Yes, if the airbags in your car have deployed, the insurance company will likely declare it a total loss. This is because deployment of airbags usually indicates a significant amount of damage to the vehicle that may not be economical to repair. In this situation, the insurer will usually assess the cost of repairs against the value of your vehicle and determine that it would be more beneficial to you financially to replace than repair.
Contents:
- What is a Total Loss?
- When Are Airbags Required to Deploy?
- Does an Insurance Company Automatically Declare a Car a Total Loss After the Airbags are Deployed?
- Considerations for Partial vs. Full Coverage Insurance options
- Other Factors that May Determine Whether Your Damage is Determined a Total Loss
- The Importance of Documenting Your Claim Process
What is a Total Loss?
When a vehicle sustains damages that is likely to cost more than the actual value of the car, the insurer will often declare it a total loss. In simpler terms, when the insurance company finds out that repairing the car would be more expensive than its worth, it might decide to write off your vehicle as a ‘total loss’.
A ‘total loss’ simply means that damage to your vehicle is so severe that repairs won’t help in restoring it to working condition or make up for safety features no longer functioning correctly. This can happen if something vital like an airbag deploys during an accident and the bill for necessary repairs reaches above the threshold set by the insurance company. Once declared as a total loss, you should expect to receive fair market value (FMV) from your insurer based on current market prices minus depreciation for age and mileage. The FMV may not always match with what you originally paid for but this cannot be disputed since you are legally bound by your agreement with your insurer about settling claims.
The result of declaring a car as ‘totally lost’ doesn’t mean other parties involved are absolved from all liabilities related with collision or accident either; police reports and personal injury attorney must still be consulted if they arise due to negligence or wrongdoing of any person connected with incident. Ultimately, only after carefully considering these factors can one determine their final course of action following such scenarios.
When Are Airbags Required to Deploy?
Airbag technology is fairly new and has rapidly evolved in the last few decades. It was originally introduced as an optional feature for luxury cars and cost extra to have installed. As safety became a bigger concern, airbags started to become a requirement in all vehicles manufactured after 1998.
To be considered safe under government regulations, an airbag needs to deploy within 30 milliseconds of an accident. This speed is essential as it allows the bags to fully inflate before contact is made with any passenger or driver in the vehicle. This ultimately helps reduce injuries and fatalities in car accidents when they occur at high speeds. However, there are certain conditions that can cause the bag not to deploy even if its sensors detect a crash has occurred, such as when objects penetrate its sensor housing or when side-impact sensors fail due to manufacturing defects.
It’s important for drivers of older cars especially, who may not have had their car fitted with airbags from factory standard models, to have them fitted by professional mechanics if possible so that their safety is assured should an accident happen on the road. Newer model cars come equipped with dual stage front inflator systems which help determine how much pressure needs to be applied depending on how violent the crash impacts were; this helps ensure minimal risk of injury caused by overly intense inflation during collision forces between two cars.
Does an Insurance Company Automatically Declare a Car a Total Loss After the Airbags are Deployed?
When discussing car insurance, it is important to understand what may happen in the case of an accident. Many people assume that if their airbags deploy then their car will be automatically declared a total loss by their insurance provider. However, this is not always true; depending on the severity of the accident and its impact on the vehicle’s safety features, the decision can go either way.
In order for a car to be considered a total loss after airbag deployment, there must typically be significant damage done to other aspects of the vehicle as well. Depending on how much structural damage has been caused to other components – such as frame or steering systems – it could cause a major repair bill that surpasses the vehicles actual cash value (ACV). If this occurs, then most insurance providers will declare it a “totaled” vehicle.
Many companies take into account marketability when making this determination. Even if there isn’t major damage elsewhere in addition to deploying airbags, they may deem your car unsellable due to pre-existing issues caused by wear and tear over time or prior accidents which would lead them towards declaring it a write off. Each situation is different but knowing these factors will help make sure you’re covered with your provider should an incident occur while driving your vehicle.
Considerations for Partial vs. Full Coverage Insurance options
When it comes to accident damage and car insurance, a key point of debate is that of partial vs. Full coverage plans. Having the right policy in place will make sure you are adequately protected in the event an airbag deployment requires a total loss declaration from your insurer. Partial insurance covers only certain components of your car (e.g. engine, transmission) and may exclude interior or exterior components such as seats and panels. Full coverage policies will include both these categories as well as any liability risks that could arise from an accident caused by your negligence or intentional harm to another driver or pedestrian.
Most states require drivers to have some level of financial responsibility which can be satisfied with either partial or full coverage policies; however, there are pros and cons associated with each type that should be considered prior to purchasing insurance for your vehicle. One advantage to partial coverage is its lower cost compared to full coverage but this savings may come at the expense of not being fully protected if you need repairs or medical attention after an incident where airbags deployed during a collision. Conversely, having comprehensive cover ensures all potential costs are covered up-front so there’s no worry about unexpected charges down the road that could prove financially burdensome for you and/or family members travelling in the car during the time of impact from the deployable devices.
Ultimately, when looking into whether partial vs. Full coverage is best for protecting against deployable device activation due to collisional forces it’s important that individuals make informed decisions based on their own risk levels, wallet size, and other factors specific to them; however, sometimes taking out more than is necessary may actually provide greater peace-of-mind knowing that help won’t be denied should circumstances call for it later down the line regardless of fault or lack thereof depending on local laws related thereto.
Other Factors that May Determine Whether Your Damage is Determined a Total Loss
In determining if a vehicle is declared to be a total loss, the insurance company evaluates more than just the state of the airbags. Other significant factors that play into such a decision include the age and condition of the car prior to damage, as well as labor costs associated with repairs. For older vehicles with extensive preexisting damage, or for cars whose repair costs exceed their current market value, it is likely that an insurance provider will determine them to be a total loss.
The severity of existing body damage also plays an important role in declaring a vehicle totaled; even if any post-collision repair costs are minor, and all systems like brakes, suspension and steering remain intact following an accident, preexisting scrapes and dents may cause the insurer to call off repairing the vehicle entirely. In these cases where an excessive amount of pre-accident wear and tear has reduced the car’s overall value below its cost to restore it back to working order again will result in what insurers deem ‘totaled’.
Issues with frame or chassis can also lead to results similar in nature – if mechanical components have been damaged beyond repair then this could potentially bring forth enough cost increases that would push any remaining value lower than its worth fixing up again. In extreme scenarios when sheet metal needs replacing or welding operations become necessary due safety concerns after sustaining crash impact damages then classifying such vehicle as totaled becomes almost inevitable for insurance providers.
The Importance of Documenting Your Claim Process
Documenting your claim process with the insurance company is essential when dealing with a totaled vehicle. Keeping detailed records of all conversations and actions taken by yourself and the insurer can help you throughout the whole process.
It is important to keep copies of any emails, letters, phone logs, or even recordings in case there are any disputes that arise from the situation. It is also prudent to make sure that you have captured any evidence before submitting it to the insurance company such as photos of damages or screenshots of quotes for repairs. This way if anything changes during negotiations, you have your side well-documented should a dispute occur.
Having a third party witness present during interactions with an adjuster or other representative may also be beneficial especially if their signature is required on any papers or contracts. Witnesses could include family members, friends, neighbors or anyone else who might vouch for what was said in order to support your case if needed later on down the line.
