Auto Collision Repair
A fender bender is such a humorous and ‘fun’ term that you may not even associate it with a vehicle collision or accident. You may even wonder whether a fender bender is even considered an accident!
Whether you call it an accident, a collision, a prang, wreck, fender bender, pile-up, or something else, they all mean one thing. Your vehicle collided with something that potentially resulted in damage.
If you’re new to the term fender-bender and its association with collisions, we’ve compiled some helpful information below:
What Is a Fender Bender?
Despite being a ‘fun’ term, a fender bender is another name for an accident. In most cases, this term is used to describe minor, low-speed accidents that typically only result in minor damage to the fender or bumper of a vehicle. Many fender-bender accidents happen in slow-moving traffic, at stop signs, and even in parking lots.
Can You Really Call a Fender Bender An Accident?
Whether you have to take your vehicle to an auto body specialist or not, a fender bender is an accident. This is because it involves an unintentional collision between vehicles.
Whether your vehicle has a small dent or a minor scratch, the law and insurance companies view a fender bender as an accident. So, while you may not take a fender bender too seriously, your insurance company and the legal system would.
Navigating Insurance, the Law, and Fender Benders
You might make light of your fender bender, but you may still need to deal with insurance companies if you or another party’s vehicle were damaged in your collision.
Whether or not you need to report your accident can depend on where you live. Many states require that you report your collision to law enforcement, no matter how minor. In other states, you only need to report your fender bender if it exceeds a specific monetary limit for damages.
If you don’t report your accident and you were required to, you may face penalties or problems with an insurance claim later on.
Top Reasons to Treat Your Fender Bender Like An Accident
Even if you don’t think the damage to your vehicle is bad enough to treat it like a genuine accident, there are many reasons why you should:
1. Liability
Even in minor accidents like fender benders, it can be crucial to determine who’s at fault. If you don’t make a report or properly document the accident, there may be disputes about who’s to blame later on. This can be especially true if one or both vehicles sustained damage from the collision.
2. Hidden Damage
A few scratches and marks to your vehicle may not seem like a big deal. You may not even bother taking it to an auto body specialist. However, the damage you can see is not necessarily all the damage there is. There can be underlying damage to a vehicle’s frame, alignment, or other parts that only trusted auto body repair specialists can spot and fix.
3. Injuries
Injuries don’t always present themselves straight away. In fact, the adrenaline coursing through your veins from an accident may even mask pain associated with injuries you’re not yet aware of.
That’s why treating your fender bender or low-impact accident like a serious collision can be important. A visit to your local healthcare provider may identify injuries like whiplash you didn’t realize you had.
Take Your Car to Master Collision After a Fender Bender
Whether you call it an accident, fender bender, collision, or something else, don’t delay in seeking a comprehensive assessment for your vehicle. Master Collision is an auto body repair specialist you can trust, providing OEM-certified repairs, auto painting, fender repairs, bumper repairs, and more. Contact the friendly team in Minneapolis, Bloomington, Chanhassen, and Plymouth today.
