Archives

Here’s What You Should Know About Car Insurance if You Were in an Accident

Every day in Pennsylvania there are an average of 351 traffic crashes. If you were involved in an accident, you might be wondering how does car insurance work?

You know you’re required to buy it, but now that you need to use it, you need to understand what it is that you bought. All of those different terms can get confusing.

Use this guide to help you know what your insurance covers and how your insurance works after an accident.

What Insurance Coverage Do You Have?

Every state requires a minimum amount of insurance. Hopefully, you bought that when you purchased your insurance. Here in Pennsylvania, the minimums are:

  • $5,000 of medical benefits
  • $15,000/$30,000 of bodily injury liability
  • $5,000 of property damage liability
  • Full or limited tort

While these are the required minimums, they are not the only coverages you can get. These are the optional coverages that you can opt to have.

  • Uninsured motorist (UM)
  • Underinsured motorist (UIM)
  • Stacking of UM or UIM
  • Funeral benefits
  • Income loss
  • Collision
  • Comprehensive
  • Accidental death
  • Rental reimbursement
  • Towing
  • Gap

When you are in an accident, the first thing you should do is pull out your insurance policy and review your coverages. Do not depend on the insurance company to explain your coverage to you.

How Does Car Insurance Work?

The first thing you need to do is determine what type of accident you are involved in. If the damage to your car occurred not in an accident, then you need comprehensive insurance to be able to make a claim.

If the damage occurred to your car because you collided with another vehicle or object, then collision coverage takes over. It also covers your repairs if your single-vehicle accident resulted in a rollover.

Once you contact your insurance company, they will determine who is at fault. They will also want to know if anyone was injured. These two factors determine which insurance company will pay and if medical coverage will kick in.

When the Insurance Company Denies Your Claim

There are certain times when your insurance company is going to deny your claim. If there is an unauthorized driver, your insurance company will deny the claim.

Another problem is if the cost of the damage is greater than what the coverage amount is you purchased. You will have to pair for the rest of the repair out of pocket.

Many people learn the hard way that they don’t have the right type of coverage. For instance, a tree limb falls on the roof of your vehicle. If you didn’t buy comprehensive insurance, you claim will get denied.

Your insurance company will not cover you if you were doing something illegal at the time of the accident. So don’t drive with a suspended license.

Finally, don’t get your claim denied because you waited too long. Report the accident and damage right away and prevent this from being the reason an otherwise covered claim gets denied.

Use Your Car Insurance

Now you don’t need to ask, how does car insurance work? The best thing to do is to learn what insurance coverage you have before you get into an accident. That way, you already know what is covered and makes the entire claims process less stressful.

After your accident, find a repair service that has experience working with insurance companies. That way they also know how insurance company claims for repair work.

Contact us today if you need help getting your vehicle repaired after an accident.

Get the Best Results From Car Accident Repair Using These 4 Tips

Over 2 million Americans are injured in car accidents each year. Not only can these accidents cause bodily injuries, but they can also lead to a vehicle experiencing a lot of damage as well.

Once the dust has settled from a car accident, one of the main concerns you should have is getting your vehicle fixed. The only way to do this is by working with a reputable and experienced car accident repair professional.

Often times, there will be a number of different body repair shops to choose from in an area. Here are some of the things to consider before choosing one of these shops to work with.

1. Assessing the Body Shop’s Location

For most people, one of their prized possessions is their vehicle. When this vehicle is damaged, getting it fixed in a hurry should be one of your main concerns. Choosing a body shop that is close to your residence is a good idea.

By doing this, you can routinely check-in on the progress the body shop is making. If you choose a body shop that is too far away, you will be left wondering how long it will be before your vehicle is back on the road.

2. Get Multiple Quotes From Car Accident Repair Shops in Your Area

Modern consumers are very impatient, which often causes them to make mistakes. When trying to find the right car accident repair professionals, you will need to seek out multiple quotes.

If your vehicle is drivable, taking it in and letting various shops look at it is essential. By doing this, you can ensure the estimates you receive are accurate.

In most cases, a body shop will provide these estimates free of charge. Once you have multiple estimates, you will be able to choose the right body shop with ease.

3. Contact Your Insurance Provider For Help

In order to operate a motor vehicle legally in most states, you will need either liability or full-coverage auto insurance. Having insurance allows you to get help when trying to repair your vehicle after a wreck. Contacting your insurance agent after a car wreck can help you with the body repair shop selection process.

In most cases, an insurance company will have a number of affiliated auto body repair shops they deal with. Your agent should have no problem offering you information regarding the approved body shops in your area. If you feel like the body shops they are recommending aren’t the right fit, then you can seek out one on your own.

4. Take a Look at a Body Shop’s Previous Work

When going in to meet with body shops in your area, be sure to inquire about the work they have done in the past. Usually, an experienced body shop will have an extensive portfolio of work.

By taking a look at the pictures of their work, you can get an idea of what they are capable of. Once you have this information, narrowing down the list of potential body shops will be much easier.

Getting Professional Help is a Must

One of the worst mistakes you can make when dealing with car body damage is trying to fix it on your own. Working with an experienced car accident repair professional will help to ensure this work is done properly.

Looking for a reputable and knowledgeable body shop? You can contact us now to find out more about the auto body repair services we offer.