You've just had an accident! Do you know what to do? The following accident information may be of help to you both before and after an accident:
1. Take a few minutes to look over your insurance coverage. Understand what is covered, what is not, what are your obligations and what are your rights. Consider the following questions:
- How much is your deductible (the amount you will need to pay after the repair)?
- Are car rentals covered by your insurance policy?
- Does your policy stipulate that repairs can be done using after-market parts (LKQ)?
- If you have a newer car, you may not want anything except Original Equipment Manufactured (OEM) parts.
2. You are not required to get more than one estimate.
3. You can get an estimate before having your car inspected by your insurance company.
4. You may have the repair facility of your choice make the repairs. You are not required to use a shop selected by the claims adjuster; this practice is called insurer steering. However, you are required by your policy to allow your insurance company a reasonable amount of time to inspect the damages prior to repairing the vehicle.
If you've just had an accident, or if you'd like to be better prepared should you have one in the future, contact us, we'd be more than happy to discuss this critical issue with you further!