If you are involved in an accident, who do you pay the "deductible"?

MSAD

The insurance company will write an estimate for the repairs of your car. They will subtract your deductible from the amount of the estimate. That is the amount of the check.

Once you get the car fixed - you pay the deductible to the body shop and pick up your vehicle.

The body shop will not release your vehicle until they have been paid in full. Therefore, the deductible is due when you pick the car up from the repair shop.

bryan w

The body shop will caculate the total bill and the insurance company will send you a check for the amount minus the deductible. You pay it to the body shop. Most shops won't let the car leave until the bill is paid in full. Most of the time, the insurance company will want estimates from 2 or 3 shops and then tell you to take it to the cheapest. Other companies will send a guy that will estimate the damages and give you a check for that amount minus the thousand and tell you to go wherever you want for the work. If they do that, you may get off easy by getting some aftermarket or used parts a lot cheaper than what the estimate figured on and you may not pay much at all out of your own pocket.

Holyguacamole

OK I've only had to deal with this once but what happened was my insurance company (Allstate) cut me a check for the damages to my car minus the deductible (mine at the time was only $500). I knew someone who could do the work for that amount at the time and lucked out with no out of pocket expense. As soon as I filed the claim, they took pictures of my truck and handed me a check, then I went and had it fixed. I don't know how it is for other insurance companies or even if this is how it still done with my agent, I think so though. Good luck.

Jifr

Hiya:

Deductibles are due to the body shop. Typically, payment is due once repairs are completed and before they will return the vehicle to you.

Most body shops I've ever dealt with are real sticklers on this. They have in some cases kept people's car....or if payment is not made by a certain time - they will assert a mechanics lein.

Of course, you can always ask them to work with you.

BTW - if the accident was the fault of someone else and you chose to go with your own carrier - you can ask the other carrier to pay your deductible up front.

Goodluck!

~jifr!

Scott H

Your car insurance company pays you $X - deductible for your claim. Body shop estimates $3000 damage, Insurance company pays the body shop $2500 (assuming $500 deductible) you pay body shop $500 to get your car fixed. Or, your car is totaled, Ins company settles with you for $10,000, they will cut you a check for $9500.

aky

Hi Mac,
If the accident was your fault, your insurance will pay you the amount of the damages minus the $1000 deductible. It will then be up to you to pay the repair bill in full.

Unless you know the auto body shop well, they are not likely to take payments. However, it doesn't hurt to ask. :-) If they do work something out with you, they may require you to leave the car with them until it is paid completely off.

Maybe you can borrow the money from a friend or family member or charge it, though I do hate to say that.

Best of luck.

Mr. RN

my experience has been that you pay the body shop prior to getting your vehicle back. no money = no car. if it does not get paid within a reasonable time, they can charge storage fees, and / or sale the vehicle for their losses.

mbrcatz

The body shop.

The body shop won't release your car to you, after they fix it, until it's paid. They might take installments, but again, they won't release your car until it's paid in full. AND, they'll add storage fees.

Nate W

First of all, your ded. only applies if it is your fault. If it is your fault, your insurance will send a check to the body shop for the repairs less the deductible amount. You then need to pay to body shop the deductible amount.
If you own the car out right and it is not financed or leased, you can opt to have them send you the check and have the repairs done on your own or just pocket the money.

auto body shop for sure

They usually ask for cash on completion of work, or you can charge it to a card.
With all the credit cards available, they rarely carry credit.

Simplepleasure

You pay the deductible to your car insurance company.

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