Month: January 2020

What to Do When Someone Scratches Your Car

We’ve all experienced the dreaded “scratches.” You come out from your work, the grocery store or the local mall and make your way to your parking spot only to discover that your vehicle has experienced scratch damage.

All the Usual Places

You can usually find scratches on the driver’s side of a vehicle or on the passenger side as well as other larger areas of a vehicle. Discovering any major scratch, especially on a newer vehicle, can be exasperating, maddening and nerve-racking. Once it happens, you wonder how you’re going to fix it all, and at what cost. So, how do you deal with any significant scratch or scratches? Here are some answers.

Dealing with Car Scratches

In relation to car insurance coverage, scratches are dealt with differently. There are factors that determine exactly what kind of coverage is necessary for the repair of various kinds or types of damage that are due to scratches. In addition, certain types of coverage govern whether a scratch or scratches can be repaired at all.

Scratch Category

The actual cause of a scratch or scratches will dictate whether your insurance is going to reimburse you for the damages. If you don’t carry the right type of coverage, your scratches may remain scratches, unless you fit the bill for the expense. Filing a claim will depend on the category of scratch and how it happened.

Insurance Breakdown

In order for a scratch or scratches to go through the repair process, certain kinds of insurance coverage are necessary. One insurance coverage, comprehensive, is part of that coverage. Though it is an optional coverage, it does safeguard a vehicle in the event that scratches occur in certain situations.

Scratches Covered by Comprehensive Insurance

To begin with, comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not within a driver’s control such as fire, natural disasters, vandalism, theft, windshield damage and other calamities. Coverage is necessary if you want to protect your vehicle against scratches and receive reimbursement for the repair costs.

Scratches that happen within the bounds of comprehensive coverage include:

a runaway shopping cart that is driven by the wind, collides with a vehicle and causes a scratch or scratches
defacement by a criminal deliberately scratching a vehicle with a car key or other device
a falling object, like a tree branch, that falls on a vehicle and causes scratches

There will likely be a deductible with comprehensive coverage which means paying that before insurance will take effect and payment made for any repairs. If a scratch or scratches occur because of deliberate defacement or vandalism, making a police report is the first step in the process. Filing an insurance claim is the next step but only if the policy includes comprehensive coverage on the vehicle. A deductible is taken and any remaining repair costs are covered by the insurance policy.

Scratches Covered by Collision

When it comes to collision insurance and dealing with scratches, this type of coverage applies to a vehicle that hits an object and the damage results in a scratch or scratches. Many times scratches are hard to avoid particularly when the circumstances are such that there is not enough maneuvering room to get out of a tight situation. There will be a deductible to fulfill with collision insurance. Damage from a scratch will fall under that deductible rule unless another person (other than the driver) was the cause of the damage.

Scratches that happen within the bounds of collision coverage include:

Scratches that happen in a car wash
Scratches caused by sideswipes involving another vehicle
Scratches from barely rubbing or scraping against a stationary object (light pole or mailbox)
Scratches from a car door that hits your parked car
Scratches that occur during driving because of tree branches

Anonymous Scratches

It’s hard to know what to do when there are no clues as to how your vehicle was scratched. A claim can still be filed and the circumstances discussed with an insurance claims adjuster. A good claims adjuster will be able to assess the damage and pretty much determine how the scratch or scratches occurred. More serious scratches are usually caused through a collision but it will be up to an adjuster to determine that.

Do-it-Yourself Repair

If you’re up to repairing your own vehicle scratches, there are numerous sources of information on and offline with detailed repair tips. So, if an insurance claim is hard to determine, the DIY route for repair may be the way to go.

Scratch damage varies as well as the costs to repair them. Once you have a valid insurance claim or simply need to repair scratches quickly and aren’t covered by insurance, it’s best to get a few estimates as to the cost of repairs. If you’re unsure as to what to do about those nasty scratches, complete the online contact form and an expert will get back to you with the answers you need to make a decision.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents in New Jersey?

