After A Car Accident How Do We Get Our Car Fixed Quickly?
One of the worst things about getting into a car accident is having your car damaged and out of commission. This is even worse when you only have one car in your household. Going to work, picking up the kids from school, grocery shopping, and all the other normal aspects of life become so much harder without a reliable form of transportation. So, what are you supposed to do when your car is totaled and you don’t have another one? This article will talk about your options when you have a one car household and you’ve been in a car accident.
Collision Coverage vs Liability Coverage
One of the best things to have in an insurance policy is collision coverage. Collision coverage differs from liability coverage in that it handles repairs or replacement of your car during an accident regardless of who is at fault. Liability coverage on the other hand, only covers the other person’s car in an accident where you are the at fault party.
Problems with Using the Other Driver’s Insurance
Now that you know about collision coverage and liability coverage you may be saying, “If I am not at fault, why don’t I just replace my vehicle through the other person’s liability coverage?” There are a few reasons against going this route. For one, it is not guaranteed that the driver you got into the accident with even has liability coverage. If this is the case, then you won’t be able to replace your car though their insurance.
Another problem is that it takes an incredibly long time to go through another person’s insurance company to replace your vehicle. When going through the other driver’s insurance, the insurance company has to first determine who is at fault which means a full investigation. These kinds of investigations can take weeks of gathering information and going through records. If it is determined you are not at fault, the other driver’s insurance company will then send out an adjuster to determine the damages and that will take even more time to schedule. The only positive aspect of going through the other driver’s insurance is that you won’t have to pay out of pocket, but the extensive time it takes to obtain a vehicle will make day to day activities nearly impossible if your single mode of transportation is out of commission.
Why Use Your Own Insurance?
The fastest way to replace your vehicle after an accident is going through your own insurance and using your collision coverage. Collision coverage will help to repair or replace your car after a car accident. The only down side to this is that there is a deductible that you will have to pay out of pocket before you can use your collision coverage. Because collision coverage takes effect regardless of who is at fault, you won’t have to wait for an investigation before you use it, so it will not take much time to replace your vehicle. And if it is determined that you are not at fault, the liable driver’s insurance will reimburse you for your deductible. So if you need a car immediately and don’t have time to wait around for another driver’s insurance to drag their feet on getting you a car, this is the best route to take.
Let’s Recap
If you don’t have collision coverage, you should strongly consider getting it in case you are in a car accident that damages your vehicle beyond use. This is especially true if you only have one car in your household and need transportation to complete every day activities. Once you are in a car accident and need a replacement vehicle, you can go through the other driver’ insurance, but it will take weeks that you may not have to spare. The fastest way to replace or repair a car after an accident is using your collision coverage.
Have You Been Injured In A Florida Car Accident?
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident you need to speak with an experienced Florida car accident lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Coral Springs office directly at 954.755.7803 to schedule your free consultation. We proudly serve Florida residents including all of Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County and all points in between.