Your Car,
Your Claim
How a property damage claim works after a Louisiana car accident — from the crash to the final check, and what to do when things don't go to plan.
General information about Louisiana property damage claims as of September 2026. Not legal advice — every claim is different.
One accident, two claims
A car accident usually creates two separate claims. They move on different timelines and are often handled by different people. Knowing which is which saves a lot of frustration.
Pays for what the accident did to you.
- Medical bills and future treatment
- Lost wages
- Pain, suffering and inconvenience
Pays for what the accident did to your vehicle and belongings.
- Repairs, or the car's value if totaled
- Rental car or loss of use
- Towing, storage, damaged items
- Lost value after repairs
Your car claim usually wraps up long before your injury claim — that's normal. Before you sign anything to get paid for your car, make sure the release says it covers property damage only.
Adjuster — the insurance employee who investigates and values your claim.
Deductible — what you pay first on your own policy. Often refunded later.
Third-party claim — a claim against the at-fault driver's insurance.
Actual cash value — what your car was worth right before the crash.
First-party claim — a claim against your own insurance policy.
Subrogation — your insurer collecting back from the at-fault insurer.
From crash to check
Most property damage claims follow the same path. Here's what happens, in order, and roughly when.
Call the police and get the report or item number. Photograph every vehicle. Get the other driver's name, insurer and policy number.
Notify the at-fault driver's insurance company and your own. Write down every claim number and every adjuster's name.
Louisiana law requires the insurer to start adjusting your claim — inspecting and estimating the damage — within 14 days of your report.
The at-fault insurer reviews the police report, statements and any video before accepting liability. If this drags on, see page 4.
If repairs would cost 75% or more of the car's value, it's a total loss (page 7). Otherwise it goes to the shop you choose (page 6).
The insurer paying your claim may owe you a rental while you're without your car. Save every receipt, even if you're paying yourself.
Once the insurer has satisfactory proof of your loss, Louisiana law gives it 30 days to make a written offer to settle.
If you used your own coverage, your insurer collects from the at-fault insurer and can refund your deductible. Sign only a property-damage-only release.
Whose insurance pays for my car?
There are two ways to get your car fixed or paid for. You can open both claims at once — you just can't be paid twice for the same damage.
- No deductible to pay
- A rental is usually included
- Nothing is filed on your policy
- They must accept fault first, which can take weeks
- Payment is capped by their policy limits — on Louisiana policies, the state minimum for property damage coverage is $25,000
- You have no contract with them, so they owe you fewer duties
- Usually faster — they owe you duties under your policy
- No waiting on the fault decision
- Your insurer collects from theirs for you
- Your rates can't go up for an accident you didn't cause
- Requires collision coverage on your policy
- You'll only get a rental if you bought rental reimbursement coverage
- You pay your deductible up front — we'll make sure you get it back
- You want your car repaired or replaced as quickly as possible
- The at-fault insurer hasn't accepted fault after about two weeks
- The at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured
- Your car can't be driven and you're paying for a rental yourself
Check your declarations page. Look for collision, rental reimbursement, gap and uninsured motorist coverage, and your deductible amount. Then send us a copy.
Your next steps
A standard car claim is usually routine. Follow the path that matches your coverage, and if you have any trouble with an insurance company, call us. We're always available to help.
You don't have to, but most clients find their own insurer easier to deal with. And your rates can't go up for an accident you didn't cause — Louisiana law forbids it.
Call your insurance company and report the accident.
Ask them to come look at your car, "appraise the damage" and "pay you for your loss."
If they send you to the other driver's insurer, say: "I have a claim against the other driver, but I want you to appraise and pay for my damage now."
Your deductible: you'll pay it up front. Tell us the amount and we'll get it back from the other insurer right away, without waiting for your injury claim to settle.
We've already given them permission to speak with you directly, but only about your car.
Do not discuss:
• How the accident happened
• Your injuries
• Your opinions or doubts about fault
Tell them where your car is and ask them to appraise the damage.
Expect a low first estimate. Adjusters often price only the damage they can see.
Take your car to any reputable shop you choose. The shop sends a "supplemental estimate," and the insurer pays the shop directly.
Stuck with either insurer? Call us. We'll check your coverage, contact both adjusters for a status update, and help you through whatever comes next.
