When you are in a car accident, after the initial nervousness and misery, you need to start thinking of how to get your car repaired and whether or not you should report it to your own insurance. In this hypothetical situation, the defense insurance company is willing to admit that it is their drivers fault and fix your car. They will even offer you a rental. Stop and think. Stop and check your own collision coverage. Hopefully you have property damage coverage on your vehicle. If you have a low deductible collision damage, and even if you don’t, my advice is to alert and put your own insurance company on notice. Take advantage of your own collision damage insurance coverage. Get a rental if you need it from your own company. I say this for a very good reason. First your own company usually will not ask you to sign a property damage release when the car is fixed. The other side will surely try to do this. Second, if after fixed more problems become apparent, the defense insurance company will probably not fix it, especially after you sign a property damage release. Third, your own insurance will be a lot nicer and accommodating to you. But you say why should you pay for your own deductible if the other side admits fault. Guess what, you won’t have to for several reasons. Your insurance will probably waive the deductible if the defense insurance admits liability and agrees to repay them. In addition, your deductible can be reimbursed to you in a short period of time even if you must pay it once the defense repays your insurance company. The experience dealing with your own insurance on the property damage will be like being on a vacation compared to the back and forth agony of dealing with the defense company.
At the Edelman Law Firm we assist people to negotiate getting their car fixed and do not take any additional fee for that help. We only take a fee from the personal injury recovery. Call us if you have any questions at 314-631-6777.