The first thing that car owners have to deal with after the health concerns following an accident is the state of the vehicle. In cases involving minor accidents, the straightforward course of action is talking to the insurer to determine how much of the repair cost they will be covering. However, if the accident is major, you will have to get an expert opinion on if the vehicle can be repaired or if it is totalled.

What Does It Mean For a Vehicle to Be Totalled?

Most of the time, it is the insurer who decides whether to pay for repair after a vehicle has been involved in an accident or to write it off. The decision is usually based on a comparison between the original cost of the car, its worth at the time of the accident, and the amount of money that would be spent repairing it. For instance, if a vehicle's original cost was $10,000 and the repair cost after a crash is $8000, most experts will recommend writing it off. In most cases, if the repair cost is more than 70 percent of the car's value, the insurer will not pay for repairs.

Will Auto Body Shops Repair a Totalled Car?

Once a vehicle has been declare d a total loss, the owner receives a cheque to buy a new one and the vehicle is taken to the junkyard. However, not everyone wants to part with their vehicle, and many people have a sentimental attachment. If you feel that you cannot part with the vehicle, it is possible to refute the judgment of the insurance company. You will need a competent auto body repair shop to inspect the vehicle and show how they can repair it.

Keeping the Totalled Car

The insurer will pay the cash value of the vehicle. However, they will not pay the amount that the junkyard would have paid. In most cases, they will also withhold the deductible. However, you can take the vehicle to the auto repair experts at this point, and the restoration work will begin.

Getting your car smashed can be devastating, especially when you have a sentimental attachment to it. However, it is still possible to get an alternative assessment and keep the vehicle. The crucial part of this process is getting a competent auto body repair shop to help demonstrate that they can handle the restoration process. Competent auto mechanics can restore the most massive wrecks into quality vehicles.