What To Do With A Car After An Accident

You may be a little shell shocked after a car accident, but the most important thing is to remain calm. Once this wears off, you could be thinking about what the next steps are for your car. If your car has not been seriously damaged in the accident and is still in pretty good shape, there are a number of things you can do. Here are some steps to take to handle the situation:

Use a claim to fund repairs

After your accident occurs, you should contact your insurance provider. Alert them to the damage that has occurred and find out what will be covered. If your car wasn't too damaged, you can use the claim amount your auto insurance company gives you to make repairs. You can always pocket this cash and just use your own money to fund the repairs, but you should use this cash to contribute to your car payments or other automobile expenses.

Pay for your own repairs

Filing a claim can take a while, and if you see that your car was only slightly dinged up during the accident, you can forego calling your insurance company and make the repairs on your own dime. If you have an older car, this may be a good idea because your claim may not be enough to make the repairs you need to get your ride purring again. If you consider yourself a car enthusiast, repairing your automobile may be right up your alley.

Forego a fix

You would be surprised by how much the littlest car repairs can cost. A small scratch could cost you a few hundred dollars to repair, while a fancy paint job to cover up scratches could run up to thousands of dollars. If you are not in the mood shell out the money and don't consider yourself a handy person, don't fix it. A small cosmetic blemish is not a life or death situation, so you should drain your bank account to fix it.

Sell it for scrap

If your car is beyond recognition, it may be time to say your final goodbyes. Spending thousands of dollars on fixing a completely totaled car is usually not the best financial decision. If you find yourself in this situation, you can always sell it to a scrap yard for parts. You may not recoup the entire value of the car, but you can feel good knowing its parts are being put to good use.