Your Guide to Liability Insurance & Vehicle Damage

Will My Insurance Cover Their Car? Understanding Liability

Accidents are stressful, and one of the first things on your mind after a collision in Burbank or Los Angeles is likely, "Who's going to pay for this?" If you're at fault, your liability insurance is the key part of your policy that addresses damages to the other person's vehicle. At CrashFix, your local auto body experts, we want to shed some light on how this coverage works and what its limitations are.

Understanding the Basics: What is Liability Insurance?

Liability insurance is designed to protect you financially if you're responsible for an accident that injures someone else or damages their property. When it comes to vehicles, this coverage has two main components:

• Bodily Injury Liability: Covers medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs related to injuries you cause to another person.
• Property Damage Liability: This is the part that covers the cost of repairing or replacing the other person's damaged property, which most often means their car.

The Good News: Your Liability Insurance Typically Covers Their Car

In the majority of at-fault accidents, your property damage liability coverage will indeed pay for the damages to the other driver's vehicle. This can include:

• Repair Costs: From fixing dents and scratches to replacing damaged parts like bumpers, headlights, or (yes!) mirrors, your insurance should cover the necessary repairs.
• Total Loss: If the other vehicle is severely damaged and deemed a total loss, your insurance can cover its fair market value before the accident.
• Related Expenses: In some cases, your policy might also cover expenses like towing the damaged vehicle or even the cost of a rental car for the other driver while their car is being repaired.

The Crucial Detail: Coverage Limits

While liability insurance offers significant protection, it's vital to understand that it has limits. These limits are the maximum amounts your insurance company will pay out for a covered claim. Your policy declarations page will outline these limits, often expressed as three numbers, for example, 25/50/15.

• The third number in this sequence (the "15" in our example) represents your property damage liability limit. This is the maximum amount your insurance company will pay for damage to other people's property (including their car) in a single accident.

Why These Limits Matter:

Let's say the damage to the other person's car in an accident you caused amounts to $20,000, but your property damage liability limit is $15,000. In this scenario, your insurance company will likely pay up to the $15,000 limit, and you could be personally responsible for the remaining $5,000.

This is why it's essential to choose liability coverage limits that adequately protect your financial well-being. While state laws often mandate minimum coverage, these minimums might not be sufficient to cover the full cost of damages in a more serious accident.

What Happens Next? CrashFix is Ready to Assist

If you've been involved in an accident in Burbank or Los Angeles, understanding your insurance coverage is a crucial first step. While you'll typically work directly with your insurance provider on the claim process, CrashFix is here to provide expert auto body repair services for both your vehicle and the other party's.

• For the Other Driver: We work with all major insurance companies and are committed to providing high-quality repairs to get their vehicle back on the road safely and efficiently.
• For Your Vehicle: If your car also sustained damage in the accident, our skilled technicians offer comprehensive repair services, from minor fixes to major collision repairs. We provide free estimates and work diligently to restore your vehicle to its pre-accident condition.

The Takeaway:

Your liability insurance is a critical safety net that generally covers the cost of repairing or replacing the other person's car if you're at fault in an accident. However, it's essential to be aware of your policy's property damage liability limits. Choosing adequate coverage can help protect you from significant out-of-pocket expenses.

Have questions about auto body repairs after an accident? Stop by CrashFix in Burbank or Los Angeles for a free estimate and expert advice!