If your car can be repaired
Louisiana law says an insurer can't require you to use a particular shop to get paid. If it recommends one, it must tell you you're not obligated to use it.
Shops often find more damage once the car is apart. They send the insurer a "supplement" for the extra cost. That's normal and doesn't restart your claim.
Payment may go straight to the shop, or be made out to you and the shop — and your lender too, if you have a car loan.
A repaired car with an accident history can be worth less. Louisiana lets you claim that "diminished value" from the at-fault driver's insurer when the car is repaired, not totaled. Insurers usually pay it only on newer cars, generally under a year old.
They owe reasonable rental costs while your car is being repaired. Often they'll set up a rental for you; sometimes they'll only reimburse what you pay out of pocket. If their delay leaves you without your car for more than five business days, Louisiana law requires the responsible insurer to cover reasonable transportation costs for that whole time.
Only available if your policy includes rental reimbursement. Call your insurance company and ask about your options for setting up a rental. Coverage usually has a daily cap and a day limit.
- Keep every receipt and the credit card statements that show daily rental charges.
- A rental usually ends a few days after repairs finish or a total-loss offer is made.
- No rental? You may still be able to claim "loss of use" for the days you had no car.
Worried about your rates? Louisiana law bars your insurer from raising your rate, adding a surcharge or dropping you over an accident you didn't cause.
If your car is totaled
In Louisiana, a car is generally a total loss when repairs would cost 75% or more of its value. A car can be totaled even if it still runs.
The insurer sets "actual cash value" using similar cars for sale near you, adjusted for mileage, condition and options. Ask for the valuation report, and ask for sales tax, title and license fees on top of the value.
Send the adjuster listings for comparable cars and receipts for recent work like tires or a transmission. Wrong trim, mileage or options are common errors.
Payment goes to your lender first. If you owe more than the car is worth, you owe the difference — unless you have gap coverage, which can pay it.
Expect a request for your title or a power of attorney so the insurer can transfer it. Remove your belongings and plate. Ask us before signing anything unclear.
Gap coverage may pay that $4,000. If you used your own insurance, the $500 deductible can be refunded once your insurer collects from the at-fault insurer.
Start shopping early. A rental usually ends a few days after the total-loss offer, and storage-yard fees can keep adding up. Move quickly once the car is declared a total loss.
Common situations, and what to do
Their insurer accepts fault, inspects your car, and pays for repairs or its value plus reasonable rental costs.
You can still use your own insurance if it's easier. We'll get your deductible back.
Work with their adjuster, about your car only. Call us if there's no inspection within 14 days.
Weeks pass with no decision, or they say fault is unclear. Your car sits and costs add up.
Open a claim with your own insurer now. You pay the deductible up front, and we get it back.
Call us right away. We'll share the police report, contact the adjuster and push for a decision.
Daily fees keep adding up. Louisiana law gives the insurer 10 working days to appraise a car in storage once told where it is.
Have your insurer appraise it quickly, and ask whether your policy covers towing and storage.
Give their adjuster the car's location right away, and save every storage bill for your claim.
No insurance company on the other side will pay for your car. Report a hit-and-run to police right away.
Use your collision coverage to repair or replace your car.
Check for uninsured motorist property damage coverage. Without it, the only option is a claim against the driver, if identified. Call us.
More situations, and what to do
The at-fault driver's insurer refuses to pay, often saying their driver wasn't at fault.
Use your collision coverage now. Your insurer can fight the denial and recover your deductible.
Call us. We'll review the denial and police report, push back with the adjuster, and look at a claim against the driver.
Payment is reduced by your share of fault. For crashes on or after January 1, 2026, at 51% or more you can't recover from the other driver.
Use your collision coverage. It pays for your car regardless of fault, minus your deductible.
You can recover only from the other insurer, reduced by your share. Don't guess about fault with the adjuster.
Louisiana's "No Pay, No Play" law generally bars uninsured owners and drivers from recovering the first $25,000 of property damage and first $15,000 of injury damages, even when not at fault.
Tell us right away. There are exceptions, and we need to know before the insurer raises it.
The car claim belongs to its owner — a relative, employer or rental company. Repairs and rental are handled between the owner and the insurance company.
