Property Damage

If your car is damaged in a wreck and the other driver is at fault, the liability insurance company insuring the negligent driver should pay for the damage to your car. If the damage can be repaired, the insurance company has an obligation to repair the car to its original condition. If the car cannot be repaired, the insurance company has the obligation to pay you the full value of your car. If you get an affidavit from the insurance company, it may reduce or eliminate the amount you owe in sales tax when you purchase a replacement car.

If the other driver does not have insurance, or if there is a problem settling your claim with the insurance company, your own insurance company should pay for the damage to your car if you have collision coverage. You must pay an additional premium for collision coverage and not every policy has this coverage.

Sometimes there is a dispute about the amount the insurance company should pay to replace a car. The insurance should pay you the fair market value of the car. This is the amount of money it would take you to purchase the same car as a replacement. There are a number of places to get information about replacement value. The normal sources of information include your banker, a car dealer, "blue books" found at the library or a bookstore or on a number of web sites that give used car values.

If you have any questions about your personal injury claim, call us today at 417-623-0900 or 800-371-8220 or send us an email. We will meet with you free of charge to discuss your case.

IMPORTANT - This is not a substitute for legal advice. Please see Disclaimer.