Insurance Information

People often have many questions about what their insurance is allowed to do when it comes to repairing your vehicle and what they as the owner are responsible for. We have put together the following 10 guidelines to help answer some of your questions:

1. If you have an accident and it is your fault or you choose to have the vehicle repaired under your policy, you will have to pay your deductible. Your deductible is the amount you have set up with your agent that you must pay when you have an accident

2. A Collision claim is different than a Comprehensive claim in that a collision claim involves you hitting something, or hitting another vehicle or something hitting you. A comprehensive claim covers most other accidents. For example, Comprehensive claims would include hitting a deer, vandalism, hail damage, tree damage, theft (acts of God) etc.

3.If you have an accident that is the fault of the other driver, you can choose to have your car fixed through the other driver’s insurance company. During that time you are owed a rental car and will not have to pay any deductible.

4. Most Insurance companies will require the use of Used or Aftermarket parts on your vehicle if available and certified. However, the insurance company is obligated to restore your vehicle to pre-loss condition. If those parts do not fit properly or meet that standard, new OEM parts will be used.

5. If you have an accident and have the car fixed under your policy, you will need to check if you have “rental car use” on your policy. Despite a common misconception, full coverage on a policy does not include rental car coverage also. You must ask for this to be added to your policy. It is relatively inexpensive to add and well worth the cost if used even for 1 day.

6. Not every vehicle that has an accident will have an alignment done. If the vehicle has frame damage or suspension damage, the car will most likely have an alignment done. Most collisions will not affect the alignment of the vehicle.

7. If you are hit by another vehicle and you do not feel comfortable going through that insurance company for the repairs, you do have the choice to go through your own company for the repairs. If you do go through your own company however, you will have to pay your deductible and will also need to have rental car coverage on your policy. Your insurance company will then go after the “at fault” insurance carrier to try to recuperate your deductible. Some people elect to take this route if they feel like the other insurance company wants to fix their car in a way they do not prefer or is taking too long through the process.

8. If you have a glass only claim in the State of Kentucky, (windshields, door glass, mirror glass, headlights or taillights) and that is the only part damaged, it will be replaced with a ZERO deductible under state law.

9. It is illegal in the State of Kentucky for any insurance company to dictate where you must get your car repaired. It is your right to have your vehicle repaired anywhere you chose. Frequently, insurance companies will suggest certain shops to you which are in your area or shops that they tend to use; however, you may still have your car repaired at the shop of your choice.

10. Some insurance companies will give you a check when they write their original estimate. Many people believe that by accepting that check or cashing it, they have agreed that the vehicle must be fixed for that price and will have to pay any additional amount themselves. That is not correct. It is however important that you present the estimate that coincides with that check to the repair shop so they repair the vehicle the way the insurance company is dictating. In that case, any additional damage will also be paid for from the insurance company. Also to save you time, you do not have to cash the insurance check, you can hold onto it until your vehicle’s repairs are finished and sign over the check to the shop at that point.