If you wreck your car

If you’ve been in a collision, tell your insurance company for your own protection, even if injuries are not readily apparent. Informing the company doesn’t mean you’re filing a claim.

• If you disagree with the value assigned to your totaled vehicle, provide quotes from local dealers and proof that your vehicle was well-maintained. (See"12 secrets your car insurer won’t tell you.") Still unsatisfied? Your options are mediation, arbitration and, finally, a lawsuit.
• Twenty-eight states require insurance companies to pay the sales tax on a replacement vehicle, based on the settlementvalue of your totaled car. Request it, as well as registration and title fees, wherever you live.
• In 14 states you can get payment for the "diminished value" of your damaged car.
• If the driver at fault in a crash is uninsured, consider "stacking" or collecting on all of your policies thathave uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to fully cover the damage, unless state law prohibits it.
• Body shops may be tempted to cut corners to meet insurance companies’ pricing requirements. Check our local Better BusinessBureau for qualified repair shops. (See "7 things auto-body shops won’t tell you.")
• If you cause an accident, does your policy require you to pay the difference between generic and original-equipmentmanufacturer parts? If someone else caused the accident, request original-equipment parts for your repairs.