If your vehicle sustained damages in a crash, you might be wondering how to get it repaired and who must pay for it. The answer depends on the extent of the damage, who caused the accident, and insurance coverage. But, usually, you will be responsible for paying for the car repairs, unless your car insurance policy states otherwise. The insurance company will reimburse you for the cost. Consult with car accident attorneys Los Angeles to make sure you recover the right amount of property damage compensation to get your car fixed.
The Cost of Repairing Your Car and Your Car’s Value
Insurance companies are only required to pay car damages up to your car’s value. If the repair estimate is more than the value of your vehicle, the insurance company will usually declare it a total loss, pay for the actual cash value, or take possession of your vehicle.
Keep in mind that just like other kinds of property damage claims, the claim amount is based on the property’s value when the crash took place. The claim’s value has nothing to do with the amount originally paid for the car. Also, regardless of which insurer bears financial responsibility for your car damage, the insurer will just pay for the car’s repair up to policy limits.
Filing a Claim with the Insurance Company of the Other Driver
If your car accident resulted in the other driver’s negligence, you may file a claim with their insurance provider to get your vehicle repaired or replaced. Your lawyer can assist you when making this type of claim. If you were at fault for the crash, you m ay need to pay for the car damage yourself or have your own insurance provider pay for it.
Getting the Insurance Company Pay for the Car Repair Costs
No matter which insurer will need to pay for your repair costs, you want to report the crash to make a claim. After this, the insurance company will have your vehicle inspected. If your vehicle is drivable, the company may ask you to take your car to its drive-through inspection station. Otherwise, the company will have an inspector come to your car’s location.
The insurance company will make an estimate of your car’s damages and when you get this estimate, you can take it to a mechanic to ask if they will accept it. If the mechanic finds the estimate too low, they may call the insurer to discuss some things.
