Many clients have questions about property damage. They’re concerned as to who’s going to pay for their car after an accident. That’s understandable because after an accident you still have to go to work, you still have to earn a living, and you still need a car. There are a couple of ways that we address this. First of all, yes, if the other party is at fault, they owe you the money for your car and they also owe you money for your alternate transportation if you have a rental. However, sometimes it’s not so easy to determine who’s at fault. There may be a question or you may have contributed to that accident so you may not be able to: 1) get them to pay or 2) you won’t get them to pay the full amount. There will be some dispute.
You can cover yourself in some of these instances by buying coverage for yourself called collision coverage. In certain cases, collision coverage is worthwhile, particularly if you have a newer vehicle. What collision coverage does is allows you to recover the payment for your car and for your rental regardless of who’s fault it is. Thereafter, the insurance company pursues the other party and, at some point, they resolve the part of the claim and you get part of your deductible or all of your deductible back. Those are the two ways that you can get your property damage paid after an accident.
What you should do though is think about this before you have an accident and consult someone who’s dealt with these coverages and dealt with policies. Many times we review policies with clients to determine what’s best for them. An attorney who’s familiar with these policies can tell you whether you need collision coverage or whether you don’t, but it’s always important to get someone who’s experienced in that field.
The law firm of Mattleman, Weinroth & Miller, P.C., is composed of experienced personal injury attorneys throughout the state of New Jersey. Please contact the office for a free initial consultation and get any questions answered regarding your specific case.
