Car Repair Cost More Than My Insurance Company Estimate – Help!

Reader’s Question:

My wife just had her first accident, thank God nobody is hurt. At first I thought it was just a minor accident and the cost of damage for the repair is not that much. But now, I am thinking the other way around, after the repair shop in Chandler, Arizona  send us the quote it was such a price and the insurance adjuster provided lesser amount telling us that this is only the collision coverage can cover for. Whew! Any idea, what else can we do?

Rob

Chandler, AZ

Let me start first with your Collision auto insurance coverage.  It is a part of your total comprehensive auto insurance package. Now in your policy, if you can review it. It is agreed in there that the insurance company will carry all the damages and repairs but this is limited to the vehicle. There are times that the value of the vehicle is less than the cost of repair to the vehicle. Collision auto insurance covers the cost of damage and repairs but it doesn’t mean guarantee for replacement or replacement value.

The insurance adjuster only received the description of the damage of your car, he then seek for an estimate for repair of the said damage. Only that, it appears the estimates he had is lesser than the cost of repairs the shop provided to you. I think the amount that the insurance adjuster offered was correct.

The collision auto insurance coverage provided options for you. First, you can accept the offered amount go for the repair and shoulder the excess amount. Second, you can negotiate with your insurance adjuster, but if you are still unhappy with the outcome you can go to the third option. Third, file your complaint at the state insurance agency in Arizona. This agency will review your collision auto coverage and evaluate it with your insurance provider. Try to research online too for auto insurance options in your area. Insurance sites like this one will be able to route you to auto insurance rates comparison in your area.

Can I Operate Any Car With My SR22 Insurance Coverage?

Reader’s Question:

Can I operate any car with SR22 insurance with permission?

James

Baltimore, MD

Under most state and with most insurance company guidelines, yes, you can drive any car with permission as long as no exclusion applies even with an SR22.

But, if you have a non-owners SR22 then coverage is limited to your personal operation of a car not owned by you or any family member in the household.

You can shop around online for a quote on SR22 financial responsibility certificate.

For you to be able to obtain the general price for an SR22 financial responsibility certificate you need to get a quote. An SR22 generally costs an additional $15-$30 filing fee above and beyond your auto insurance premium rate.