Car accidents are fairly common occurrences in New Jersey. When your vehicle is struck by another motorist, you might be left with property damage and injuries. If you are involved in a car accident because of the actions of someone else, you will need to know when you should file your claim. New Jersey has a few different statutes of limitation that you need to know when you want to file a claim after a car accident. The professionals at Elmer’s Auto Body are experienced with handling car accident claims and can work with your insurance company to make sure that you get back on the road as quickly as possible.

What is a statute of limitations?

Every state, including New Jersey, has laws that limit the ability to file lawsuits and claims. These are time limitations for when claims must be filed. A statute of limitations is a law that places a time limit on your ability to file a civil lawsuit against the responsible party in court. The period for filing a lawsuit is set by a certain number of years beginning on the date of your accident. The deadline that you will have will depend on the type of lawsuit that you wish to file.

What happens if the deadline of the statute of limitations passes?

The key thing that you must keep in mind about the statute of limitations is that the deadline is strict. If you wait until the deadline passes before trying to file a lawsuit, the defendant will likely file a motion to dismiss your claim as time-barred. The court will then grant the motion, which will end your lawsuit. This means that if you wait to file your claim until after the statute of limitations deadline has passed, you will be prevented from recovering compensation for your losses. While there are a few limited exceptions to the statute of limitations, it is best to file your claim well within the limitations period so that you can protect your right to recover damages.

For car accident claims, the particular statute of limitations that will apply will depend on the type of claim you are filing. The type of claim will depend on which civil law under which your lawsuit will be filed. It is a good idea for you to talk to a lawyer to learn about which type of claim is best suited to your case.

The statutes of limitations in New Jersey for car accidents

There are several different statutes of limitations that might apply to car accidents in New Jersey. If you suffered injuries in your car accident, you will have two years from the date that you were injured to file your claim. For property damage that you suffered as a result of a car accident, the statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit to recover compensation is six years.

If your car accident claim resulted from product defects, including an improper design or manufacturing process that resulted in a defective component that led to the accident, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of your accident. If your accident resulted in the wrongful death of your loved one, you will have two years to file a lawsuit against the responsible party.

When a manufacturer, driver, or another responsible party causes a car accident, you can file a lawsuit to recover compensation for your losses. However, if you allow the statute of limitations to expire, you will not be able to file a lawsuit. This makes it important to act quickly after your car accident if you want to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. Finally, if your lawsuit will include several types of claims such as property damage and personal injury, you should file your lawsuit within the shortest statute of limitations period.

Get help from Elmer’s Auto Body

Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be overwhelming. You might be trying to recover from your injuries while also trying to handle your car repairs. The professionals at Elmer’s Auto Body can help you with your vehicle repairs so that you can get back on the road as soon as possible. We work with many different insurance companies to help people to get their cars repaired back to the condition that they were in before their accidents. Call us today to schedule an appointment by filling out our online scheduling form or calling us at one of our three locations.

How Long Does an Insurance Claim Take?

For a start, we should go ahead and tell you something. There is no way that we can give you an accurate assessment of how long your insurance claim will take. There are so many potential factors that could complicate things, and there is no way to cover them all. That being said, we can definitely give you a better idea of where you stand, and how much longer you are likely to be waiting.

What Is The Ideal Time Frame?

Under ideal circumstances, most insurance companies will try to settle all claims within 30 days of their filing. If you are lucky, you might be one of those who get everything settled and paid within a month. Unfortunately, this 30-day goal is more of a guideline than an actual rule. There are many things that can delay your settlement.

Delaying Factors

The first factor is the desire of your insurance company to avoid paying. In most cases, insurance companies will try every trick in the book to avoid paying out on claims. To them, it is simply a matter of preserving the financial bottom line. They know that paying a lot of expensive claims will affect that bottom line, so they have all kinds of tricks that they might use. One of these tactics is to simply delay the matter until you give up and accept whatever is offered.

