A Crash Course in Collision Repair Vocabulary

If you’ve been involved in an auto accident, you’re going to need to go through the auto insurance claims and collision repair process. During this process, you’re likely to hear some terms that you may be unfamiliar with if you haven’t gone through it before.

Here is a quick overview of some crash repair terms in Visalia, CA that you should be aware of as you file your insurance claim and seek to get your vehicle repaired.

• Act of God: An Act of God with regard to vehicle damage refers to natural occurrences that could not be controlled or influenced in any way by mankind. Examples include major storms, floods and earthquakes.
• Aftermarket parts: Aftermarket parts are vehicle parts that were not made by the original equipment manufacturer. They are often cheaper than OEM parts, but may not provide the same strength or performance, and as such could void warranties.
• Carrier: The carrier in your insurance claim is the insurance company that issued your policy. The term refers to the insurance company “carrying” the risk for you.
• Collateral: Your vehicle is often used as collateral until the loan is repaid. If you fall behind on vehicle loan payments, the bank that issued your loan may seize the vehicle and sell it to pay off the loan.
• Deductible: Your deductible is the amount of money you’ll need to pay before your insurance company will pay the rest of the costs associated with repairs, up to the amount specified for vehicle damage in your insurance policy. High-deductible policies have lower premiums, while low-deductible policies have higher premiums.
• Indemnity: The indemnity principle indicates that when a loss happens, the insured party and their vehicle must be restored to the condition they were in before the loss. This means any damage that already existed on your vehicle before the recent damage occurred will not be covered as part of the repairs being made to your vehicle.
• Liability: Liability is a legal principle that refers to the responsibility or obligation one party has for another party’s sustained damages, including injuries or vehicle damage.
• Personal injury protection (PIP): This is a common coverage on auto insurance policies in which your insurance company reimburses you for medical costs, lost wages, loss of certain services and funeral costs.
• Refurbished collision parts: Refurbished collision parts are parts that were removed from another vehicle that had been repaired or refinished. Examples commonly include wheels and bumpers.
• Refurbished mechanical parts: These are parts removed from another vehicle that were repaired or refinished, but have to deal with mechanical operation of the vehicle, rather than vehicle body parts.
• Salvage parts: These are parts salvaged from a vehicle deemed a total loss. Any part can become a salvage part so long as it remains in good enough condition to use again in the future.
• Subrogation: A circumstance in which your insurance company pays expenses for medical and vehicle repairs and later attempts to recoup those expenses.

For more information about the vocabulary used in collision repair in Visalia, CA, or to schedule service, reach out to Toms Body & Paint, Inc. today.

Categorised in: Collision Repair

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