Thursday, August 13, 2015

Don't Wait: Auto Body Damage Grows Over Time

You’ve been in an accident and sustained body damage that is mostly cosmetic. Now what?

If your car is drivable, you may be tempted to forget about it until your financial situation is better.

Or maybe you’re wondering if you can simply take the insurance money and save the repairs for a later date.

However, there are disadvantages to both of these actions, and we recommend that you fix your car immediately.

 

Safety Comes First

Safety is probably the main concern here. The damage your car has suffered might not look that bad, but you don’t know for sure what’s happening under the hood. Your car might have suffered injury to the brakes or tires or engine that you can’t see. In this situation, a problem might manifest at any time while you’re on the road, making your chances of having another accident higher. And even if you aren’t hurt, which we hope is the case, you might still be inconvenienced in other ways.

If you continue to drive a car that hasn’t been looked at and fixed, you may also be exacerbating the problem. If there’s a mechanical issue, waiting to fix your car can make the problem worse. Your $100 problem might become a $1000 one instead. You’re driving a potentially unsafe car, and that’s not cool.

It’s Financially a Good Idea

Maybe it doesn’t feel like a better idea to fix your car right away. We get it; your money has about 50 other places to go. But think about this. If you’ve received money from your insurance company to pay for repairs, and you don’t have them done, you’ll see consequences.

For one thing, if you get in another accident, your insurance company will deduct for pre-existing damage in that future settlement. It won’t pay for the same accident twice. Also, in that case, you’ll have to prove that the damage occurred due to the accident. So, let’s say you got into an accident that messed up your front wheel assembly. Instead of using your insurance money to get collision repairs, you continued to drive your car. In doing so, you ruin the entire front end of your car. Good luck getting your insurance company to cover the additional repairs!

It’s The Smart Thing to Do

This is a decision that can cause definite problems later on. Don’t forget, not all damage isn’t going to be visible immediately. When you bring your car in for repairs, your Atlanta body shop mechanic may very well find additional problems that need fixing.

If that’s the case, and you’ve have the work done promptly, your insurance company may have no problem paying for extra repairs. On the other hand, if you don’t take your car in until months or years later, you’re giving the insurance company an opportunity to doubt that the original accident had anything to do with your problems.

Do the right thing, and don’t wait to get your vehicle repaired. In the long term, you’re taking the best action for you, your family, and your vehicle.

1 comment:

  1. I like how you talk a lot about the safety hazards of ignoring damage done to your car. It is interesting that taking immediate action can also help you financially. It makes sense that you would need to get the repairs done if the insurance company is paying for it. My husband recently had his car smashed in an accident and we definitely want to have it fixed as soon as possible. http://www.geelongpanelrepairs.com.au/contact

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