If anything of yours in the car was damaged, like a phone or car seat, you can submit a claim for it. Keep receipts and photos.
Protect your claim
Keep a claim folder: claim numbers, adjuster names, photos, estimates
Save every receipt — rental, towing, storage, rides
Get important answers in writing (email is fine)
Photograph your car and remove belongings before it's towed
Send us your declarations page and anything you're asked to sign
Give a recorded statement about your injuries without talking to us
Sign a release unless it says property damage only
Guess about fault, speed or how you feel physically
Leave your car in a storage yard longer than needed
Assume a long delay is normal — ask us
The insurer must begin adjusting your claim after you report it.
It must make a written offer after receiving satisfactory proof of your loss.
Without your car longer than this because of the responsible insurer's delay? It may owe your transportation costs.
If you have rental coverage, your own insurer should provide it after your written request.
General deadline to file suit for accidents on or after July 1, 2024 (one year for earlier accidents). Claims take time — don't wait.
Deadlines have exceptions and some depend on paperwork being complete. We track the ones that apply to your file.
How we help
As a personal injury firm, our priority is your bodily injury claim. We also understand that property damage is often one of the most stressful parts of an accident. While car claims are resolved fastest when you and the adjuster communicate directly, we are always available to help if problems arise.
- Notify every insurance company that we represent you
- Get the police report and establish who was at fault
- Review offers and answer your questions
- Ask the at-fault insurer to reimburse your deductible
- Schedule the inspection and estimate
- Choose a shop and approve repairs
- Arrange your rental car
- Send us copies of everything you receive
No inspection after 14 days, no rental when you can't drive, no answers from the adjuster? Call us. We'll:
See if you have collision coverage, which can get your car fixed without waiting on the other insurer.
Contact the at-fault driver's adjuster and yours to get a clear status on your claim.
Whatever the adjuster says comes next, we'll help you get it done.
Suite 507
Lafayette, LA 70508
- Your name and the date of the accident
- Claim numbers from both insurers
- The adjuster's name and phone number
- Photos, estimates or letters you've received
Lafayette, LA 70508
Your Car,
Your Claim
How a property damage claim works after a Louisiana car accident — from the crash to the final check, and what to do when things don't go to plan.
General information about Louisiana property damage claims as of September 2026. Not legal advice — every claim is different.
One accident, two claims
A car accident usually creates two separate claims. They move on different timelines and are often handled by different people. Knowing which is which saves a lot of frustration.
Pays for what the accident did to you.
- Medical bills and future treatment
- Lost wages
- Pain, suffering and inconvenience
Pays for what the accident did to your vehicle and belongings.
- Repairs, or the car's value if totaled
- Rental car or loss of use
- Towing, storage, damaged items
- Lost value after repairs
Your car claim usually wraps up long before your injury claim — that's normal. Before you sign anything to get paid for your car, make sure the release says it covers property damage only.
Adjuster — the insurance employee who investigates and values your claim.
Deductible — what you pay first on your own policy. Often refunded later.
Third-party claim — a claim against the at-fault driver's insurance.
Actual cash value — what your car was worth right before the crash.
First-party claim — a claim against your own insurance policy.
Subrogation — your insurer collecting back from the at-fault insurer.
From crash to check
Most property damage claims follow the same path. Here's what happens, in order, and roughly when.
Call the police and get the report or item number. Photograph every vehicle. Get the other driver's name, insurer and policy number.
Notify the at-fault driver's insurance company and your own. Write down every claim number and every adjuster's name.
Louisiana law requires the insurer to start adjusting your claim — inspecting and estimating the damage — within 14 days of your report.
The at-fault insurer reviews the police report, statements and any video before accepting liability. If this drags on, see page 4.
If repairs would cost 75% or more of the car's value, it's a total loss (page 7). Otherwise it goes to the shop you choose (page 6).
The insurer paying your claim may owe you a rental while you're without your car. Save every receipt, even if you're paying yourself.
Once the insurer has satisfactory proof of your loss, Louisiana law gives it 30 days to make a written offer to settle.
If you used your own coverage, your insurer collects from the at-fault insurer and can refund your deductible. Sign only a property-damage-only release.
Whose insurance pays for my car?
