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Guide · Car accidents · All states

Your car was damaged in a crash: who pays to fix it?

Updated By the Counselworthy teamGeneral information, not legal advice

Short answer

  • The at-fault driver's property damage liability coverage pays for damage they cause to someone else's car, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners says.
  • In New Jersey, that insurer generally pays within 45 calendar days of notice of the claim.
  • You can also claim under your own collision coverage, which New Jersey doesn't require.

Checked October 21, 2026.

Sources: National Association of Insurance Commissioners, A Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance (2022); N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.6(b), (e); N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7(a), (b), (c)(2), (c)(3), (e), (f); New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide. Every fact cites a source

Checker

What happened?

Pick the closest one. It shows whose coverage usually pays and the New Jersey rule behind it. It can't tell you who was at fault.

The other driver caused itTheir insurer, or yours
What it is
The other driver's property damage liability coverage, or your own collision coverage.
Why it matters
Property damage liability pays people whose property is damaged in a crash its driver causes.
The rule
The other driver's insurer generally has 45 calendar days from notice of the claim to pay. If you claim under your own collision coverage instead, your insurer then seeks repayment from theirs.
What you can do now

Get the other driver's insurer and policy number, and photograph the damage.

Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide; N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.6(b), (e); N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7(a), (b), (c)(2), (c)(3), (e), (f)
It's not clear whose fault it wasYour own collision coverage, if you have it
What it is
It pays for damage to your car from a collision.
Why it matters
It doesn't wait on who caused the crash.
The rule
Collision coverage isn't required by law, so check your policy. Your insurer has 7 working days after notice of the loss to inspect the car.
What you can do now

Call your own insurer and ask whether your policy has collision coverage.

Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide; N.J.A.C. 11:3-10.3(a), (e)
It wasn't a crashComprehensive coverage
What it is
It pays for damage to your car that isn't from a collision.
Why it matters
Collision coverage is for collisions; comprehensive covers the rest.
The rule
Comprehensive coverage isn't required by law, though a lease or a car loan may require it.
What you can do now

Photograph the damage and report it to your insurer.

Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
Someone was hurt, or the damage is bigThe police
What it is
A crash report.
Why it matters
New Jersey requires drivers to notify police by the quickest means.
The rule
Report a crash to the local police right away if anyone is hurt or killed, or if one person's property has more than $500 of damage.
What you can do now

Call the police from the scene, and ask how to get the report.

Source: N.J.S.A. 39:4-129(a), (c); N.J.S.A. 39:4-130

NJTwo ways to get it fixed

The other driver caused itTheir insurer pays

Their property damage liability coverage pays people whose property is damaged in a crash they cause. Every standard policy carries at least $25,000.

Or, through your own policyYour collision coverage

You can claim under it even when you didn't cause the crash. Your insurer then seeks repayment from the other driver's insurer.

Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide; P.L.2022, c.87 (N.J.S.A. 39:6A-3); N.J.S.A. 39:6A-3.1

NJWhat your own policy covers

Check your declarations page. New Jersey doesn't require either of these, though a lease or a car loan may.

NJCollision

Pays for damage to your car from a collision with another car or another object.

Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
NJComprehensive

Pays for damage that isn't from a collision, like theft, vandalism, flooding, fire or a broken windshield.

Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide
NJThe deductible

The standard deductible for both is $750. Higher and lower ones are offered.

Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Auto Insurance New Jersey Buyer's Guide

NJThe deadlines insurers follow

  1. Acknowledge your claimN.J.A.C. 11:2-17.6(b)Within 10 working days
  2. Your own insurer inspects the carN.J.A.C. 11:3-10.3(a)Within 7 working days of notice of the loss
  3. The other driver's insurer pays for property damageN.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7(c)(2)Generally within 45 calendar days of notice
  4. If it needs longerN.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7(e)It must explain why in writing, every 45 days
Source: N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.6(b), (e); N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7(a), (b), (c)(2), (c)(3), (e), (f); N.J.A.C. 11:3-10.3(a), (e)

NJGetting it repaired

  1. You pick the repair shopOn a claim to your own insurer, you may use any repair shop you choose.Source: N.J.A.C. 11:3-10.3(a), (e)
  2. Losses insurance didn't payThe PIP law doesn't limit recovering uncompensated loss of property from the person at fault.Source: N.J.S.A. 39:6A-12; N.J.S.A. 39:6A-2(k)
  3. If an insurer stallsComplaints about an insurer go to the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, in writing.Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, How to Request Assistance; N.J.S.A. 17:29B-4(9)(f)

Sources

General information, not legal advice. We don't know the facts of your claim. A lawyer can review them, and most injury lawyers offer a free consultation.

What to do next

Questions people ask

Who pays for my car if the other driver caused the crash in New Jersey?

The other driver's property damage liability coverage pays for damage they cause, and their insurer generally has 45 calendar days from notice of the claim to pay. You can also claim under your own collision coverage, and your insurer seeks repayment from theirs.

Is collision coverage required in New Jersey?

No. Neither collision nor comprehensive coverage is required by law, though a lease or a car loan may require them.

Can my insurer make me use its repair shop?

No. On a claim to your own insurer, you may use any repair shop you choose.

How long does my insurer have to inspect my car?

7 working days after it receives notice of the loss.

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