Some accidents are straight forward as far as who the claimant is. For instance, if you’re rear-ended, the other party is at fault. You would be the claimant. They are considered the policy holder. If the accident is as a result of a lane change or in an intersection, the responsibility can become muddied. Were both parties at fault equally? Was one more responsible than the other?
Regardless of who is at fault, it is the claimant who gets the ball rolling. The other party can counter claim if they don’t believe they are fully responsible. But in the end, the claimant’s vehicle gets repaired by the at-fault party’s insurance company. Let’s assume the policy holder is fully responsible for the repairs.
Here is what you should know as a claimant:
- You are not subject to a deductible.
- You are not locked into the insurance company’s ‘preferred’ shop.
- You have the right to choose your own auto body shop for the repairs.
- All repairs are paid for by the at-fault party’s insurance company.
- You are entitled to a rental while your vehicle is being repaired.
As stated earlier, in an auto accident, the policy holder covers the damage. If both parties suffer damage to their vehicle, and they each file a claim, they may both be considered policy holders (if both are found at fault). Fault is determined after an investigation including a police report and other supporting documents as required by the insurance company.
In the event you are a claimant, don’t let the policy holder’s insurance company steer you to one of their preferred shops. You have the right to choose who repairs your vehicle.
In the event you do need repairs, call Sharp Auto Body at (847) 526-1343, a shop you can trust!
