Total Loss Vehicle Accident: What It Is And How To Handle It
If you get into a vehicle collision and the cost of repairs are more than what the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle is, it is considered a total loss. There are some exceptions, but this is the general rule. There are many different types of incidents that can lead to a total vehicle loss, whether you hit a large animal on a country road or you were in a three-car pile-up. If you are facing a total loss vehicle accident, here is how to handle it.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Immediately after you get into an accident, you should first get your car to the side of the road where it is safe and get emergency medical attention if you need it. After that, make sure you call your insurance company. The sooner you file your claim, the more smoothly the process will go. If you get the opportunity to do so, gather evidence of the accident, such as talking to nearby witnesses and getting pictures of your vehicle. If another vehicle was involved, get their insurance information and contact information.
Get the Vehicle Towed
Once you have spoken to the insurance company, have your vehicle towed. They will probably have an auto repair shop they prefer to have your truck towed to. This is often an auto repair shop they are familiar with, which helps the claim get filed as soon as possible. The insurance adjuster might show up at the shop so they can assess the damage and confirm that it is a total loss. This shop won't do repairs to the vehicle, but just look at it and let the insurance company know what the cost of repairs would have been.
Sign Over the Title
If your vehicle is considered a total loss according to the auto repair shop and your insurance company, you will need to sign over the title. If you can't find your title, contact your local department of motor vehicles (DMV) and request a new one. It can take a few weeks to receive the title in the mail.
Verify How Much You Owe
If you still owe money for an auto loan, you will need to find out exactly how much you still owe and continue paying the payments until the loan is completely paid off. After filing a total loss claim, the benefits you get are for the actual cash value of the vehicle, not based on how much you owe. If you owe more than the benefits you get from the claim, you will need to pay the difference.
Once you have filed your claim, wait until the insurance company responds to the claim. If it was a total loss accident but you were denied benefits following the claim, contact a personal injury attorney like one from Fonvielle, Lewis, Foote & Messer.