QuestionI will be paying out of pocket to an insurance company for the damage I caused in an auto accident while uninsured.
This is the deal, the car could possibly be totaled, however, if the auto body shop starts working on it and later the insurance company decided to total it out instead. Who ends up paying for the work up to the point that it was stopped. Since I'm paying for the work or the totaled car. Is it right for me to have to pay for both?
In my opinion it should be either totaled or not?
I don't think it would be fair for me to pay for a totaled car and the unfinished auto body work....
I'm not wanting to pay for unfinished auto bodywork on top of a semi-new vehicle if it turns aout to be totaled.
I fear them puting in a couple of thousand dollars of work in repair and then deciding to total it out....the bill would exceed the cost of the replacing the car !
AnswerGenerally, insurance companies do not total vehicles once the repairs have started. They will have the shop tear the vehicle down for a complete estimate and may have them perform an initial pull to see what is or is not repairable. This is all part of the process and yes, you will owe for it along with storage, towing, etc.
Let's pretend that someone in that vehicle had been very seriously injured, went to the hospital and then died. You would owe for all of the medical bills incurred in an attempt to save that person along with compensation for a lost life. Why should the auto repair be any different?
You are fortunate that a possible total loss is the only topic of your question today.
Good luck.
