Legal Question in Insurance Law in West Virginia

Automobile insurance law

In November 1999 I was involved in an automoblie accident; I was the owner of the car but not the driver at the time of the accident.The vehecle was declared a total loss. I understand that the insurance company is only oblagated to pay the blue book value of the car at the time of the loss. How ever the car was financed and was acquired four months previous to the accident. The finance company that I was involved with offered me an option of what they called an exchange of collateral.Is this a legal option, and if so what does it entail?


Asked on 7/09/00, 10:13 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Steven Murray Steven W. Murray, APC

Re: Automobile insurance law

Your lender wants to take all of the insurance

money and give you the totalled car which you

will have to give to the insurer.

Your insurer will have to pay the fair market value,

which you can check by looking at the Sunday classified

in a metropolitan area near you, or the auto trader,

and on the internet.

But what about the insurer for the driver? You have

a property damage case against the driver. And if

they don't have their own insurance, you may be able

to make a claim agains your own insurer for

the driver's liability, since the driver is an

additional insured under your policy as a permissive

user of your vehicle.

If the someone else was at fault, then the same

principle applies to making a claim against them.

You may call me if you want to discuss this.

S. Murray

(818) 501-2277

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Answered on 9/12/00, 9:13 pm


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