Car accidents are terrible. If you are lucky, you will not suffer personal injury to your body. However, almost always your car is damaged and unable to drive it. If you live in Florida, without a driveable vehicle can be highly disruptive.
If you get involved in a car accident and your car suffers property damage, here are four (4) ways to handle getting your car fixed and back on the road:
#1: File property damage claim with your insurance and the at-fault driver’s insurance
This is the most important task you should do if you are ever involved in an auto accident. Let’s first understand the lingo:
Collision coverage means that your own insurance policy pays to fix, repair or replace your car as a results of a car accident.
Property Damage Liability means that the at-fault driver’s insurance policy will pay to fix, repair or replace your car as a results of a car accident.
Contact your insurance company and the at-fault driver’s insurance and file a claim to fix your car. You can do this at the scene of the accident, assuming you are in safe place. In a perfect scenario you want the at fault driver’s insurance to pay to avoid your insurance’s deductible. However, if the other insurance has not accepted liability and covering the claim my take long, you can proceed to fix your car through your own insurance company.
#2: Determine what insurance you would use to fix your car
You are always left with a choice to determine which insurance company to use to fix your car, yours or the at fault driver’s. Both choices have advantages and disadvantages. Choosing your insurance company might lead to a faster repair of the car. However, you may have a deductible to pay. If you choose the at-fault driver’s insurance, the advantage is that you avoid paying a deductible. The disadvantage is that your claim maybe held up if there’s an argument as to who was at fault.
Either way, always ask which insurance includes a rental car while the car gets repaired. This may also force to choose one way or the other.
#3: Schedule car repair estimate
We always recommend you take your car to the manufacturer’s dealer in the city you live in to get a thorough repair estimate. Avoid going to small repair shops that may not have the resources to accurately identify what is wrong with your car and how much it will take to fix it.
An insurance adjuster will almost always send their own car appraiser to determine the repair estimate. Don’t be tricked into thinking you have to accept there estimate. You have every right to provide your own estimate as evidence of the damage.
#4: Ask for a rental car :
Always ask your insurance or the at-fault parties insurance if rental car coverage is included. If there is rental car coverage, get it. This will help alleviate the pressures of not having a car will it is getting repaired.
Conclusion
Fixing your car after an accident shouldn’t be a nightmare, knowing just what to do can help you get back on your feet in no time.
We are personal injury car accident trial lawyers and will take cases before a jury of your peers.
Insurance companies take us seriously and it helps us fight to obtain the maximum possible compensation for our clients.
Contact us for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your personal injury auto accident claim.
It does not cost you anything to hire us. We are compensated only if we get compensation for you.