There are two ways to get your car fixed or paid for. You can open both claims at once — you just can't be paid twice for the same damage.
- No deductible to pay
- A rental is usually included
- Nothing is filed on your policy
- They must accept fault first, which can take weeks
- Payment is capped by their policy limits — on Louisiana policies, the state minimum for property damage coverage is $25,000
- You have no contract with them, so they owe you fewer duties
- Usually faster — they owe you duties under your policy
- No waiting on the fault decision
- Your insurer collects from theirs for you
- Your rates can't go up for an accident you didn't cause
- Requires collision coverage on your policy
- You'll only get a rental if you bought rental reimbursement coverage
- You pay your deductible up front — we'll make sure you get it back
- You want your car repaired or replaced as quickly as possible
- The at-fault insurer hasn't accepted fault after about two weeks
- The at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured
- Your car can't be driven and you're paying for a rental yourself
Check your declarations page. Look for collision, rental reimbursement, gap and uninsured motorist coverage, and your deductible amount. Then send us a copy.
Your next steps
A standard car claim is usually routine. Follow the path that matches your coverage, and if you have any trouble with an insurance company, call us. We're always available to help.
You don't have to, but most clients find their own insurer easier to deal with. And your rates can't go up for an accident you didn't cause — Louisiana law forbids it.
Call your insurance company and report the accident.
Ask them to come look at your car, "appraise the damage" and "pay you for your loss."
If they send you to the other driver's insurer, say: "I have a claim against the other driver, but I want you to appraise and pay for my damage now."
Your deductible: you'll pay it up front. Tell us the amount and we'll get it back from the other insurer right away, without waiting for your injury claim to settle.
We've already given them permission to speak with you directly, but only about your car.
Do not discuss:
• How the accident happened
• Your injuries
• Your opinions or doubts about fault
Tell them where your car is and ask them to appraise the damage.
Expect a low first estimate. Adjusters often price only the damage they can see.
Take your car to any reputable shop you choose. The shop sends a "supplemental estimate," and the insurer pays the shop directly.
Stuck with either insurer? Call us. We'll check your coverage, contact both adjusters for a status update, and help you through whatever comes next.
If your car can be repaired
Louisiana law says an insurer can't require you to use a particular shop to get paid. If it recommends one, it must tell you you're not obligated to use it.
Shops often find more damage once the car is apart. They send the insurer a "supplement" for the extra cost. That's normal and doesn't restart your claim.
Payment may go straight to the shop, or be made out to you and the shop — and your lender too, if you have a car loan.
A repaired car with an accident history can be worth less. Louisiana lets you claim that "diminished value" from the at-fault driver's insurer when the car is repaired, not totaled. Insurers usually pay it only on newer cars, generally under a year old.
They owe reasonable rental costs while your car is being repaired. Often they'll set up a rental for you; sometimes they'll only reimburse what you pay out of pocket. If their delay leaves you without your car for more than five business days, Louisiana law requires the responsible insurer to cover reasonable transportation costs for that whole time.
Only available if your policy includes rental reimbursement. Call your insurance company and ask about your options for setting up a rental. Coverage usually has a daily cap and a day limit.
- Keep every receipt and the credit card statements that show daily rental charges.
- A rental usually ends a few days after repairs finish or a total-loss offer is made.
- No rental? You may still be able to claim "loss of use" for the days you had no car.
Worried about your rates? Louisiana law bars your insurer from raising your rate, adding a surcharge or dropping you over an accident you didn't cause.
If your car is totaled
In Louisiana, a car is generally a total loss when repairs would cost 75% or more of its value. A car can be totaled even if it still runs.
The insurer sets "actual cash value" using similar cars for sale near you, adjusted for mileage, condition and options. Ask for the valuation report, and ask for sales tax, title and license fees on top of the value.
Send the adjuster listings for comparable cars and receipts for recent work like tires or a transmission. Wrong trim, mileage or options are common errors.
Payment goes to your lender first. If you owe more than the car is worth, you owe the difference — unless you have gap coverage, which can pay it.
Expect a request for your title or a power of attorney so the insurer can transfer it. Remove your belongings and plate. Ask us before signing anything unclear.
