What to Do After Crashing a Leased Car
A lease is a short-term commitment to driving the new car you want. During the time of your lease, the dealership retains ownership of the vehicle. This creates specific parameters for you to drive the leased vehicle. Going over your annual mileage is one thing, but what if you get into an accident?
Here at Collision 24, we can help you with this process. If you are a driver near Brockton, Randolph, and Stoughton, MA, learn more about how damage to a leased vehicle is handled and what we can do after your lease vehicle is in an accident.
Filing an Accident Claim for a Leased Vehicle
As the driver of a leased vehicle, it’s important to remember that while making lease payments over a multi-year period, you still have to give the keys back to the dealership at the end of your lease. Even if you don’t own the vehicle, you are still responsible for its maintenance, and any accident or damage falls into this category.
If you are in an accident in a leased vehicle, you want to file an accident claim as soon as possible. Check your lease agreement to see if the leasing company requests documentation of the damage to lead the way in appraisal and designating a repair shop.
When a Lease is Considered Totaled
Once you file a claim and have the vehicle appraised, it may be determined that the vehicle is totaled as the result of damages. If this happens, the insurance company pays the leasing company for the car’s ACV. In most cases, this amount will not cover the remaining vehicle cost under the lease agreement.
This is where gap insurance comes in. Gap insurance covers the different between the worth of your vehicle and the amount owed at the time of loss. Many leases already include gap insurance in the agreement. Make sure to read the terms of your insurance carefully and ask for assistance if needed.
How Collision 24 Can Help
Whether we are appointed as the designated repair shop or not, we can still help you when your leased vehicle is in an accident. You can always ask questions about certain repairs, what the next steps are in the process, and more.
Our team is here to guide you throughout the process and, if necessary, make the repairs to get you back on the road as soon as possible.
Learn More About Accident Insurance
Here at Collision 24, we are here to help you with the entire process of having your vehicle repaired. This includes providing more understanding of whether your leased car is in an accident. We understand that we may not be the repair shop completing the repairs on your leased vehicle, but we can still provide the assistance you need.
Contact us today with any questions or schedule an appointment with our team to learn more about how repairing a lease vehicle works.