What are My Car Crash Auto Repair Options?

If you were in a car accident in Stuart or Port St Lucie, then odds are that your car experienced some damage that you will need to have repaired. However, if you weren’t at fault for the accident, then you’ll want to know who will pay for the car accident damage repair service in addition to where you need to take your car to be repaired.

Who Pays for Your Car Accident Damage Repair Costs?

If you live in a no-fault state, it means that your insurance company will pay for some or all of the repair costs. However, they will only pay for repair costs up to your policy’s limits. It’s also worth noting that your insurer is only responsible for paying for repair costs totaling to the value of your car, which means that if the cost of repairs exceeds the car’s value, they may declare your car a total loss and simply provide you with the market value of your car (known as actual cash value).

Where Do You Need to Take Your Car?

First of all, do not take your car to have it repaired before filing a claim. Your insurance company is going to want to see the damage for themselves to make sure you’re not committing fraud. This means that they will request that you bring your car to the insurance company’s drive-through inspection station. However, if the damage is too severe to the point where it’s unable to run or unsafe to drive, the insurer will send someone out to inspect the car where it is.

During the inspection, the insurance company will estimate how much it will cost to repair the damage. They will then usually recommend that you take your car to a mechanic of their choice. However, this doesn’t mean you have to. If you prefer to take your car to a different mechanic for repairs, then you have the right to do that. Bring your insurer’s estimate to the mechanic, whether it’s the mechanic they recommended or your own, and find out if they will accept the estimate.

What if The Estimate is Too Low?

If the insurer provides an estimate that the mechanic tells you is too low, then the mechanic will usually call the insurer on your behalf to tell them how much the repairs will cost. The insurer will often adjust their estimate if this is the case, especially if the estimate isn’t too far off from the actual costs of the repairs. However, if the insurer refuses to budge from their estimate, it means that you either have to accept it or file suit.

If the insurer refuses to provide enough money to cover the car accident damage repair costs and you’ve decided to file suit, you’ll want to make sure that you hire an experienced car accident attorney. To request a free case evaluation, be sure to contact us at the Law Office of Gloria Seidule today.