Driving is risky; as long as you’re on the road in a car, there is always a risk of an accident occurring no matter how careful you are. Other factors, such as bad weather, chronic diseases, and substance abuse, can also cause accidents on the road.
When a road accident occurs, emphasis is mainly on the driver and the human lives that might be involved, which is correct. The car receives little attention, and you might ask what happens to my vehicle after an accident. Below is a detailed answer to the question.
The Extent of Damage to the Vehicle is Assessed
What happens to the vehicle depends on the extent of the damage; if it is a light collision and the damage is slight, you can exchange insurance details and go on with your journey. For serious accidents, the emergency services decide where the car goes, mainly to an impounded lot.
Most people tend to take it negatively, but impounding reduces traffic on the road and keeps the car safe until the relevant authorities resolve the accident case. The longer the vehicle stays at the lot, the higher the charges will be, so it is essential to try and move the car as soon as possible.
Repairing the Vehicle
It’s important to note that when a vehicle gets into an accident, the extent of damage is assessed mainly by insurance companies. The question of what happens to my vehicle after an accident also depends on the insurance companies, as a body shop can only do repairs to the car once the assessment is complete. There has to be an agreement between the person accessing the vehicle and the body shop.
When it comes to repairs, most states prevent insurance companies from forcing victims of accidents to use specific repair shops. You can choose a repair shop, but some advantages come with using the insurance company’s recommended shop.
One advantage is that it saves you money and time as there is no time wasted in looking for a reliable shop, researching to see if an insurance company’s reviews are reasonable and whether prices are within your affordability bracket. Also, some insurers provide a replacement car depending on your policy, which helps if the repair takes a long time.
Written-off Vehicles
When an accident occurs, those with drivable cars are supposed to contact the police or an attorney who liaises with the insurance company and determines the guilty party. When the vehicle isn’t drivable, the insurer assesses the damage before offering a check. What happens to my car after an accident and it has been totaled or written off?
When the cost of repairs surpasses the total value, the insurance company writes the car off. Hence, the insurance company considers the total cost of repairing the vehicle or the amount your car would have cost if sold before the damage occurred. In most cases, the victim receives the lower amount, but if one refuses the salvage value, you can keep the car, or the insurer keeps it.
Summary
No matter the accident’s damages, light or bad, any accident is an accident. The article above fully answers what happens to my vehicle after an accident. It would be best to use a lawyer or involve the police to avoid problems with the law in the event of an accident.