I had a car accident, the car was 70% damaged. What should I do now?

Question

The accident happened last night on highway 101 near Studio City, Hollywood, the car went out of control and started swriling then hit the divider and bounced back to the soulder of the road. Luckily no one was injured and no other vihecle was involved, yet the car was nearly 70% damaged and of coursed disabled. The car's been towed home, but I don't know what's the next step in the procedure. I have AAA membership full covered, now should I call them? What should I say on the phone?

Answer 1

You have to file an accident report if you haven't already done so. Then notify your insurance company and file a claim. Since this appears to be a single-car accident, that is fairly simple.

Your car will be examined and either repaired or totaled out. If it is repaired, and well done, well then you have nothing to worry about except when you sell it and tell the other person about the accident. They may offer you less than retail because of this.

If they total the car, they pay you and then they own the car. If you don't agree with what they offer you, you can go to arbitration and fight their settlement (this costs you about $500 to do that, so make sure you are arguing over more than $500 dollars!)

Basically, 5 times out of 10, prepare to bend over and be hosed by your insurance company. Occasionally, depending on who they are, they will do the right thing for you. and settle fairly.

if you are on State Farm, you are doomed you might as well just kill yourself now. They will send out an assassin and you will be robbed blind and picked clean. The LA area is very corrupt in this regard.

Answer 2

You need to contact your insurance company again as I don't think that letter should have ever come to you at all. That is why we have insurance companies in the first place. Plus I would also consult with your solicitor on the possibility of counter claiming especially if it was the other driver whom caused the accident.

Answer 3

Call your insurance company. In California, if a vehicle is 70% damaged the car is a "total-loss", in other words it would cost more to fix then replace.

AAA is for road-side assistance. Unless, you also use AAA for your insurance carrier.

Answer 4

call the insurance company - they will come out and look at the actual costs of repairing it. it may look worse than it is or just be all cosmetic and not as bad as it seems.
You mayonly look like youhave 70% damge because it is all cosmetic- but not really that much..
if repair exceeds a certian percantage of the value of the car( 60%- 70 %)considering mialge age etc they will total it and pay you what the market value of the car.

for example

2000 Accord
with high milage of 150,000
Retail value 9000.00 of usual 2000 accord with 105,000 milies

costs to repair 6000
Totaled! they give you 9000-$4500 highmilage costs

Answer 5

notify your insurance agent - with 70% damage it will be totaled out and they will send you a check -

for about half of what you think it's worth

then your insurance company will sell the wreck to a salvage yard - and they will come and tow it away -
GET ALL YOUR STUFF OUT NOW

*****why call AAA? your car has already been towed home

unless you have car insurance with them

Answer 6

call in a claim to your insurance company! did you file a police report? ask your insurance company. what do you mean "what should i say on the phone?"? tell them you need to file a claim. they will go and look at the car and determine the next steps. make sure you have your policy in front of you.

Answer 7

Notify the insurance company of exactly what happened and it should clear itself up from there. Fairly simple. Hope this helps! Best wishes!!!

Answer 8

Something like this:
I: Hello, this is 'blah blah' Insurance Company, how may I help you?
Y: I am a policyholder and I had a collision yesterday -- what do I do now?
They will handle it from there. have your insurance card in hand when you call.

Answer 9

Yup insurance time and most likely to send your car to the big junkyard in the sky

Answer 10

Call your insurance provider and tell them you were driving, lost control of your car and that it's approx. 70% damaged, and fill in the details as they as for them.

THey will more than likely, total it.