• If you disagree, appeal based on records such as mileage, service history, and an affidavit from your mechanic. • If you agree, ask the insurance company to get estimates from three local mechanics. Meanwhile, do your own work and check with dealers and online ads, being sure to only research used cars similar to yours. • If your car being totaled is the other person’s fault in an at-fault state, you can file a claimwith their insurance as well as yours. Then you can take the highest offer. 4. You’ll accept the company’s offer ONLY if you know it’s fair. • Some companies may give you a cash advance. This is okay, but only if you DON’T sign an agreement stating that the company won’t owe you any more money if other issues will come up. Don’t let them off the hook until everything is 100% complete! 5. If your car is fixable, you might get to choose where you have the repairs done, so make sure you’ve got a mechanic and body shop worker you trust. • Keep inmind that if you go to one of your insurance company’s preferred repair shops, the work and parts will likely come with a warranty. This is especially helpful considering your replacement parts will likely be used. Why? Their goal is to restore the car to how it looked before the accident, so having new parts would technically be improving
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