All,
My mother in law (MIL) has around a 2004-05 Honda Accord, 4 doors, in seemingly great shape. Today, she unfortunately had an encounter with a metal pole in a parking lot. Apparently she hit the gas instead of the brake somehow and ran into the pole at low speed, yet enough to deploy both front air bags (she had a passenger). No one was hurt. I haven’t seen the car myself, but I believe the damage to the front was minimal. In fact, my MIL drove it home from the store where the accident occurred, no problem.
Here’s my question. The car had liability insurance only (car is paid for). My MIL is convinced the insurance company will total the car because of the airbag deployment. I believe she is mistaken since the car had liability only. Also, because the car is basically “self-insured”, it seems to me like she should just take the car to a body shop, have the airbags replaced, any cosmetic/mechanical damage repaired, and move on with life. Like I said, the car is in excellent shape otherwise, and I personally wouldn’t junk a car with minor damage just because the airbags had deployed.
What do you all think? Am I off base here? My father in law is not at all excited about the prospect of buying a new car. Thanks.