What If You Are Involved In A Car Collision While Driving A Leased Vehicle

More and more people use leasing as a way to get their hands on their dream car, especially if that car would have otherwise been unattainable due to its price class. Leased vehicles are on the cheaper end for a reason. The only costs you need to pay for are the ones that befall you due to the declining value of the vehicle due to the wear and tear you put it through.

All the benefits aside, you still are not the sole owner of the vehicle, which means there are significant differences when it comes to the steps you need to take after you have become involved in a motor vehicle collision with your leased car. In most cases, the leased car will have insurance cover but the laws differ for the liable individual.

First Steps

Immediately following the collision, your first steps should always be the same: check in on your own health and safety, check in on the health and safety on everybody else involved, and call the authorities. While medical services are not always needed at the scene, a police officer is necessary since the police report will be vital if you choose to file a lawsuit against the at fault driver further down the line.

It is also vital that you take a lot of photographs of the damage done to your vehicle, of the surroundings, and of the license plates of other involved vehicles. You should also do your best to obtain contact details from everybody involved, as well as from bystanders and potential witnesses. Try to get the insurance information from all involved drivers as well. All of this will come in handy should you choose to file a lawsuit with the help of a Personal Injury Lawyer in Stouffville. Trying to do it all on your own becomes difficult as you are unaware of the current laws.

Differences

If you are the sole owner of a vehicle, you are only required to report your involvement in the collision to your insurer, but if your vehicle is leased, you will also need to report it to the real owner of the vehicle. In most cases, the real owner is either a dealership or a leasing agency.You should also be aware that some leasing agencies and dealerships will have rules in place in regards to repairs. In a majority of cases, these rules will dictate that all parts used in repairs will first need to be approved by the manufacturer. This is understandable since it is within the owner’s best interest to keep the vehicle in as good a shape as possible.