1:50Fault and insurance
Who pays for car repairs after an accident in Texas?
The short answer
Typically, the other side's insurance carrier handles it quickly. On our 2026 video, Matthew Graham, who is the managing litigation attorney, describes how the carrier establishes fault and sets up an appraisal, and how paying for the vehicle usually comes first and does not hold up the injury part of the case.
“The other side's insurance carrier will establish fault and immediately make an appointment for the vehicle to be delivered to be evaluated and appraised for repairs.”
Key points from Matthew
Getting your car fixed is among the first worries after a collision, and Matthew Graham says it typically happens very fast.
The at fault side's insurer establishes fault and promptly schedules the vehicle to be delivered for evaluation and appraisal.
If the damage is great enough, the vehicle may be deemed a total loss instead of being repaired.
Payment for property damage is usually taken care of early in representation, while treatment and a final resolution often take several months.
How the car gets handled in the first days
The attorney starts with the worry he hears first, which is how the car will be fixed. He says it has to happen right away, and in his experience it does. The carrier on the other side decides fault and quickly sets a time for the vehicle to be brought in and appraised.
Sometimes the damage is so heavy that the car is judged a total loss. Either way, he says, these appraisals and property damage payments are settled very early in our representation. The injury side moves differently, since treatment takes time and a final resolution often takes several months, so the two tracks run apart.
Read next on our site
A repaired car can still be worth less than before the crash, and our diminished value claim page explains how Texas drivers can seek that difference.
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This video and answer explain Texas law in general terms; they are not advice about your own case, and watching does not make us your lawyers.