Recover The Full Value Of Your Car After An Accident

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The sound of breaking glass and buckling metal can only mean one thing: you have been in an accident. Each time a driver gets behind the wheel, the potential for an auto accident exists. Auto insurance is designed to help provide protection against financial harm following an auto accident.

The purpose of having insurance is to make you whole after an accident. This is a goal that can be impossible to achieve. No matter how expertly repairs are completed, a vehicle that has been in an accident will always be worth less than a vehicle with no collision history.

Diminished auto value claims can be used to help you recoup the money lost as a result of your vehicle's lower post-accident value.

Fault

Fault plays a central role in many of the insurance claims that are filed following auto accidents. The driver who caused the accident is responsible for making financial restitution, so his or her insurance company will handle the claim.

A diminished auto value claim can never be filed against your own insurance policy. You can only file these types of claims when you are involved in an accident that you did not cause. If a police report names you as the driver at fault, you will have to cut your losses when it comes to the reduced value of your vehicle.

If you did not cause the accident, then you can file a diminished value claim with the other driver's insurance company. You can file a diminished value claim against your own uninsured motorist property damage coverage if the driver who caused the accident doesn't have a valid insurance policy.

Proof

The burden of proof in a diminished value claim lies with you. You must be able to provide definitive proof that your vehicle has lost value as a direct result of an accident.

This proof is usually obtained by having an appraiser determine both the pre- and post-accident values of your vehicle. The difference between these two values is the amount you will want to pursue through a diminished value claim. 

Get Help

You can increase your chances of success if you get professional help when filing a diminished value claim. Insurance companies can be difficult to work with. Once you file your claim, you will need to follow up with the insurance company multiple times to reach a suitable resolution.

Hire a professional to represent your interests so that you don't have to carry the burden of negotiating with the insurance company on your own.

For more information on diminished auto value claims, contact a company such as Chicago Auto Appraisers.

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