Negotiating with insurance companies can be an arduous process after a wreck. Insurers are known for delays and even denials so having someone in your corner can expedite the process, get you properly paid, and get you back on the road sooner rather than later. An experienced Milwaukee car accident lawyer will help you deal with insurers so that you can put your accident behind you.
There is a basic framework to follow when preparing for post-accident consultations and essentially three ways to recover your losses. The best avenue to take depends on the particular circumstances of your accident.
1. Using Your Own Collision Coverage
By far, the quickest way to get payment is to use your own insurance. The cost of repairs will be paid out from your auto policy no matter who was at fault as long as you pay any upfront deductible. That deductible amount will be repaid to you once the at-fault driver’s insurance company remits payment to your insurer.
2. Waiting for the At-Fault Driver’s Liability Coverage
Relying on the defendant’s insurance company can result in delays. Adjusters can take days or even weeks to investigate and assign fault. While they do usually wind up paying a set amount to have your car fixed, many times it is not done in a timely manner, so you may opt to use your own collision coverage in the interim.
3. Coverage Under Uninsured Motorist Insurance
It may be alarming to find out that the other driver does not have automobile insurance, but you will be protected in most circumstances under your own insurance policy for uninsured motorists. Whether you have to pay a deductible will depend upon the type of wreck.
Once you figure out who is going to pay for the repairs, you will be tasked with figuring out how to get the actual repair done.
Drivable, Not Drivable, or Total Loss
If you are unable to drive your car, the insurance company will send their adjuster to estimate the damage and then give you a check to pay for getting the car repaired. If the vehicle has been taken to a salvage yard, tow it to a repair shop as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary storage fees.
In instances when you can drive your car after the accident, you may be asked to take your car to the insurance company office so the adjuster can take a look at it on-premise. Once examined, you will receive an estimate and can take it to be repaired or get a second estimate from a shop that you trust.
In some cases, the body shop may say your car can’t be fixed for the amount offered by the insurance company. The shop manager will communicate with the adjuster directly to come to an agreement, but if an agreement is not reached, your next option is a less expensive shop.
If your car has been determined to be a total loss, that means the repair costs are greater than what it was worth before your wreck. The insurer will determine the price your car could have been sold for prior to the accident, which is called fair market value. Companies like Kelley Blue Book can help determine FMV. The insurance company deducts repair and salvage costs from the FMV and issues a check.
You can sign the car over to the insurance company and accept the check or accept the total loss value and keep your car. If you decide to junk it yourself, the DOT provides guidelines for junking a vehicle in Wisconsin.
Facebook Comments