But It’s Not My Fault!
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AFTER AN AUTO COLLISION (EVEN WHEN YOU’RE NOT AT FAULT)
• Scratches on the vehicle body expose it to the elements, causing rust. • Driving on a bent rim causes a tire to pop. Unlike Sam, don’t wait for weather damage to turn a small scratch into a bigger issue. After a collision, if your car meets your state’s safety standards and you can drive it, ensure any damage that could worsen over time is handled. Before making any repairs to your vehicle, be sure to document the damages with photos. Then, ensure you cover or repair broken glass, fix or cover scratches, and handle any other issues. Insurance companies won’t do anything until they’ve finalized their claim investigation. If you have collision insurance, you can opt to use your own policy to cover the cost of your vehicle repairs. This should expedite the process, as you don’t have to wait for the insurance company to finish their investigation. It may also help to minimize any subsequent damage. Using your collision coverage to handle repairs to minimize damage to your car is not an admission of guilt and shouldn’t negatively affect your insurance rating.
In this column, Andy shares some of his property-damage knowledge so you can better understand how the process works.
I often talk to clients about their responsibilities in the aftermath of a collision. What surprises many people is that even if you are not at fault for a collision, you have a responsibility to minimize or, as we say in the legal field, mitigate damage done to your vehicle. If you don’t take measures to minimize damage, it could affect the coverage you get from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Here’s how this situation can play out. Let’s say Sam is in a collision. After making sure she’s okay and establishing that her car is drivable, she goes back to her life. There’s a minor scratch on the passenger door, but she isn’t worried about it. However, it rains later in the week, and the exposed metal on Sam’s car begins to rust. She gets it fixed, but because she failed to take steps to minimize the damage to her car, the insurance company may not pay for this repair.
It all comes down to taking the proper precautions. If something is damaged, get it fixed right away.
Here are a few more examples of how weather can further damage a vehicle:
• A cracked windshield allows water into the vehicle, damaging the interior.
Next month, I’ll cover additional topics relating to property damage. Stay tuned, and if you have any questions, please give us a call.
sudoku
Meliha ’ s Spinach Dip
Ingredients • 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 2 10-ounce packages frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped • 1/2 cup milk • 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese • 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce • Salt and ground black pepper to taste • 1 tablespoon Adobo (or to taste) • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions 1. Heat oven to 425 F (220 C). Grease a 1 1/2 quart shallow baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil. 2. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until lightly browned, 4–7 minutes. Add spinach and simmer until spinach is hot, about 5 minutes. Drain any liquid from the mixture and transfer to a bowl. 3. Pour milk into pot and return pot to medium heat. Melt cream cheese into the milk; cook and stir together about 3 minutes. Return spinach mixture to pot with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese; stir to combine. Season the mixture with Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and Adobo. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. 4. Bake in oven until bubbly and golden brown on top, 20–25 minutes.
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