Why Modern Cars Are Creating More Complicated Accident Claims Than Ever Before
There was a time when a car accident was a no-brainer. You had your mechanical damage, you could put a number on the repairs, and you let the witnesses and what you could see with your own eyes tell the story of how it went down. Not so much anymore.
Today’s Cars Are More Advanced Than Most Drivers Realize
With all the sensors, cameras, and software in today’s cars, an insurance claim is a different animal. Sure, these are there for your safety, but they’ve also made the claims process a good deal more involved.
How Vehicle Tech Is Upending Investigations
Your car is logging data as you drive.
We’re talking about:
- Speed
- How hard you brake
- GPS location
- Seatbelt usage
- Airbag deployment
When a fender-bender turns into a claim, the insurer will want to see that. And if there’s a tiff over what the tech says happened, you might find a Maine car accident lawyer has to wade in and look at the numbers in addition to the old standbys like police reports.
Safety Systems Aren’t a Perfect Solution
You have your:
- Automatic braking
- Lane assist
- Blind spot monitors
- Adaptive safety systems
They’re useful, but they can also become a point of contention. A driver will say he was depending on the system, and it didn’t do its job; the insurance side will be wondering if he was using it correctly to begin with.
The Cost of a “Minor” Fender-Bender
It doesn’t take much to put a dent in your wallet these days. Tap a bumper, and you might have damaged:
- Wiring
- Cameras
- Sensors
- Computer modules
It’s not just a matter of swapping out a part; you need it recalibrated. That means you’re looking at a specialist, maybe a trip to the dealer, and a price tag to match.
No wonder there are so many arguments between the shop, the owner, and the insurer over value and cost.
Electric Vehicles Create Even More Complications
Electric vehicles are another headache for claims.
The battery is a whole other issue:
- It can become a fire hazard
- It’s expensive to repair
- Inspection processes take longer
- Moderate battery damage can total the vehicle
In some cases, if the battery is even slightly compromised after a collision, the entire car is written off.
Determining Fault Is Becoming More Technical
The kind of questions being asked now would have been unheard of a few years back.
Investigators may ask:
- Did the driver ignore a warning?
- Was the software updated properly?
- Did the autonomous mode activate?
- Did a safety system fail?
These technicalities can drag a claim out and put manufacturers, drivers, insurers, and repair shops at odds.
More Digital Evidence Means More Disputes
Now you have:
- Dashcams
- Phone footage
- Traffic cameras
- App-connected vehicle data
All well and good for getting to the truth, but when one piece of evidence contradicts another, you have a problem. A car accident lawyer will sometimes bring in technical experts to help make sense of conflicting digital evidence.
Modern Cars Have Changed the Entire Claims Process
Cars are only getting more high-tech, and the claims process is following suit. It’s not the simple affair it once was.
You may be in a safer machine, but after a crash, you’re in for something that is more technical, pricier, and a lot more of a hassle than you’d think.