While all insurance companies will try to avoid paying, there is a point at which you have to say “enough.” When you determine that your insurance company is acting in bad faith, you need to find a better one. Sometimes, you just have to cut your losses and move on as best you can.

Your claim can also be delayed if the other driver decides to dispute the matter. In many cases, their insurance company might pressure them to dispute the case, simply because they don’t want to pay. If the claim is disputed, a more in-depth investigation will have to be done, and that invariably takes more time. Sometimes, these kinds of disputes can be tied up for years in a seemingly endless back-and-forth process.

Time Limits By State

You might be happy to find that the law does place some limits on the length of time that insurance companies can take to process claims. Unfortunately for the average insurance buyer, these time limits are pretty generous. Still, it is good to know that the law places some limits on this process, even if they might not be adequate. The time limits work in much the same way as a “statute of limitations” and are legally considered as such.

Here is a complete list of these time limits by state:

Alabama: 2 years
Alaska: 2 years
Arizona: 2 years
Arkansas: 3 years
California: 2 years
Colorado: 2 years
Connecticut: 2 years
Delaware: 2 years
Florida: 4 years
Georgia: 2 years
Hawaii: 2 years
Idaho: 2 years
Illinois: 2 years
Indiana: 2 years
Iowa: 2 years
Kansas: 2 years
Kentucky: 1 year
Louisiana: 1 year
Maine: 6 years
Maryland: 3 years
Massachusetts: 3 years
Michigan: 3 years
Minnesota: 2 years
Mississippi: 3 years
Missouri: 5 years
Montana: 3 years
Nebraska: 4 years
Nevada: 2 years
New Hampshire: 3 years
New Jersey: 2 years
New Mexico: 3 years
New York: 3 years
North Carolina: 3 years
North Dakota: 2-6 years
Ohio: 2 years
Oklahoma: 2 years
Oregon: 2 years
Pennsylvania: 2 years
Rhode Island: 3 years
South Carolina: 3 years
South Dakota: 3 years
Tennessee: 1 year
Texas: 2 years
Utah: 4 years
Vermont: 3 years
Virginia: 2 years
Washington: 3 years
Washington DC: 3 years
West Virginia: 2 years
Wisconsin: 3 years
Wyoming: 4 years

Disputing A Claim

If a claim is not resolved in a way that benefits you, it might be possible to dispute the claim. There is a process that must be followed, and you should take care to follow every rule. Otherwise, your claim might be disqualified immediately.

Before filing a dispute, you should definitely get your policy out and read it carefully. This policy represents a legal contract, and the insurance company will try to use it against you in the dispute process. By understanding the terms of your policy as thoroughly as possible, you ensure that they can’t bluff you into dropping your dispute.

Although your contract with the insurance company is legally binding, it is still subject to state and federal laws, just like any other contract. Thus, if any provision of the contract is found to be in violation of state or federal law, it is null and void. This fact might help you out if you need some leverage in the negotiating process.

Conclusion

As we said from the start, there is no way to know how long your insurance company will take. However, if you are in need of emergency help, it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Some companies will provide immediate financial help (to be paid back at a later date). Either way, you might as well try to be patient about this whole process. We hope that our article has given you a better idea of how this works and that this knowledge will help you to deal more efficiently with your insurance provider. If so, we hope that you will fill out the contact form below.

Can The Airbag Of A Car Be Fixed After An Accident?

According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), you should replace airbags that have been inflated or deployed following a collision without delay. They also recommend that you should only use authorized service centers for installation and not to drive the vehicle until a new airbag is installed.

Airbag Use

Airbags are often unable to be repaired or fixed once an accident has occurred. They are designed for one-time use. Airbags from older model vehicles can be repaired in certain instances. With newer vehicles, full replacement is usually the only option. Mechanics must replace airbags every time inflation has occurred, whether the deployment of the airbag occurred through the steering wheel, the passenger area, side panels, or seat areas.

