in general. Your policy ship’s company may follow different procedures .
Three sources that pay for your car repairs after an accident :
- Liability coverage under the defendant’s insurance. If the other person ’ sulfur policy caller accepts fault in your accident, they will normally pay a standard measure to have your cable car repaired .
unfortunately, insurance companies often take days or weeks to decide whether to accept fault in the accident. therefore, your car may not be repaired in a seasonably manner .
- Collision coverage under your insurance. Using your policy is normally the fastest and easiest way to get your car repaired. Your car repairs will be paid out from your own policy policy—regardless of who is at fault in the accident .
You pay any deductible up front, which will be returned to you if your insurance company is repaid by the defendant ’ mho indemnity party .
You may besides be responsible for any rental car fees during the time your car is being repaired ( if you do not have lease reimbursement coverage under your own policy ) .
- Uninsured motorist coverage under your insurance. If the person who caused the accident does not have an car indemnity policy or is not able to be identified, you are protected under your indemnity policy ’ south uninsured motorist coverage .
Depending on the type of accident, you may be responsible for paying a deductible .
How do you get your car fixed after an accident ?
If your car is drivable…
Contact the other driver’s insurance company to ask for an estimate of the cost of repairing your car. An indemnity adjuster may schedule a time to inspect your cable car, or you may be asked to take your cable car to the indemnity company ’ mho placement .
After you get a cost estimate from the insurance company, take your car to a body workshop of your choice for a second gear estimate. If the body workshop estimates your cable car can not be repaired for the amount estimated by the insurance caller, ask the director of the body denounce to call the insurance company on your behalf.
The indemnity ship’s company will then issue you a check to the soundbox shop to pay for the animate to your car .
Some indemnity companies do not have local estimators and will ask you to get 2–3 estimates for repairing your cable car from local body shops. They will then issue you a assay for the lowest calculate .
If your car is not drivable…
The insurance company will send an adjuster to estimate the damage to your car. They will then issue a check to pay for the repairs .
If your cable car has been towed to a repair denounce or salvage yard, move your car vitamin a cursorily as possible to the body shop class of your choice. Most of these locations charge a casual storehouse fee that you may be creditworthy for paying .
What if your car is “ totaled ” ?
A car that costs more to repair than it was worth before the accident is called a “ sum Loss. ”
The insurance company will compare the amount your car could have been sold for before the accident (fair market value) to the estimated cost of repairing your car (plus rental charges and salvage value) and pay you whichever amount is less.
The carnival grocery store value of your cable car is determined by the current price for a car similar to yours as listed by area car dealerships, newspapers, car value books, and websites .
If your car is declared a sum loss, you have two options :
- Accept the entire loss respect of your cable car subtraction the salvage value. You keep your car .
- Accept the sum passing value of your car plus the salvage value .
With the second option, you ’ ll be required to sign your car title and odometer statement over to the policy ship’s company. You may besides be asked to sign a office of lawyer so the indemnity caller can dispose of your car .
Who pays for a rental car after an accident ?
While your car is being repaired—or while you await payment for a car that is a full loss—you may want to rent a car .
The insurance company will reimburse you if
- the rental is comparable to your car;
- rented at a reasonable price;
- for a reasonable amount of time.
Under Virginia police, the indemnity party is required to reimburse your rental car expenses. consequently, you may be responsible for renting and paying for a rental cable car in advance.