Vehicle Damages and Rental Coverage
Video Transcript of Vehicle Damages and Rental Coverage
Most people are surprised to know that here in Washington once you’re in a vehicle accident insurance companies only require to you to give you three days of rental once a vehicle is declared a total loss. That’s it, three days by statute so, even if you have full coverage and you have a rental coverage specifically purchased in your policy the insurance covering is going to be able to say, “Hey, we deem the car a, a total loss, and therefore you have three days to get out of the car”. Then start paying out of pocket.
Well, as you and I know, three days is not necessarily the right amount of time to go shopping for an auto vehicle, to go find a, a suitable replacement. Whether that be because you need to go to work or maybe because you need a bigger vehicle to carry your family around or whatever your situation might be, it seems like three days is not fair. However, that’s what it is. And it’s not the three days from the date they give you an offer of settlement or that they try to settle with you or that they make the first payment.
It is three days from the date that they tell you that the vehicle is a total loss. Now, in some cases, the vehicle is obviously a total loss. Um, they just look at it and the vehicle is basically burned to the ground. We know that is going to be a total loss. The insurance company’s going to tell you that right away. Why after they make contact and in the first communication with you, they will let you know it’s totaled.
In fact, you may tell them that, but there are situations when the vehicle is in a threshold. It’s almost there to get to redeem a total loss so that may delay it a little bit, their determination as to whether they’re going to fix it. So they have three days, ah, it’s not very fair. I didn’t make this rule. It’s there by the statute, and insurance carriers will play hardball with that.
If you have any questions on your total loss process, or you have any questions about a personal injury claim, I’ll be glad to help you here in Spokane, Washington. You can reach me at the Quiroga Law Office, PLLC at 509-927-3840.
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