After you get into a car accident in California, your physical injuries must be your highest priority. Later on, you’ll have to deal with other expenses like getting your car fixed, renting a car, and other costs. Some insurance companies don’t cover everything, but the other driver’s company might cover more than you think.
What are some expenses that insurance might cover?
Every insurance company is different, so you’ll have to call the other driver’s insurance company after the accident occurs. If your car is too damaged to repair, their insurance company might cover the market price of the vehicle. Otherwise, they might cover the repairs that you have to make.
The insurance company might also cover the cost of a rental car. You’ll still have to rent the car yourself, but the company might reimburse you for the expense. If you don’t rent a car, the insurance company might compensate you anyway because you still have to deal with the loss of your vehicle.
Additionally, the insurance company might cover certain additions to your vehicle like a new stereo (if yours was damaged in the crash) or an advanced AC system. Just make sure you talk to a representative first because this varies by insurance company. However, you might be able to get some reimbursement if you had just spent money on a new feature before the crash.
In some cases, the other driver’s insurance company might refuse to compensate you for the automobile accident. You could contact your insurance company and have them pay for the repairs. Once the other company agrees to compensate you, they might pay your deductible. However, you might have to sue the driver if they don’t have insurance, have inadequate coverage or neither insurance company will pay for your losses.
Should you hire an attorney?
Many insurance companies try to blame the other party so they won’t have to pay a large settlement. If the other driver didn’t have insurance at all or is underinsured, hiring an attorney might be your only shot at receiving compensation, since you might have to sue the driver directly for damages.