Motor Vehicle Insurance: What You Need to Know (Part 3)

February 25, 2009

How does Property Damage coverage work?

One of the most frustrating things about a motor vehicle accident is trying to deal with the insurance company about the property damage to your vehicle. Immediately after the accident, you want to call your insurance company to report the accident. Also, call the defendant’s insurance company to report the property damage to your vehicle. Hopefully, the defendant’s insurance company will accept responsibility and agree to fix your vehicle. At this point, you can take your vehicle to a place you choose, or you can take your vehicle to the defendant’s insurance company’s place to fix your vehicle. While your vehicle is getting fixed, the defendant’s insurance company should give you a rental vehicle until your vehicle is fixed.

Unfortunately, many times the defendant’s insurance company will not agree to fix your vehicle immediately because the defendant’s insurance company states that it is investigating who is responsible for the accident. As opposed to waiting for days on end, you can go ahead and fix your vehicle through your insurance company. You will have to pay the deductible and, at some point down the road, you may be able to get your deductible back from the defendant’s insurance company when they determine the accident was the fault of the other person. If you do not have Property Damage coverage, then you could have a real problem. Also, if you do not have rental coverage, you will have no car while your car is getting fixed.

The defendant’s insurance company can also declare your vehicle a total loss and simply give you the fair market value which is often less than what you owe on the vehicle, so that you have no vehicle and no money after an accident. If you think that you can have the vehicle fixed, then you have the option of buying the vehicle from the insurance company for a minimum amount of money.

The Norfolk based personal injury law firm, Cooper Hurley, handles automobile, truck, and motorcycle injuries.  John Cooper and Jim Hurley have over 40 years of combined experience in handling auto injury accident claims.  Attorney John Cooper has been named to Virginia “Super Lawyers” since 2010.  Cooper Hurley represents people hurt in accidents in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News and throughout VA, and always put the best interests of the our clients first.. The firm is recognized by other lawyers as “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, a national attorney rating service, for our top level of legal skill and highest ethical standards. If you need help or advice about a serious injury, please call us (757) 455 -0077 or contact through this website.