Repairs

When an air bag’s sensors are triggered, or the bag inflates, repairs will be needed, and driving will be at a standstill until they are completed. Protection is imperative; you or any passengers could be in danger as the triggering sensors will be impaired, and there will be no airbag inflation. There are repair steps to be followed to fix the airbags of a car. The following steps are typically what happens restoring airbag use.

Indicators

Even when an airbag did not inflate, its sensors may have been triggered, which indicates that a reset of the sensors may be necessary. A warning light in most cars will come on to indicate that there is a problem with an airbag or airbags. If you see that light, you’ll probably need to have the airbag light reset. Again, airbags will not inflate properly if an accident has occurred.

Resets

Once airbags have been inflated or deployed, resets may be possible with certain vehicle types and models. That possibility will depend on whether the bag suffered any damage during the accident. The reset process involves packing or stuffing the airbag into its compartment and resetting the light. If you have a newer vehicle, the airbags will not be able to reset. It’s best to contact a vehicle repair shop to find out whether or not you can reset your airbags.

Replacement

If airbags have become over-inflated and have been released, or your vehicle is one where an airbag can’t be rest, any airbags involved in an accident will need replacement. In either case, a full replacement of an airbag module will be necessary. In addition, a deployed steering wheel airbag may have caused enough damage to warrant the replacement of the steering wheel itself and its column. Once new airbags are installed, and in position, the sensor can be reset. This action confirms that the airbags are functioning as they should.

Authorized Technician

When you make arrangements to have your airbag or airbags replaced, you want to make sure you are utilizing an authorized repair center. Since your airbags are in place to prevent injuries and deaths in collisions, you’ll want to be assured of a proper airbag installation by a qualified technician. If you decide to use an unauthorized service center, you could wind up with either a faulty, reprocessed, or used airbag, or even a defective and recycled one from an auto salvage yard or a questionable used car lot. When you go the unauthorized route, you are asking for trouble, as well as placing yourself and others in jeopardy if another crash occurs.

Costs

The costs of airbag replacement will hinge on several factors, including the make, model, and year of the vehicle, the number of airbags that inflated, and their location in the vehicle. Other costs will include any parts necessary to replace the entire airbag module. The average price of a replacement can run anywhere from three to five thousand dollars. Costs could be higher if your insurer has determined your vehicle to be a total loss because of any deployed airbags.

Insurance Coverage

When you have an accident, and your airbags inflate, you will be required to repair the airbags before you can drive your vehicle. Your car insurance should cover the replacement of the airbags and any extended damage issues, but reimbursement will depend on the extent of the damage. When an airbag deploys or inflates, quite a bit of damage can occur. Any covering or casing of the airbag itself will need to be replaced, as will the sensor. Side and front window damage can also happen, as well as damage to other interior structures that can include the steering wheel, column area, dashboard, consoles, panels, seats, and other components in the vicinity of any airbags.

In certain accident situations, quite a bit of crushing damage can occur, which means that the damage could be widespread, and critical components affected. Not only would the whole interior front section of a vehicle be involved, but other exterior parts in the front portion of a vehicle could also be affected. Fenders, bumpers, hoods, grilles, radiators, air conditioning condensers, and other components could be in jeopardy and require replacement, not to mention any extensive bodywork. Repairs could get expensive, and a vehicle even determined to be a total loss. In this case, insurance coverage and any reimbursement would depend on the actual cash value of the vehicle before an accident and the costs of repairs. Whatever the case, insurance should cover airbag replacement.

Airbags in a car can usually be fixed after an accident, which includes both resetting and replacing any that have been subject to damage because of a collision. Depending on the make and model of a vehicle, a full replacement may be necessary. To determine where you stand with airbag repair or replacement, complete the online contact form, and an authorized service center expert will get back to you with the information you need to reset, repair, or replace your airbags in the right way.

What Is The Difference Between A Ding And A Dent?

There is nothing quite as exasperating as a newfound ding or a dent on a vehicle, especially if you discover it on your newer car or truck that you have babied along and kept in pristine shape since you bought it.

