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Can I still get insurance if I just found out that my car has structural damage?

In March 2019, I was rear-ended by a person who fell asleep with their foot on the accelerator which caused $14,000 in damages to my car. The damage was fixed, but I just learned from Carfax that there are structural damages and that the car may be unsafe to drive. Is this vehicle safe? If I sell it, will someone be able to insure it? What other negatives are there to this structural damage? Thank you.

Oct 16, 2019 Bangor, ME

Answer
Author profile picture

Ross Martin

Manager, Content Quality

Credentials
  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty

Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. As a licensed insurance agent, he specializes in writing insurance content to help shoppers…

Sorry to hear about your accident and the resulting damages. This is a tricky situation. If the car was fixed and deemed safe by your car insurance company, I'm not exactly sure how Carfax is finding it to be considered otherwise. My advice would be to contact your insurance company.

If the car does have structural damage that would cause it to be unsafe, they should have declared it a total loss and paid you out accordingly. If Carfax has mistakenly added this to their records, then your insurance company could possibly contact them to have the error fixed. 

Cars with previous damage can sometimes be insured, though they are usually limited to just liability insurance. I would hold off on selling the vehicle until you find out exactly what is going on with the insurance company. 

Good luck and don't hesitate to reach out with any further questions. 

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