Vehicle & Property Damage

Even after your car is fully repaired from an accident, it’s often worth less than it was before the crash. This loss in value is called “diminished value.” The question is: Can you get compensated for it?

After a car accident, your repair shop or insurer may suggest using aftermarket parts instead of original manufacturer (OEM) parts. That raises a big question: Do you have to accept aftermarket parts in your repairs? The short answer: not always — it depends on your policy and your state’s laws.

After a car accident, waiting weeks — or even months — for repairs can feel endless. Shops may blame parts delays, labor shortages, or insurance disputes. Meanwhile, you’re stuck wondering: “What happens if the repairs take too long?”

When your car is declared a total loss after an accident, the insurance company usually takes the vehicle and pays you its value. But what if you don’t want to give it up? Can you keep a totaled car? The short answer: yes, but there are trade-offs.

After an accident, the insurance company may declare your car a total loss and offer you a payout. But what if the number they give you feels way too low? Can you fight it? The answer is yes — you can dispute an insurance company’s valuation of your car.

Sometimes a crash leaves your car so badly damaged that fixing it just isn’t an option. But what does that mean for you financially, and what happens next? Here’s what you need to know if your car can’t be repaired after an accident.

After a car accident, your insurance company might suggest a “preferred” repair shop. But you might wonder: Do I have to use their choice, or can I pick my own? The short answer: in most cases, you have the right to choose your repair shop. But there are some things to know before making that decision.

After a crash, one of the first steps in getting your car back on the road is a repair estimate. But how do insurance companies and repair shops figure out the cost? And what happens if their numbers don’t match? Here’s what you need to know about how repair estimates work after an accident.

Hearing that your car is “totaled” after an accident can feel like a gut punch. But what does it really mean — and what happens next?...