Ask Asa: Long car repairs leave consumers stranded
When you're dealing with a car insurance claim, who pays for a long-term rental car?
When you're dealing with a car insurance claim, who pays for a long-term rental car?
When you're dealing with a car insurance claim, who pays for a long-term rental car?
When a car tangles with a lightning bolt, it invariably loses. Carmen Williams found that out the hard way last August 15th while driving home on Route 278 in Bluffton.
The clouds burst asunder, and a lightning bolt struck near her car. "I heard a loud boom. That was it," said Carmen Williams.
Actually that was just the beginning. The Bluffton woman says the lightning bolt fried the car's electrical system, and it's been out of commission ever since.
Carmen has car insurance, but the necessary parts have been impossible to find.
Carmen is one of many people nationwide facing the dilemma of delayed parts. This is believed to have been partly caused by slowdowns and supply chain disruptions during the pandemic.
So how long can a shop keep your car? I asked Tom Stephens of the Better Business Bureau serving Savannah.
"As far as a repair for a collision or a comprehensive claim like this, there's no legal timeframe enshrined in law, so to speak, that says they have to have it repaired by such a time," he said.
If you want to minimize potential inconvenience, make sure you understand your insurance coverage. "Insurance companies usually only cover a rental for 30 days from when you bring the car to the shop; that's usually written into the policy. The shop is not legally obligated to provide a loaner car beyond that," Stephens said.
Michael Wise, director of the South Carolina Department of Insurance, says more than a few consumers complain about long vehicle repair times due to delays in parts. Unfortunately, insurance companies will typically not provide coverage outside of what the policy contract allows. And that coverage is quite specific.
Loretta L. Worters is vice president of media relations for the Insurance Information Institute.
She told me, "Most people have a daily limit of about $30, with a maximum amount of $900. They can increase that to $60 daily with a maximum of $1,500. They should then choose the least expensive rental available per day to stretch their time on a vehicle."
I suggest asking your car insurance company to explain your rental car coverage options. Then, purchase the best coverage you can afford. The costs of living without transportation for weeks, if not months, add up quickly. And sometimes, lightning strikes twice.