Parking Perils

Maybe your vehicle has never been exposed to the perils of a parking lot, driveway, parking garage or anywhere else where close contact with another vehicle is bound to happen. Unfortunately, that day will likely come along when you discover that your vehicle is vulnerable to just about any kind of ding or dent. Walking out to your vehicle and witnessing its first ding or dent is a hard thing to accept. Lo and behold you discover a ding or dent you thought would never happen. You try to recover from the shock of how the whole thing could have happened, but you pull yourself together and admit that the problem is up to you to resolve. Just how are you going to return your prized possession to its old, new self?

Difference Between a Ding and a Dent

Car body damage can go from small scratches to a state of total disrepair and those unsightly dings and dents are somewhere in between, but they still are unappealing and can be damaging to a vehicle. So what is a ding as opposed to a dent?

Ding

A ding is usually about a half inch in diameter. A ding won’t damage a vehicle’s paint or leave a bare area where rust can form. Dings usually occur in parking lots and causes are due to runaway shopping carts, rocks or opened car doors. Hail showers or storms can also cause dings. Damage from hail can be extensive and repair costs costly, but there are newer paintless repair processes that can help with ding removal.

Dent

A dent is larger (over half an inch wide) than a ding and covers a more extensive area of a vehicle. Paint damage occurs with a dent as well as underlying damage that can result in rust formation on the frame. The same factors that govern a ding can also affect a dent, but a collision with another car or object is another leading cause of dents. Even a slight impact with another bumper can create a dent that is critical enough to require repair. Dents are more difficult to repair, and damage can lie beneath an indentation in the metal of a vehicle. Rust damage is enabled because of bare metal exposure that happens when a dent is exposed to moisture and the elements. With the larger area of exposure that a dent causes, damage can involve substantial metal work as well as repainting and panel replacement.

Major Differences

The major difference between a ding and a dent has to do with size and whether the paint is damaged as well as the amount of labor and expense required to repair any damage.

Repairs

Small ding repair doesn’t appear to be a top priority with vehicle owners and oftentimes dents are treated with the same lack of urgency. The absence of concern is often linked to the fact that dings and dents are cosmetic issues rather than mechanical. Though the thought of cosmetic repairs, any damage, large or small, should be attended to, particularly if a vehicle owner is leasing a car, planning on selling it or using it as a trade-in for another vehicle. A leasing company will likely charge for any wear and tear on a leased vehicle, and car dealerships may limit trade-in value on a vehicle that has dings. So, there are financial implications when there is no follow-through on dings and dents.

Financial Loss

When ignoring dings and dents is connected to major financial loss, vehicle owners should make it a point to deal with dings and dents and a repair process.

Proper Repair Process

With the possibility of major financial loss due to ignoring ding and dent damage, it’s in the best interest of any vehicle owner to look at the repair process. Currently, the best repair procedures involve what is called paintless dent repair. This involves the use of slow pressure on the ding or dent. With this process, no damage occurs to the original paint job. This procedure is less costly than other methods used to remove dents and dings.

Now that you know the difference between a ding and a dent, you might want to take into consideration what repairing either one can do to the value of your vehicle as well as any mechanical and safety factors that may come into play with a more involved ding or dent. If you are concerned about any dings or dents on your vehicle and need some quick answers as to the repair process and the costs involved, complete the online contact form and a repair specialist will get back to you with the answers you need to determine what can be done to resolve the ding or dent issues plaguing your vehicle.

What Does OEM Mean For A Repair Shop?

You may have heard the term OEM in relation to cars or auto parts. In this article, we will give you an overview of the concept so that it will never confuse you again. The first thing you need to know is that OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. As you will see, the name is self-explanatory.

All auto parts fall into one of two categories: OEM or aftermarket. OEM parts are original parts that are identical to those used at car factories. These parts are made by the same company that made your car, and that is a very good thing indeed. Aftermarket parts, on the other hand, are made by a variety of different companies and may contain features that the manufacturer never intended.

