Does the other person’s car insurance have to pay my property damage after an accident?

  • 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 to get a rental car.
  • Sometimes it is not so easy to determine who’s at fault and there will be a dispute
  • This occurs if 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.
  • You can cover yourself in some of these instances by buying collision coverage
  • In certain cases, collision coverage is worthwhile, especially if you have a newer vehicle
  • Collision coverage 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
  • It is important for you to consider this before you have an accident and consult someone who’s dealt with these coverages and 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.