Clearing Up the Wreckage After a Collision

By John Tomlin, CPCU, Senior Vice
President, Insurance & Financial Services

Crash! In just a split second, your vehicle has gone from being mobile to sitting on the bed of a tow truck. Luckily, you weren’t hurt in this collision, but your car…well, it’s seen better days.

After making a few calls to the police, a repair shop and someone to pick you up, the first thought that may cross your mind is, “How much is it going to take to fix this mess?”

Contact your AAA insurance counselor so that you can begin the paperwork for filing an insurance claim. Your counselor will tell you what costs you will be covered for and what other expenses will need to be taken care of. The sooner you complete your insurance paperwork means the sooner you will be able to get your vehicle repaired.

If the collision was not your fault, the wreck will not have any impact on your insurance premium. However, if the collision was your fault, or even partially your fault, it can have some effect on your insurance. The premium may go up, but the length of time it stays there and the amount that you pay is due to your insurance company’s underwriting. Speak with your insurance counselor to find out just how much your policy will be affected.

The difficult part of getting your vehicle repaired is finding a repair facility that can fix your vehicle properly at a price you can afford. Consider using one of AAA’s Approved Auto Repair facilities (where available), which guarantees AAA members quality auto care service. If you need a rental car, Hertz offers members a discount.

Contact your insurance counselor as soon as possible after a collision. Your counselor at least can get your life, if not your car, back in working order.