Gap coverage may pay that $4,000. If you used your own insurance, the $500 deductible can be refunded once your insurer collects from the at-fault insurer.
Start shopping early. A rental usually ends a few days after the total-loss offer, and storage-yard fees can keep adding up. Move quickly once the car is declared a total loss.
Common situations, and what to do
Their insurer accepts fault, inspects your car, and pays for repairs or its value plus reasonable rental costs.
You can still use your own insurance if it's easier. We'll get your deductible back.
Work with their adjuster, about your car only. Call us if there's no inspection within 14 days.
Weeks pass with no decision, or they say fault is unclear. Your car sits and costs add up.
Open a claim with your own insurer now. You pay the deductible up front, and we get it back.
Call us right away. We'll share the police report, contact the adjuster and push for a decision.
Daily fees keep adding up. Louisiana law gives the insurer 10 working days to appraise a car in storage once told where it is.
Have your insurer appraise it quickly, and ask whether your policy covers towing and storage.
Give their adjuster the car's location right away, and save every storage bill for your claim.
No insurance company on the other side will pay for your car. Report a hit-and-run to police right away.
Use your collision coverage to repair or replace your car.
Check for uninsured motorist property damage coverage. Without it, the only option is a claim against the driver, if identified. Call us.
More situations, and what to do
The at-fault driver's insurer refuses to pay, often saying their driver wasn't at fault.
Use your collision coverage now. Your insurer can fight the denial and recover your deductible.
Call us. We'll review the denial and police report, push back with the adjuster, and look at a claim against the driver.
Payment is reduced by your share of fault. For crashes on or after January 1, 2026, at 51% or more you can't recover from the other driver.
Use your collision coverage. It pays for your car regardless of fault, minus your deductible.
You can recover only from the other insurer, reduced by your share. Don't guess about fault with the adjuster.
Louisiana's "No Pay, No Play" law generally bars uninsured owners and drivers from recovering the first $25,000 of property damage and first $15,000 of injury damages, even when not at fault.
Tell us right away. There are exceptions, and we need to know before the insurer raises it.
The car claim belongs to its owner — a relative, employer or rental company. Repairs and rental are handled between the owner and the insurance company.
If anything of yours in the car was damaged, like a phone or car seat, you can submit a claim for it. Keep receipts and photos.
Protect your claim
Keep a claim folder: claim numbers, adjuster names, photos, estimates
Save every receipt — rental, towing, storage, rides
Get important answers in writing (email is fine)
Photograph your car and remove belongings before it's towed
Send us your declarations page and anything you're asked to sign
Give a recorded statement about your injuries without talking to us
Sign a release unless it says property damage only
Guess about fault, speed or how you feel physically
Leave your car in a storage yard longer than needed
Assume a long delay is normal — ask us
The insurer must begin adjusting your claim after you report it.
It must make a written offer after receiving satisfactory proof of your loss.
Without your car longer than this because of the responsible insurer's delay? It may owe your transportation costs.
If you have rental coverage, your own insurer should provide it after your written request.
General deadline to file suit for accidents on or after July 1, 2024 (one year for earlier accidents). Claims take time — don't wait.
Deadlines have exceptions and some depend on paperwork being complete. We track the ones that apply to your file.
How we help
As a personal injury firm, our priority is your bodily injury claim. We also understand that property damage is often one of the most stressful parts of an accident. While car claims are resolved fastest when you and the adjuster communicate directly, we are always available to help if problems arise.
- Notify every insurance company that we represent you
- Get the police report and establish who was at fault
- Review offers and answer your questions
- Ask the at-fault insurer to reimburse your deductible
- Schedule the inspection and estimate
- Choose a shop and approve repairs
- Arrange your rental car
- Send us copies of everything you receive
No inspection after 14 days, no rental when you can't drive, no answers from the adjuster? Call us. We'll:
See if you have collision coverage, which can get your car fixed without waiting on the other insurer.
Contact the at-fault driver's adjuster and yours to get a clear status on your claim.
Whatever the adjuster says comes next, we'll help you get it done.
Suite 507
Lafayette, LA 70508
- Your name and the date of the accident
- Claim numbers from both insurers
- The adjuster's name and phone number
- Photos, estimates or letters you've received
Lafayette, LA 70508