Car insurance can seem boring and typically is just another monthly expense you wish you didn’t have to pay, however when you get into a car accident you’ll be grateful that you have both coverage and the knowledge on what to do next.
Whether or not car insurance covers you under certain circumstances all comes down to the policy that you have so the best source of information on what is and is not covered under your policy will always be your insurer.
With that being said, most car insurance will cover the cost of transmission repairs IF the damage was caused in a car accident. The likelihood that a transmission is damaged in an accident and that that vehicle is not totalled out completely is next to nothing. Meaning insurance companies rarely, if ever cover the cost of fixing a transmission covered by an accident. This is because it is more cost effective for the insurance company to scrap the damaged car and instead replace it.
Sometimes people confuse insurance coverage with their warranty. A powertrain warranty that is still active will cover the cost of a broken transmission if the car has been properly maintained and the warranty isn’t voided for various reasons involving owner neglect. Warranties come in all different shapes and sizes just like the cars they cover. What types of warranties are there?
- Manufacturer warranty: this is the warranty that comes on a vehicle when you buy it new and the warranty stays with the car regardless of who owns it so long as it stays within a certain mileage range or age. Yep that means that manufacturer warranty is still valid on your young used car should it fall in the age and mileage range. Manufacturer warranties build faith in the manufacturer when buying a new car because the entirety of the car is essentially insured not to fail barring extenuating circumstances like car accidents.
- Extended warranty: An extended warranty is a warranty placed on a vehicle by a third party like Coverage X (hi!). An extended warranty is a good option for practically everyone who isn’t still riding out a manufacturer warranty. Similar to car insurance, when purchasing an extended warranty, the consumer will decide how much coverage they want and from there can choose a plan for their vehicle based on how much they want to pay per month. People tend to find that extended warranties can save them thousands in repairs when their cars inevitably break down.
What and Where Is A Transmission
The transmission is one of the most vital parts of a car and unfortunately it is also one of the most costly to repair. The transmission is used by the car to apply the proper amount of power to the wheels at the desired speed of the driver. It does this by shifting through various gears like that of a bicycle. Each gear is optimized for a certain speed, which we won’t get into the specifics of here.
You’ve likely heard the terms automatic transmission and manual transmission. A manual transmission is simply where the driver of the car has control over what gear the car is in regardless of the speed. An automatic transmission is just that, automatic. The car controls all gear shifting and the driver must simply apply pressure to the gas and brake pedal to move the car forward and bring it to a stop.
When the transmission malfunctions the car will get stuck in a certain gear and will not drive properly. It can be extremely damaging to the other components of the vehicle in some cases, but the car may become undrivable with certain transmission issues.
The location of the average car, SUV and truck transmission is within the engine block or just underneath the engine block. For this reason it is extremely unlikely that the transmission is damaged in a mild or even a moderate accident. What this means in terms of your insurance is that if a vehicle is damaged in an accident to the point that inside the engine block will need repairs, the car is most likely totaled.
When Would Insurance Cover Transmission Repairs
There are many types of insurance policies and the coverage you recieve is entirely up to you. All states require a certain amount of coverage so you’ll have some form of coverage but with some policies your vehicle isn’t covered. Make sure you do not simply have damage coverage for vehicles you are at fault for damaging, otherwise your insurance will not cover your vehicle at all.
In the case of most standard vehicle coverage, transmission repairs will be covered by the insurer if the damage is a direct result of the accident itself. When you get into a car accident, after filing a claim, you take your car to an adjuster who assesses the damage to the vehicle, then gives you a check on behalf of the insurance company so you can get your car repaired.
The adjuster will look over the claim and determine what damages were caused by the accident and which damages were there prior to the collision. Anything the adjuster decides is a direct result of the car accident will be covered by your insurance agency though you may have a deductible that you have to pay out of pocket before your insurance will kick in.
When Wouldn’t Insurance Cover Transmission Repairs
Insurance isn’t going to cover any repairs that weren’t a direct result of an accident. Insurance also won’t cover your accident if it occured due to poor maintenance on the owner’s behalf. For example if you rear end someone because you are driving without properly functioning brakes, it is likely that the insurance agency may dispute your claim. The same thing would occur in the event that your transmission is in need of replacing and the driving function being compromised causes you to get into an accident. The insurance will not pay to cover your vehicle.
How long does it take for your insurance to fix your car?
The best case scenarios take between 1 and 2 weeks to repair. In more severe cases it can take up to 2 months to get your car repaired. If your car is still drivable you will be able to use it during this time. If the car is not drivable you may be given a rental depending on which insurance provider is making the repairs to your vehicle.
Is it better to repair or total a car?
The answer depends on how much your car is worth, what the damages are, and what your financial situation is. If you are tight on cash and don’t want to finance a new vehicle, your best bet is probably to repair the car you have.
If you want to get the most bang for your buck you likely don’t want to put more money into a car than what it is currently worth. If you are deciding whether to repair your vehicle or scrap it for parts, the general rule of thumb is to total out your car if it would cost more to repair than to replace it with the exact same vehicle in good driving condition.
In closing, getting into an accident is a stressful event, but with the proper insurance coverage your repairs will be taken care of at no further expense to you. If your transmission is damaged as a result of an accident, in most cases the repairs will be covered by your insurance provider, however there are scenarios that may be exceptions to this. In most cases where a car is damaged severely enough to cause transmission damage in the event of a collision, the car will be totaled out and replaced by your insurer or the insurer of the driver who caused the accident.
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