Car crashes can be a gigantic headache to deal with. The most important aspect after a crash is to make sure all parties involved are physically okay. After that, the dread of dealing with financial repercussions can be horrific. If you ever find yourself dealing with a car crash, follow these tips for estimating and dealing with your finances after the fact.
Call Your Insurance Company
If the accident is at all serious, calling your insurance company is a must. Especially if you are not at fault, and the other car involved has damage. If the other driver reports the accident to their insurance company, which gets in touch with your insurance company well before you do, it can raise some eyebrows in regards to responsibility for the accident. Many insurance companies offer a guarantee that your rates won’t spike if you are not at fault, so there’s nothing to worry about if you take proactive action.
Call a Lawyer
If you’re hurt in an auto accident, calling a lawyer is a smart idea. Medical costs can get expensive very quickly, and the easiest way to ensure you are getting the right rates (and being paid fairly if you weren’t at fault), is to contact a lawyer and let them handle the financial details of the case. According to Ladah Law Firm, many people can get an attorney cheaper if they were not at fault.
Check Labor Costs
Many times, the cost of body work varies from auto shop to auto shop. Check the labor costs at various places in your area to see where you can get the best deal. After the work is done, make sure to go through the bill and verify you were charged the correct rates for the work done.
Replace Parts On Your Own
If the damage to your vehicle isn’t severe, and is constrained to either a bumper or fender, it’s actually surprisingly easy to replace these parts on your own. There are many online guides that can walk you through it, and bypassing the labor costs of replacement at an auto shop will save you a fortune on your repairs. You can also get a professional to fix it, and as long as you provide the parts it can be done fairly quickly and easily.
Get Multiple Estimates
Auto shops offer estimates for most repair work before they begin fixing your car. Shop around at as many different businesses as possible, so that you can choose your most cost-effective option to have your car repaired.
Dealing with a car crash is never fun, but with these tips you can relieve some of the pressure of estimating and paying for your repair costs. But of course the best way to reduce costs of an auto accident is to avoid them altogether. Stay safe and alert on the roads!
This article is from Brooke Chaplan, a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan.
