Damage to Your Vehicle
Spokane, Washington
If your vehicle is damaged, you, of course, have the right to have that vehicle repaired. You do not have to use the auto repair shop that your insurance company recommends. You have the right, as the owner of that vehicle, to use the repair shop of your choice.
If you are not at fault for the vehicle accident, you have the right to be reimbursed for:
- A rental car while your vehicle is being repaired
- Any loss in the value of your vehicle that is a direct result of the accident
- All towing and storage costs associated with the accident
- Diminution in value due to the vehicle being damaged
If your vehicle is totaled, you have the right to be compensated for the fair market value for the vehicle. You have also the right to be reimbursed for:
- The applicable sales tax on the fair market value
- The cost of license/registration transfer
- Prorated annual tax
When Your Car is Totaled
A car is considered totaled when the insurance company determines that the cost to repair your car is more than the actual value of the car. If your car is totaled, the insurance company must compensate you for the fair market value of your car within thirty days of your claim. You can look at Kelly’s Blue Book to determine the estimated value of your car. Factors that determine the value of your car include:
- Mileage
- General condition prior to the accident
- Options and features
- Any previous repair work done to your car
Rental Car
The insurance company of the person responsible for the accident is required, by law, to provide you with a rental car while your car is being repaired or while you wait for a check for the value of your vehicle. If the insurance company takes time accepting liability for the accident, you have the right to be compensated for each day you are denied the use of a rental car. Insurance law in Washington is sometimes difficult to understand, but the experienced property damage attorneys at Craig Swapp & Associates have handled thousands of property damage cases and can help you too.
Getting Your Vehicle Repaired
Most accident claims can be resolved by dealing directly with the insurance company. If you use your insurance company to fix your car, you must pay the deductible and then recover that amount from the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
If the driver who caused the accident does not have car insurance you are responsible for getting your car fixed by using your Uninsured Motorist Coverage.
If the insurance company declares your car totaled, you do not have the option of getting it repaired. By law, the insurance company has the right to deem your car a total loss. However, some insurance companies will allow you to keep your vehicle, but they will deduct a portion of your compensation for what they refer to as “salvage value.”
If your car has been damaged in a motor vehicle accident, please contact the experienced property damage attorneys at Craig Swapp & Associates in Spokane, Washington to schedule your no-cost, confidential consultation today. One call, that’s all.
1-800-404-9000
