After a Tampa Bay Car Accident, Should I Make a Property Damage Claim through My Insurance or the At-Fault Party's Insurance?

When your car was damaged in a Tampa Bay, Florida area car accident that was not your fault, you may have a couple options available for your property damage claim.

The first option is the at-fault driver's insurance. Assuming the at-fault driver has sufficient coverage, you can make a claim with that driver's company and then wait for the adjuster to assess your damage so that you can take your car to the body shop of your choice. This option works well for some and not-so-well for others. One person in Clearwater might receive fast, excellent service from an at-fault driver's insurance company, while another person in Tampa might have to wait weeks for their property damage claim to go through.

In addition, if you decide to go through the at-fault driver's insurance, be very careful with the paperwork they ask you to sign. You do not want to inadvertently release the insurance company from liability for the injuries you suffered in the accident. To be on the safe side, it is recommended that you ask your Tampa car accident lawyer to review any release documents before you sign them.

The second option is your own collision coverage. Your own coverage is preferred if the at-fault driver does not have sufficient collision insurance, typically in multi-vehicle accidents, or if the at-fault driver's insurance company appears to be delaying claims in the accident. Often, the at-fault driver's insurance may stall on paying for property damage while they investigate the circumstances of the accident to make sure their driver was truly at fault. Sometimes the at-fault driver's insurance company may claim that you were partly to blame for the accident so that they are not taking full responsibility and do not intend to pay the full value of your property damage claim. To avoid these delays, you can make a claim through your own insurance provider, and then your insurance can pursue reimbursement from the at-fault driver's insurance. One downside to using your own insurance is that you will have to pay your deductible out-of-pocket and then wait to be reimbursed by the at-fault insurance provider. Reimbursement can take 6 months to a year.

If you also have a bodily injury claim from your Tampa Bay area auto accident, you really should discuss your case with a Tampa car accident lawyer to make sure you will be properly compensated for your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.

Please contact Tampa car accident lawyer Dale Appell, P.A. today for a no-cost, no-obligation assessment of your case. We represent injured car accident victims across the greater Tampa Bay, Florida area including Apollo Beach, Largo, Clearwater, St Petersburg, Tampa, Polk, Safety Harbor, Brandon, New Port Richey, Citrus, and Pasco.