Why Would You Buy OEM Parts?

There are quite a few reasons to choose OEM parts over their aftermarket equivalents. First of all, we should start with the biggest reason. The use of aftermarket parts will often void your car’s warranty! You should check your warranty to be sure, but most vehicle warranties will become void if you use anything other than OEM parts.

From the company’s perspective, this makes a lot of sense. They are willing to guarantee their work, but they are not willing to guarantee anyone else’s work. Some warranties will not be voided by the use of aftermarket parts, but even these will surely specify that aftermarket parts are not covered by the warranty.

Some people also choose OEM parts to maintain their car’s value. This is an especially large concern when it comes to antique cars, show cars, and other vehicles that need to be kept in pristine condition. As soon as you start putting aftermarket parts on a collectible car, you will surely be reducing its value and appeal.

There is also a practical reason to choose OEM parts. When you stick with original parts, you can be sure that no compatibility issues will arise. Aftermarket parts are often made for a specific make and model, but there is some variation within different models. For instance, let’s say you own a Honda Accord (random example). There are five different variations on the Accord, and some aftermarket manufacturers may not take this into account.

When you buy an OEM part, you are also likely to get a more durable part. These parts are subjected to a lot more quality control, partly because the company knows they will be covered by the warranty. Thus, the company stands to lose a lot of money if they ship a bunch of defective parts. An aftermarket company, on the other hand, has less reason to care about quality.

Why Would You Buy Aftermarket Parts?

In many ways, aftermarket parts are inferior. They don’t tend to be as durable, they aren’t covered under standard vehicle warranties, and they can sometimes suffer from compatibility issues. That being said, aftermarket parts do offer one big advantage: They are cheap. In many cases, you can get an aftermarket part for half the price of its OEM equivalent. For those who are short on money, these parts might be the only option.

Aftermarket parts will also offer a greater variety than OEM parts. If you really want to customize your vehicle in a unique way, aftermarket parts will be a necessity. For instance, let’s say you want to put 1950’s-style tailfins on a newer Cadillac. While you can certainly do this, you aren’t going to get OEM tailfins for that kind of car. You’ll have to look for aftermarket parts or have them custom-made.

You might also choose aftermarket parts if your vehicle has a generous warranty. While no company will cover the work of another company, you might at least avoid voiding the warranty. This is why you should always read your warranty agreements carefully. If you can get a good enough deal, you can save a lot of money by using aftermarket replacements for less-important parts.

Aftermarket parts are also more readily available than OEM parts. While OEM parts must normally be ordered from a licensed dealer (or the auto company itself), aftermarket parts are cheap and plentiful within every auto parts store in the nation. Shipping delays can make OEM parts an inconvenient choice, especially when the part is coming from overseas.

Common Questions

Here are a couple of the more common questions that we receive on this subject.

Are OEM parts always better than aftermarket parts?

Usually, but not always. It would be more accurate to say that an aftermarket part is a roll of the dice. You might get something that is better than the original in some way, or you might get a piece of overpriced junk. It’s kind of a gamble, but you can lessen this gamble by checking plenty of product reviews.

Are OEM parts always made by car manufacturers?

Usually, but not always. While it is best to get your OEM parts straight from the auto company, they will often outsource their parts production to other companies. Still, they will have been made to the same standards as the original part.

Conclusion

As you have probably noticed, this whole thing is very simple. Just remember that the O stands for original, and you should have no trouble at all. Overall, OEM parts are superior to aftermarket parts, but their higher cost might be out of reach for some. In the end, it’s a question of cost versus quality.

When your vehicle is down, you can’t afford to waste time. Thus, you should go with the cost-efficient option. Still, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to switch that cheap aftermarket part with an OEM equivalent somewhere down the line. If you have enjoyed this article and found it to be helpful, we ask that you fill out the contact form below so that we can bring you more of the same.