A car accident can turn your life upside down, especially if your car sustains extensive damage. If you don't have rental car coverage on your insurance policy, you may be without transportation until the repairs are taken care of. If you've never been involved in a car accident, you might not know what to do to get your car repaired in a timely manner. Unfortunately, that lack of knowledge can lead to serious delays. To help you avoid mistakes, here are four steps you need to take to get your car repaired after an accident. 

Know How to Handle Insurance

If you've been involved in a car accident, the first thing you need to do is file an insurance claim. If you were at-fault for the accident, you'll need to file a claim with your own insurance company. Your insurance policy will be used to cover the repairs to your car. But, if you weren't at-fault for the accident, you can file a claim with the other driver's insurance instead. Once you've filed your insurance claim, you'll need to submit estimates for the repairs. You don't need to obtain multiple estimates, but it's a good idea. 

Know Where to Go for Body Repairs

If your car needs body work after an accident, don't let the insurance company limit your options. Insurance companies like you to go with the body shop of their choice, but you don't have to. You actually have the option to go with the repair shop of your choosing. The best thing you can do is choose the body shop that can handle all of your repair needs. This is especially important if your car has sustained body damage as well as mechanical damage. 

Know When to Get a Second Opinion

If your car has sustained major damage in an accident, you need to know when to get a second opinion. It's not uncommon for cars to sustain frame damage in an accident. But, frame damage doesn't need to resign your car to a salvage yard. In fact, some frame damage can be repaired, which can help you avoid a total loss. If your car has been diagnosed with frame damage, and the repair shop has determined it to be a total loss, take the time to get a second opinion. 

Know What to Do With a Total Loss

If your car has been deemed a total loss and the second opinion has confirmed the diagnosis, you'll have two options. First, you can keep the car. Second, you can sign your car over to the insurance company. If you keep the car, you'll be offered a settlement minus the actual salvage value. If you sign the car over to the insurance company, you'll receive a settlement that includes the value of the car and the salvage value of the car.

Talk to a car body repair shop for more information.