Have you ever been in an accident in which your insurance company covered the damages with a simple payoff? It can be really tempting to use that cash payout and spend it on something other than your car’s auto body repairs. But, you need to take your time and think about what’s best for you and your car and then proceed. Also, remember that a little damage can lead to further and greater damage.
Here are 5 reasons why you need to get your auto body repairs done as soon as possible:
Insurance
If your car gets damaged and you file an insurance claim and receive money but don’t use it to repair the damage then your insurance company can cut the pre-existing damage cost from a future settlement if your vehicle gets damaged again. It is advised that you spend your settlement money on fixing the damage only. In certain cases your insurance company will only pay part of the claim, covering only the new damage rather than all of it.
The absolute worst that can happen is that your insurance company can drop the physical damage coverage on your vehicle altogether if you don’t repair it.
Resale Value
This tends to vary according to the amount of damage that your car has, which can affect the resale value. In a lot of cases, the repair cost is a lot less than the depreciation value that your car undergoes if it has noticeable damage.
Additional Damage
What may look like a small dent on the surface can turn out to be a lot more damaging to your car internally. A lot of damage is hidden to the human eye and requires advanced equipment to identify it. If this hidden damage is not found and repaired then it can lead to a lot of unexpected and irreparable damage to your car in future.
State Inspections
The state inspection law is prevalent in several states. If any of your car accessories are damaged e.g. lights or mirror, then your car will not pass inspection until you fix the damage. You can get a ticket if you keep on driving around with this type of damage. This also applies to any legal stickers that you should have on your car and you can even get given a ticket if they are not updated from time to time.
The Necessary Functions Not Working
If certain key functions in your car don’t work then you should have them fixed to avoid a ticket and further damage to your car. All the lights of your car, in particular, must be working properly especially if you plan on driving at night. Certain features not working in your car is simply an accident waiting to happen so don’t delay.
Your car can be compared to your body in this instance, as damage which occurs in your body will only get worse if overlooked and not taken care of properly. Damage to your car also works in a similar fashion and can also get worse over time. Damage to your car can have a domino effect and damage other parts in your car until major repair work is needed.
Don’t take any chances with the repair work of your car and have it repaired before the costs start adding up to huge amounts. I hope this article was useful and helps you save money on your car repairs as well as retaining your car insurance. So don’t delay and take your car to your nearest auto body shop today!
[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=””]Author Bio: Terry Shepard of Concord, CA works for Monument Collision Center and loves to write and talk about his passion for cars. He is all out to help people repair their damaged cars at the best possible prices. [/thrive_text_block]