WHO PAYS FOR DAMAGE TO MY CAR AFTER AN ACCIDENT?
After a car accident, one of the first concerns is what to do about the damage to your vehicle. To answer that question, you start with two things: (1) Who caused the crash and (2) what type of insurance coverage you have on your vehicle. In most cases, who caused the crash is obvious. Therefore, let’s focus on the second question.
In most cases, you will call your insurance company to report the car accident. Therefore, if you don’t know what kind of insurance you have, ask them. You want to know if you have Comprehensive Collision coverage on your vehicle. This is NOT mandatory coverage in Minnesota, so even if you think you are “fully insured,” you may not have comprehensive collision coverage.
If you do have that coverage, your insurance company will pay the cost of repairing the vehicle. Likewise, they will pay you the value of the vehicle if your vehicle is totaled. With Comprehensive Collision coverage, your auto insurance will pay to fix or replace your car regardless of who was at fault, minus your deductible. However, if the other driver was at fault, your insurance will get their money back from the other driver’s insurance. Additionally, your deductible will be refunded at the same time. If the other driver was at fault, you also have the option of going directly through the other driver’s insurance.
If you do not have Comprehensive Collision coverage and the crash was the other driver’s fault, you must go through the other driver’s insurance. For more information on this, see What If I Only Have Liability Coverage.
HOW MUCH WILL I GET FOR MY CAR AFTER AN ACCIDENT?
What is the auto insurance required to pay you for your car after an accident? The insurance company is required to pay you for the cost of repair or replacement of your vehicle, whichever is less. For example, if the cost to repair your car is $2,000, but fair market value for your vehicle is only $1,500, they are legally obligated to pay you only $1,500.
If your insurance company pays for the damage to your vehicle, they will subtract the amount of your deductible from what they owe you. For example, if your vehicle is “totaled” and the fair market value of your vehicle is $1,500, but your deductible is $200, your insurance company will pay you $1,300. However, as mentioned above, if the accident was the other driver’s fault, your insurance company will obtain reimbursement from the other driver’s insurance company for the full $1,500. Then, they will reimburse the $200 deductible to you. Please call us to have this explained in more detail by an experienced car accident lawyer.
WAS YOUR CAR TOTALED AFTER A CRASH?
What happens if my vehicle is totaled? A vehicle is considered “totaled” if it would cost more to fix the car than what it is actually worth. In that case, the car insurance company is required to pay you the fair market value of your vehicle.
What is “fair market value?” Fair market value is what your vehicle is worth in your area. Most insurance companies have a database of vehicles that have been listed for sale or sold in your area over a certain period of time. The insurance adjuster who is handling the claim will input your vehicle information into that database. They base their assessment of fair market value on what similar vehicles have been listed or sold for in your area in recent months.
Some car insurance companies will look more at trade-in value while others will look at private sales. This means that the value of the vehicle is somewhat negotiable. You should research before talking to the insurance adjuster so that you can make sure you are getting a fair price for your car. You may also be able to use your research to get a better price.
To find out the fair market value of your vehicle, you can check any number of websites:
www.kbb.com
www.autotrader.com
www.startribune.com/classifieds
www.nada.com
Can I get a rental car while my car is in the shop?
If you have coverage for rental vehicles on your automobile policy, you can obtain a rental car until your vehicle is repaired. If you don’t have rental coverage, but the accident was the other driver’s fault, you can usually get the other driver’s insurance company to pay for a rental vehicle. They should pay until your car is repaired, or for a period of time that would allow you to replace your totaled car.
Be aware that insurance companies are often stingy when it comes to rental vehicles. They often have limited coverage, so you may not get the same size vehicle you had before the accident. Also, they are careful about how many days you have the rental car – so you should get the damaged vehicle in for repair as soon as possible. Likewise, start looking for a replacement vehicle if your car is totaled.
We recommend that you talk with a lawyer before getting the rental vehicle, or exchange emails with the insurance adjuster to get a clear statement in writing. You should clearly understand the terms of the rental car provided. This will help avoid getting stuck with a bill that the other driver’s insurance company later refuses to pay.
CAN I HIRE A LAWYER TO HELP ME DEAL WITH THE AUTO INSURANCE VEHICLE DAMAGE CLAIM?
Generally, it will not be cost effective to hire a car accident lawyer just to help you with your car damage claim after a crash. Usually, the cost of hiring a lawyer to pursue this type of claim is more than the value of the car. A lawyer will certainly cost more than the difference between what the insurance company is willing to pay compared to what they should be paying. However, if you call our office about your MN auto accident, one of our lawyers will be happy to answer a few questions and give you some free advice about your options.
With injury cases, our lawyers will help you deal with the car damage as part of our representation. This is part of our representation, and we usually don’t charge for it. We will also negotiate with the insurance company for you if necessary. If you have been INJURED in a car accident, you should call us before settling your claim for the damage to your car. We want to make sure that you do not waive your injury claim when you settle your car damage claim.
EXPERIENCED CAR ACCIDENT INJURY ATTORNEYS
Pam Rochlin and David Rochlin are MN personal injury lawyers with more than 25 years’ experience. We have successfully handled hundreds of car accident cases. Pam Rochlin was a partner at Meshbesher and Spence and offers personal attention to her clients. We will discuss your vehicle damage after a car accident and explain your rights. We have offices in Edina, Woodbury, Minneapolis, and St. Louis Park. Our lawyers also meet people at their homes in St. Paul, Maplewood, White Bear Lake, Lakeville, and Apple Valley. Also, Burnsville, Chanhassen, Rogers, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, and other areas throughout Minnesota. There is no obligation on your part, and always only charge a percentage of the compensation you receive.