Car Accident Repair Cost Averages

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Car accident repair costs are one thing that most of us have had to think about at some point in our lives. One of the additionally scary things about getting into a car accident is not knowing what to expect when it comes to the cost of your car accident repair. Many people are scared of paying their deductible, scared of how this may affect their insurance premiums, and scared of whether or not the repairs will be covered at all and having to foot the bill themselves. It’s a pretty common worry. Knowing a little bit about the average cost of repairs ahead of time might ease some of that concern and help you identify if you’re being given an unreasonably high repair quote.

In order to provide you with an idea of what kind of costs you can expect for your car accident repair, we prefer to break it down by the extent of the damage and let you know a little about what that means.

Small Repairs Requiring No Paint

These smaller repairs are the best-case scenarios in terms of cost. If you are lucky enough to walk away from an accident with repairs that don’t require any additional paintwork and can be fixed using paintless dent removal or similar methods, you can typically expect an estimate less than $500. 

Small Repair with Paintwork Involving Only One Panel

If the extent of your damage is contained to just one vehicle panel, your rear bumper for example, your estimate could be anywhere from $500 to $1,500 depending on the average cost of parts for your specific vehicle and whether it requires a repair or full replacement.

Medium Repair with Paintwork Involving Multiple Panels

When your car accident repair involves multiple body panels, the costs begin to go up quickly. You should expect a minimum of  $1,500 on your estimate, and that could go up to at least $4,000 depending on the full extent of the damage and just how many panels are involved.

Large Repair with Paintwork Involving Multiple Panels, Affecting Drivability

A car accident that leaves you with damages that are not only cosmetic, but also begin to affect the drivability of your car will push you into the more extensive end of the car accident repair cost spectrum as mechanical repairs will also be needed. Here you can expect repair costs to begin at around $4,000.

Most Extensive Damage, Non-drivable Car

If you car is no longer drivable due to damage, that’s when the potential cost range will end in a big question mark. You could expect to see costs that go from roughly $6,000 and beyond. This number will take into account the extent of the auto body and mechanical repairs needed to not only make your car look like new again, but also to make your car function properly and safely again.

We hope that you never find yourself in an accident. If you are unlucky enough to need car accident repair, hopefully you now have a good understanding of what to expect from your cost estimate so that you can make informed decisions about getting your repairs done.

Get started on your repair by scheduling an estimate today.