Written by: Michael Roberts, April 5, 2021
Following an automobile accident, one of our clients’ biggest concerns is the property damage to their cars. For many people, their personal automobile is their only mode of transportation. Some people rely on their vehicles for income, for transportation to and from work, and to take their children to and from school. In short, following a collision, most people need their vehicles repaired as soon as possible and, if their vehicle is not able to be repaired, they need money in order to purchase a new vehicle. Who will pay for this?
There are two possible sources of payment for damage to your vehicle. First, if the accident is due to the fault of another driver, and the driver has liability insurance, the at-fault driver’s insurance will pay for the repairs to your vehicle based on the estimate and up to the driver’s insurance policy limits. The other source of payment is through your insurance company. If you have collision coverage, you can use your insurance to pay for the damage to your vehicle. However, you will have to pay your insurance deductible. The deductible will be reimbursed to you at a later date, if your insurance company is able to collect the repair costs from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. This process is called subrogation.
While the damaged vehicle is being repaired, most people will need a rental vehicle. Who is going to pay for this? Once again, if the other driver is at fault for the collision, and the other driver has insurance, the insurance company will reimburse you for your rental costs. However, in our experience, the insurance company often times nickel and dime the rental costs, which can cause some frustration. If, however, you have rental coverage on your policy, you can obtain a rental vehicle through your insurance. As always, we encourage everyone to call their insurance agent to make sure you have the appropriate insurance coverage, and sufficient insurance limits, for your particular situation.
At Wade and Nysather, we realize that when you have been injured in an accident, the last thing you want to worry about is processing the property damage claim for your vehicle. This is why, unlike many personal injury firms, if you have been injured in an accident, we will process the property damage portion of your accident claim free of charge. If you have been injured in an accident, please call Wade and Nysather for a free consultation at (602) 547-2222.
