Fix Auto Interbay

Facts About Post-Crash Car Appraisals

 Vehicle accidents are something we can't anticipate and no one ever wants to be involved in one, even if it's a fender bender. Nobody will deny that accidents can be very scary and stressful, so it is always a smart move to be ready if and when the time comes.

Here at Fix Auto Interbay in Seattle, WA we want our readers and customers to be prepared and informed, so in this blog, we deal with car appraisals.

Many people have limited knowledge about the vehicle appraisal process prior to the filing of an insurance claim and everything that entails. So, if this sounds a lot like you, you’ll find this blog very helpful!

The main purpose of a car appraisal is to determine a fair value for your vehicle after an accident. This is normally done so that your insurer can know how much it will cost to fix your vehicle after any type of accident. In many cases, the cost of repairs could be higher than the current worth of your car. In such cases, your insurance company will customarily pay you what your vehicle is worth determined by the appraisal process and thus ‘totaling out’ your vehicle.

After an accident, you will have to report it to your insurance company. Most insurers have a staff of claim adjusters that are easily dispatched to the scene of the accident to appraise the vehicle. First, the appraisal expert will usually ask you a series of questions to determine the cause of the accident prior to inspecting the vehicle.

Generally, whenever a car appraisal is initiated, the appraiser is trying to determine the overall extent of damage caused by the collision. The extent of damage to your car after an accident could be so extensive that the money to repair it may be much more than its worth. When this happens, the appraiser has the option to write the vehicle off as a total loss. The smartest thing to do in this situation is to accept payment for the car's worth instead of trying to repair the car yourself because your insurer is under obligation by law to offer you a fair price.

Don't be afraid of post-accident car appraisals and be sure that you have enough information to make a good decision. Accidents are frightening, so it is always a sage idea to be prepared if and when they occur.

Fix Auto Interbay, 2600 15th Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119 

Sources: YouTube and DMV.org