Get In An Auto Accident? Understand How To Pay For The Damages

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If you were involved in an auto accident, one of your top concerns will be getting your car fixed so you have a working vehicle once again. You are aware that insurance will pay for the damages, but you most likely have questions about whose insurance will pay for the bill and how to get your car repaired quickly. By understanding how damages are paid for, you will be able to make right decision about how to handle it.

Determining Who Pays

The first step is to determine who was at fault in the auto accident, since they are liable for paying for any repairs to your vehicle. It can be a small scratch or major repairs. If your car is totaled, the responsible driver will need to pay you for your car's market value. Determining fault is only part of the answer though, because there are several ways to actually pay for the car repairs.

The At Fault Driver's Liability Coverage

An insured driver will have liability insurance, and you will need to make a claim with their insurance provider to cover the cost of your car repair. Much like dealing with any insurance company, this process can take a while to do since damage will need to be verified and repair costs need to be approved. If the person who was at fault is uninsured, or if you caused the accident, this will not be an option for you.

Your Personal Collision Coverage

Using your own insurance may be necessary in some situations, and as long as you purchased collision coverage it should not be an issue. Collision coverage works similar to no-fault car insurance. It will pay for all necessary car repairs that you need, or the cash value if the car is totaled (up to any coverage limits), even if you are at fault.

Making a claim with your own insurance involves paying the deductible, which is a minimum amount you must pay before insurance kicks in the rest. If you were not at fault for the auto accident, it's possible to file a claim against the responsible driver for your deductible costs.

Use Your Own Money And Seek Reimbursement

When you need your car repaired quickly, the best option you have is to simply pay the costs using your own money. While you will still get reimbursed from the insurance company, you run the risk of not having the full repair costs reimbursed. The insurance company may claim that the repair costs are too high, or only issue a partial reimbursement because the other driver was not 100% at fault.

If you need any help filing claims, seeking compensation from an uninsured driver, or answering questions related to your auto accident, speak with a lawyer that can help you through the process.

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17 November 2015

Starting the Healing Process

When I was a child, my father was the pastor of a small evangelical church in my hometown. I always enjoyed going to church in order to play with my friends. One of these friends suffered a horrific accident at a local gas station one day. As he was walking towards the entrance to the gas station, he was struck by a vehicle. His leg was seriously injured during the accident. To help with the expenses of recovery, his father hired an accident and personal injury attorney. This professional helped my friend’s father sue the person who struck his son. On this blog, you will discover the advantages of hiring an accident and personal injury attorney after incurring injuries from a devastating accident.