Here’s how to get your car fixed and back on the road after an accident, or get payment for its value.

  • the extent of the damage in relation the vehicle’s value
  • who was at fault for the crash, and
  • available insurance coverage.

Repair Costs and the Value of Your Car

If your vehicle was damaged in a car accident, you credibly want to know how to go about getting it repaired or replaced, and who will be financially responsible. The answers depend on a issue of key factors, including : An insurance company is only necessitate to pay damages up to the value of your fomite. If you ‘ve received a repair estimate or two and it looks like haunt costs will exceed the respect of your car, the insurance company will often declare it a total loss, wage you the fair market prize ( besides known as “ actual cash rate “ ), and take possession of your car .
Remember that with any type of property damage call, the come of the claim is based on the respect of the property at the time of the accident. The value of the claim has nothing to do with how much you in the first place paid for the property. And keep in mind that whichever indemnity company ends up bearing fiscal responsibility for the vehicle damage fortune of your car accident losses, that insurance company will alone pay for repairs/replacement of your vehicle up to policy limits.

For exemplar, if the other driver was at fault and caused $ 10,000 of fomite damage to your car, but entirely has $ 5,000 of property damage coverage, their insurance company will merely pay $ 5,000 toward your repair costs.

Get the basics on how car insurance coverage works after an accident .

Making a Claim With the Other Driver’s Insurer

If the other driver was at mistake for your car accident, you probably have the option of filing a claim with the other driver ‘s indemnity company ( assuming they have liability place wrong or other relevant coverage ) in ordering to get your car repaired or replaced. This is known as a “ third party ” indemnity claim. Learn more about making a third-party claim for vehicle damage after a car accident .

Using Your Own Collision Coverage

Collision coverage ensures that you will be reimbursed for your vehicle damage if the other driver did not have enough insurance, or if you were at fault for the accident. If the other driver was at fault and had enough indemnity coverage, you would not make a claim against your own policy policy ‘s collision coverage .

Using Your Own Comprehensive Coverage

comprehensive coverage is for vehicle damage that occurs when a cable car is parked at the fourth dimension of the accident. comprehensive examination coverage can apply if a vehicle hits your parked car, or with many-sided price like a tree falling on it. As with collision coverage, if the driver that hit you had adequate policy coverage, you would not make a claim against your own insurance policy ‘s comprehensive examination coverage. You do n’t by and large need to worry about proving fault if your car was parked. It is broadly assumed that, if person hits a park car, that driver was at defect.

What If You Were at Fault for Your Vehicle’s Damage?

If you caused your own fomite ‘s damage—by drive off the road or running into a tree or fence, for example—you would either have to pay for the wrong yourself or make a claim against your own policy ‘s collision coverage, if you have it. however, if the damage is not extensive, you would credibly not want to make a claim against your own policy because that might raise your car policy premium, and it might cost you more money in the long run .

Getting the Insurer to Pay For Your Repair Costs

Regardless of whose policy company is creditworthy for paying your repair costs, the first matter that you have to do is make a claim by reporting the accident .
The following thing that will normally happen is that the insurance company will have your cable car inspected. If the cable car is drivable, you may be asked to bring it to the insurance company ‘s drive-through inspection station. If the cable car is not drivable, the insurance company will normally have an examiner issue forth to wherever the car is.

The insurance company will then come up with an estimate of the damages. This estimate may or may not be enough to pay for the repairs. Although the insurance company might recommend that you bring the cable car to a mechanic of its option, you constantly have the right to use your own machinist .
once you get the insurance company ‘s appraisal, you may want to bring your car to your mechanic and ask if they will accept the insurance company ‘s estimate. If they will, then everything is all set. If they think that the estimate is besides low, they will frequently agree to call the indemnity adjuster and hash out things immediately .

If You and the Insurer Disagree About Repair Costs

If you do n’t like the insurance company ‘s final numbers, then the merely choice that you have left is to either accept it or file become. If you find yourself in a dispute with an indemnity company where a meaning amount of money is at post, it may be worth it to contact an feel lawyer to make sure that your interests are adequately protected. Learn more about how an lawyer can help after a car accident .

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