One of the biggest challenges people face after being in a car accident can be the number of options available when making a claim. Here is some information that may make this process easier to address.
One of the most common choices is which insurance company to use. How to address this question will depend on a number of factors, the most important of which is liability. In short, if you are not at fault in a two-vehicle collision, you can probably choose either company and it won’t make much difference in the final outcome.
Many insurers have a list of body shops that do repairs for consumers whose claims they are paying. This can be a huge benefit to people who don’t know where to take the car for repairs. These programs usually require the shops to meet certain quality standards to be accepted into the insurer’s program, so they are generally reputable. Also, the insurer often guarantees the repairs, so the consumer knows the job will be done right. Ask the insurance adjuster if they have such a program. Before you use any shop, find out if the insurance company will back the repairs. If they won’t, then any problems with the work will be between you and the shop.
Ask about a replacement vehicle while your car is being fixed. If you have Substitute Transportation coverage on your policy and use your own insurer, they will explain how your coverage works. You may end up paying some money out of pocket, depending on what type of vehicle you rent. This is one area where you may be better off claiming with the other guy’s company (see link above.) While your own company will pay up to a certain amount for a limited period of time, an at-fault insurer has to pay whatever it costs for you to rent a vehicle similar to yours for as long as you reasonably need it, regardless of time and cost.
Do I Need A Lawyer? If no one was hurt, the answer is almost always “no.” In fact, in a basic physical damage claim, you probably won’t be able to find one who wants to represent you unless it happens to be a friend or an attorney you work with regularly. If there are injuries involved, the answer may still be “no,” but there are some other issues to consider. Click on the link for more information.
