Repairing Your Own Vehicle After Filing a Claim

Many people wonder, “Can I repair my own car after being in an accident?” However, this can sometimes be an issue, especially if you have a lien on your car. Many automotive insurance agencies would prefer having a professional mechanic take care of the repairs. Certain insurers, however, don’t care if you make the repairs yourself as long as the costs stay within the limits of your coverage. Read on to learn more about the legality of fixing your own vehicle after filing a claim.

Speak with your insurance company first

In most cases, your collision or comprehensive insurance policy will cover the costs of an accident. The simplest way to figure out whether you can make your own repairs is by speaking with your insurance company directly. With some insurance policies, the company will simply send you the money for repairs. With this money, you could either pay a repair shop to fix your car or buy the materials to repair the car yourself.

Do you own your vehicle?

Owning your vehicle makes things much easier. When you own your vehicle, most insurance companies won’t care if you perform your own repairs. Again, it’s a good idea to speak with your insurance company before ordering parts or taking any action. However, owning your own vehicle usually means you can do whatever you like with the money received from insurance.

Do you have a lien on your vehicle?

Lenders sometimes hold liens on car titles that aren’t completely paid off. You probably won’t be able to repair your own car if there’s a lien on your car. This is because the lender would rather work with a certified repair shop instead of risking their money on someone else. If you want to make your own repairs, you’ll probably have to pay off your car first.

Is it worth it?

Depending on the damage your vehicle has incurred, repairing it on your own might not be worth the time and effort. Sure, you may end up saving money, but is it worth spending days or weeks repairing your car? A quality auto shop will take care of the repairs quickly and efficiently, so you can get back on the road in no time. An auto body shop will also have the materials they need on hand, so you won’t have to spend time shopping for parts and waiting for them to be delivered.

It’s also easy to make mistakes when trying to repair a vehicle on your own. This could result in higher repair costs than initially anticipated. If an auto shop makes a mistake while repairing your vehicle, they’ll have to cover the damages.

If you’d still rather repair the car yourself, at least consider speaking with a repair shop before trying to do repairs on your own car. They will help you figure out how much vehicle repairs will actually cost. They can also offer the best advice on purchasing materials and performing repairs.

If you’re in need of auto body repairs after a collision, speak with the experts at Tom’s Body & Paint, Inc. today.

Categorised in: Auto Body Repair

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