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Do I still have to make car payments when my car is in the body shop?
My insurance company decided the loss was not a total loss. However, my car was with the body shop in California for over one year. I paid my car payment and insurance premiums the entire time. When I got the car back, the insurance company paid the body shop, but my car still isn’t right. Should I have been reimbursed for that year?
Emily Maracle · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
I’m sorry to hear about your accident! It must have been very frustrating to be without a car for over a year. Since the
insurance company
decided your car was fixable and not a total loss, you would still be responsible for your car payments. In most situations,
car repairs take a few days to weeks
, so you’d be driving again before your next car payment was due. While it seems unfair that you were paying for your car during repairs, you still owned it, meaning you’re responsible for its payments. An insurance company will only payout for a car loan if the car is a total loss. Since you’re still having issues with your car, it’s best to contact the body shop that performed the repairs. They’re responsible for their work, so you should take it back if you’re having trouble.
Additionally, you’ll want to let the insurance company know that you’re still experiencing issues. They can let you know what your options are in terms of moving forward or any additional repairs.
Once you get your car back in working order, consider using the
Jerry
app to explore other options for car insurance. Jerry gathers personalized quotes from over 50 top insurance providers, ensuring you’re always getting the best coverage for the best rates. The average Jerry user saves $879 a year. View full answer
- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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