Introduction
You got involved in an accident and from the look of things, there isn’t much left of your auto. The sight of your car being hoisted upwards with two deflated airbags is still too fresh in your memory. Questions start racing up in your mind. What will become of it? Will it ever come back to the road? Or is it time to start shopping for a replacement? Will your insurance company come to your aid in your greatest hour of need? Which kfz gutachter münchen should I hire? This is normal and even healthy. It is why we have created this comprehensive guide to answer every question you have, including the roles of a top sachverständiger münchen. Also, sifting through this guide will help you to survive the close scrutiny of insurance companies after coming unstuck in the wake of an accident. Keep reading to learn more.
Familiarize yourself with your auto insurance policy in advance
Most people only have a general understanding of the auto insurance policy that they have. If you ask them, they will either tell you that they have a liability, collision, or comprehensive insurance. But a closer examination of the policy reveals terms that a lot of people have no clue about. But the sad truth is that you must encounter these terms when you need your insurer to pay you to replace or repair your damaged car. Therefore, to ensure you are not ripped off by your insurance company after an accident, have a session with your insurance agent and have them explain to you what the terms mean. The best time to learn about insurance terms and their significance is before you find yourself in a serious accident. That is because insurance agents always seem to be way easier to work with when not dealing with a messy claim.
Find an Alternative Vehicle
If you are so lucky as to have a rental car cover, we advise hiring the best car allowed by your policy and hitting the road. This is important to ensure that you don’t sit there and feel sorry for yourself as you get the issue settled. Your rental coverage may not afford you a car as nice as what you own. However, you won’t be stuck at home or become a bother to your neighbors and friends for rides as you try to repair or replace your car.
Before renting a car, make sure you speak to your agent as you could still be legally responsible for collision damage even to the rental car. Different policies cover this differently, which is why you want to check the framing of your policy before you rent a car.
Learn your rights
Every state has regulations that guide the way insurance companies work to protect the public from being cheated after they file a claim. States vary in the extent they get involved in the process, which is why you want to visit the governmental site of your state to find information that pertains to the fair settlement of your claims.
Figure out what your car was worth pre-accident
One of the things that claim adjusters do, upon visiting the accident scene, determining the actual cash value (ACV) of your car. To do this, they take several factors into account, like value guide books, dealer surveys, and online pricing sites. Other things they take into account when determining your vehicle’s ACV include sales tax and title and registration expenses of a replacement vehicle. These determinants tend to vary from one insurance company to another and from one state to another. In the end, what one insurance carrier decides as the final figure may not be the same as what another company finds. It may also be different from what your kfz gutachter münchen comes up with.
That means that it would be foolhardy to take your insurer’s word for the ACV of your vehicle. It means that you must get involved in the process of evaluating the value of your car. A little research will help you along the way. One way to establish what your car is worth is to hire a sachverständiger münchen. Such an appraiser will base their value on several factors like the condition of your car at the time of the accident, mileage, options, and region. There are some cases where you can know right away that the value the insurance company has come up with is way lower than the true worth of your car. If you are convinced that your car is worth much more, do not hesitate to raise objections and ask the insurance company to adjust its figure. They will probably listen to your case if you have a sound argument. If anything, insurance companies are obligated by law to offer you the fairest price, and no firm will fancy a court battle with you if they suspect you have a strong case. However, finding a good independent appraiser will require extra legwork.
Agree on compensation for the damage.
Before they can estimate how much it would cost to repair your car, auto insurance firms must visually evaluate your car. Being present at the assessment is advisable to enable you to point out anything overlooked by them. Ensure that they see the full extent of the damage to get a proper settlement.
Remember, however, that if the insurer finds more damage, there are greater chances that they will total your car. A total loss may be a good thing or a bad one, depending on how little or more you love your auto.
It means that you will get a check-in place of your car if the insurance company determines that the cost of repairing the car, plus what it would cost to rent you a vehicle in the interim, is more than what it would cost to buy a replacement vehicle. A total loss means that you must be ready to lose your car.
Conclusion
The process of filing a claim after an accident is not as straightforward as it may sound. Immediately in the aftermath of an accident, if you escape unscathed, your biggest worry will be how to fix your car and get it back on the road. If you have insurance, as most car owners do, then this task becomes less arduous. But insurance companies are never happy to pay compensation. They may value your car much less than it is worth, and therein comes the importance of sachverständiger münchen. Hiring a top appraisal expert ensures you get the closest amount to what your vehicle is worth.
