If your car has been damaged after an accident, you likely want to get it repaired quickly so you can get back to your daily routine. Not having a vehicle that works properly can be stressful and surprisingly hard on your family, who may need to drive you, and your pocketbook, if you need to take taxis or public transportation.
Unfortunately, many types of insurance do not help with car repairs after a car accident. A Massachusetts car accident attorney can tell you more about what your coverage or another person’s coverage should cover when it comes to vehicle repairs.
Insurance Requirements in Massachusetts
In no-fault states like Massachusetts, your insurance company will take care of the damage to your vehicle up to a certain policy limit, but only if you have collision coverage or comprehensive coverage.
The minimum requirements for insurance in Massachusetts do not cover your own personal damage to your vehicle. Instead, the minimum coverage focus on personal injuries, property damage (for property that does not belong to you), and PIP coverage. The personal injury and property damage coverage applies if someone else sues you, while the PIP coverage (personal injury protection) covers your personal injuries after an accident.
Neither comprehensive coverage nor collision coverage is required in Massachusetts. Drivers are also not required to purchase underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage either. That type of coverage provides supplemental coverage in case the other person involved in the accident does not have enough insurance coverage to pay for all of the personal injuries or damage that the crash caused.
Repairing Your Car if Someone Else Hit You
If you have collision coverage or comprehensive coverage, you will work with your insurance company first to pay for vehicle repairs. If you do not have this type of coverage or if your policy limit is less that what it will cost to repair the vehicle, you may need to sue the wrongdoer to recover enough money to repair your vehicle.
In Massachusetts, you can move outside of no fault coverage if you have suffered injuries that will cost more than $2,000 in reasonable medical expenses or if you have suffered from an injury that will result in permanent damage. A broken or fractured bone constitutes a permanent injury for purposes of getting around no fault coverage.
When Repairs Exceed the Car’s Value
When the cost to repair your vehicle is higher than the “actual cash value” of the car, then the insurance company may declare that your car is a total loss. The actual cash value is commonly determined by looking up the Blue Book value of the vehicle. When your car is totaled, your collision coverage or comprehensive coverage will pay you up to the cash value of your car or the amount of the policy limits, whichever is lower.
If you do not have this type of coverage, you can seek reimbursement for your property damage from the wrongdoer or the person that caused the damage. An experienced Massachusetts car accident attorney can help you with this process. Contact Jim Glaser Law today at 781-689-2277 or fill out our online form to request a free case evaluation.
