Car Accident Property Damage: How-to Guide

When your vehicle has been damaged in a car accident, wouldn’t it be nice to have trusted legal help by your side who can advise you about how to handle an accident with property damage when there were no personal injuries involved?

This video series will do just that, giving you valuable tips and instructions on how to handle your auto insurance claim yourself.

How to Handle Your Car Accident Property Damage Claim

Get answers to your questions from Andrew Kryder, an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer, in his new video series, Car Accident Property Damage: How-to Guide. It can give you valuable insights on how to handle the aftermath of an auto accident yourself and ensure that your property damage is taken care of.

In Andy’s words, “If your car has been damaged in an accident, you likely have a lot of questions on how to get it fixed, and how to get it fixed as fast as you can.”

Topics Covered in this How-to Guide for Car Accident Property Damage

This guide uses simple language to answer frequently-asked questions to help you confidently navigate post-accident repair procedures. Gain from Andy’s legal knowledge and over 20 years of experience to tackle key tasks on your own without feeling overwhelmed. First, find out what an auto insurance policy is designed to do, and what it is not intended to do when you’re getting vehicle repairs or seeking compensation for a totaled vehicle.

In the rest of the series you’ll learn:

1. Setting Up a Claim – Find out how to file a car insurance claim and what information you’ll need to file one with the other driver’s insurance provider or your own insurance company.
2. Documenting the Damage – Learn how to accurately photograph your car’s damage, keep auto-body estimates, and use other types of video documentation as evidence.
3. Preliminary Inspection and Final Estimate – Understand how to deal with the insurance company to adjust your estimate if the initial estimate seems low.
4. Can They Fix My Car with Used Parts? – Discover why repair of your car can be made using used parts.
5. Can I Use My Own Mechanic? – Learn the impact of using your own mechanic on the settlement you receive for repairing your damaged vehicle.
6. Liability and Comparative Fault – Understand how liability and comparative fault can substantially impact the value of your settlement.
7. Taxes on a New Car Purchase – Take advantage of a money-saving tip: when your car has been totaled, make sure the insurance company pays the sales taxes on a new vehicle.
8. Insurance Can Pay for the License Plate Transfer Fee – Here’s another tip to save you money on your post-accident vehicle recovery.
9. Should I Give a Statement to the Insurance Company? – Hear why giving a statement to an insurance company may be a trap you will want to avoid.
10. How the Insurance Company Decides to Fix or Replace a Car – Learn what factors an insurance company takes into account in deciding whether to fix the damage to your vehicle or to declare it a total loss.
11. How to Maximize the Total Loss Value of Your Car – Understand how being an advocate for your totaled car may increase its salvage value.
12. How to Avoid Tow Yard Storage Fees – Read important steps to take to avoid paying charges while your vehicle is being stored.
13. What Is Gap Insurance? – Learn what gap insurance is and why it is important for you to include it in your automotive insurance plan.
14. How Does Rental Car Coverage Work? – Here’s a tip to save money on renting a car while your vehicle is disabled; learn how it works.
15. Signing a Release – Understand what it means to sign an insurance release and know why it’s vital you read and understand the release before you sign, and when to do it.
16. Statute of Limitations – Know how long you have to take action if you are unable to reach a settlement with the insurance company.
17. Salvage Value – Understand what salvage value is, how it is computed, and why it is important if your vehicle has been declared a total loss.
18. Can I Keep My Totaled Car? The rules determining when you may keep your totaled car are very exact; learn what they are.
19. Will My Rates Go Up If I Make a Claim with My Own Insurance? Consider the pros and cons of using your own insurance in filing your claim.

What is Car Accident Property Damage?

Car accident property damage refers to any physical damage caused to your vehicle or other personal belongings as a result of a car accident. This can include damage to the exterior or interior of your vehicle, as well as to any personal items inside such as laptops, phones, or other valuables.

What Is NOT Included as Property Damage?

It does not include any personal injuries that you may have been sustained as a result of the accident.

What Is Car Insurance Designed to Do?

Automobile insurance is a policy designed to provide financial protection against damage resulting from traffic collisions. It can also cover liabilities arising from incidents in a vehicle. In essence, it is coverage that safeguards you from significant financial loss due to accidents.

Andy explains, “In the context of a car accident, insurance is designed to fix your car or replace it if it’s been badly damaged. But they’re only going to pay what’s necessary to restore you to the same financial condition that you were in before the accident happened.”

An Example of What a Car Insurance Claim Does

Let’s talk briefly about what an insurance company is designed to do.

“So as an example,” Andy says, “If you’re driving a $10,000 car and it’s a thousand dollars to fix it, they’re going to pay you a thousand dollars.”

“If the car is totaled, then they’re going to pay you [$10,000], because in both situations what they’re doing is . . . restoring you to the same economic position that you were in before the accident happened.”

“They pay . . . the thousand dollars; it restores your car to its same condition that it was before the accident. ”

In a second example, Andy continues, “If the car is totaled, they’re giving you a check for $10,000 because now you have the money which is equal to the value of the car before it was totaled.”

The Bottom Line: What Does Auto Insurance Do?

Andy concludes, “In essence, insurance is designed to restore you to the same condition that you were in before an accident happened. They’re not going to pay you more than what you had, but they should pay you what you did have.”

“I look at it very simply,” he summarizes,  “[The insurance company has] to restore the person to what they had before the accident happened — no more no less.”

If You Suffered a Personal Injury in Your Car Accident Due to Someone Else’s Negligence

For property damage with no personal injury, we designed this How-to Guide to enable you to navigate your insurance claim effectively.

However, if you’ve sustained personal injuries due to the negligence or recklessness of another driver, The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury lawyers is here to defend your rights. For example, in cases where a distracted driver caused a collision or a speeding driver failed to stop at a red light leading to your personal injury accident, our law firm can step in to ensure you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries and suffering.

Book a free consultation with The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers today. In this no-obligation meeting, we’ll evaluate your case, help you understand your legal options, and strategize the best path forward. Our clients pay nothing unless we win – we get paid from the settlement or judgment we win.