{"id":1922,"date":"2026-10-22T05:18:23","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T05:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tmaddenlaw.com\/guides\/truck-accident-lawyer-georgia\/who-pays-car-repair-truck-crash-georgia\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T01:51:38","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T01:51:38","slug":"who-pays-car-repair-truck-crash-georgia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.tmaddenlaw.com\/guides\/truck-accident-lawyer-georgia\/who-pays-car-repair-truck-crash-georgia\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Pays for Car Repair After a Truck Crash in Georgia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Truck Accidents | Georgia<\/p>

Who Pays for Car Repair After a Truck Crash in Georgia?<\/h1>

Vehicle damage is often one of the first bills after a wreck with a commercial truck. Here is how repair costs are commonly handled, and how our team can help you sort out your options.<\/p>

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T. Madden & Associates, P.C.<\/h2>\n

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1999<\/h3>

Year the firm began practice<\/p><\/div>

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5<\/h3>

Georgia offices: Jonesboro, Atlanta, Decatur, Macon and Augusta<\/p><\/div>

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Free<\/h3>

First consultation, confidential and with no obligation to continue<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

By Terance Madden \u00b7 Published October 22, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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Who pays for car repair after a truck crash in Georgia? Usually, two sources matter first: your own collision coverage, and the liability insurance of the at-fault driver or trucking company. Which one you use first affects timing, rentals, and paperwork. This guide explains both routes in plain words. T. Madden & Associates, P.C. has practiced personal injury law in Georgia since 1999.<\/p>\n

Who Usually Pays First After a Truck Crash in Georgia<\/h2>\n

Your own collision coverage can pay for your car’s repair, and the at-fault party’s liability insurer handles a property damage claim.<\/p>\n

Collision coverage is part of your own auto policy. It generally pays to fix your car, minus your deductible, no matter who caused the crash. A property damage claim works the other way. You make it against the at-fault party’s liability insurance, which pays for damage that party caused.<\/p>\n

Each route runs on its own timeline. Your own policy may start repairs and a rental sooner, depending on your coverage. A claim against the truck’s insurer can reach costs your policy may not, such as your deductible. Know both routes before you decide.<\/p>\n

Truck insurers may contact you quickly. Before you give a recorded statement or sign a release, understand what you are agreeing to.<\/p>\n

For the wider picture, read our truck accident lawyer guide for Georgia.<\/p>\n\n

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If a truck crash left your car damaged and you're unsure which insurer to call first, we're glad to talk it through with you. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

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How Georgia Fault Rules Affect Vehicle Damage Claims<\/h2>\n

Georgia reduces your recovery by your share of fault, and it bars recovery if you are 50 percent or more responsible (O.C.G.A. \u00a7 51-12-33; Quynn v. Hulsey, 310 Ga. 473 (2020)<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Under O.C.G.A. \u00a7 51-12-33<\/a>, when the plaintiff is to some degree responsible for the injury or damages claimed, the judge reduces the damages awarded in proportion to the plaintiff’s percentage of fault, and the plaintiff may not receive any damages if the plaintiff is 50 percent or more responsible. Under that statute, if the person suing is partly responsible, the judge reduces the award in proportion to that person’s percentage of fault.<\/p>\n

Subsection (g) sets the bar. A plaintiff who is 50 percent or more responsible for the injury or damages claimed is not entitled to receive any damages (O.C.G.A. \u00a7 51-12-33; Quynn v. Hulsey, 310 Ga. 473 (2020)<\/a>). Under O.C.G.A. \u00a7 51-12-33<\/a>, when an injured person is partly responsible, the judge reduces the damages awarded in proportion to that person’s percentage of fault, and a plaintiff who is 50 percent or more responsible is not entitled to receive any damages.<\/p>\n

Fault is often the hard part. After a truck crash, the other side may argue you share the blame. Police reports, witness statements, photos, and vehicle damage patterns are common ways to document what happened.<\/p>\n

The same statute says each liable party pays its own share, and those shares are not joint liability. It also counts the fault of everyone who contributed, even people never named in the suit.<\/p>\n

Why Truck Crashes Involve More Insurers Than Car Crashes<\/h2>\n

A commercial truck crash can involve several insurers, because the driver, the motor carrier, and the truck’s owner may be different companies.<\/p>\n

Federal rules set minimum insurance for many trucks. Under 49 CFR \u00a7 387.9<\/a>, a for-hire carrier in interstate or foreign commerce hauling nonhazardous property must carry at least $750,000 in public liability coverage, if its truck’s gross vehicle weight rating is 10,001 pounds or more. Under 49 CFR \u00a7 387.7<\/a>, a motor carrier cannot operate until those minimums are in effect.<\/p>\n

Look for the USDOT number on the truck. Under 49 CFR \u00a7 390.21T<\/a>, the number must appear with the letters “USDOT” in front of it. If another company’s name also appears, the operating carrier’s name must be followed by its legal name or single trade name and its USDOT number, and be preceded by the words “operated by.”<\/p>\n

Georgia’s motor carrier insurance law limits when you can join the carrier’s insurer in the same lawsuit. Under O.C.G.A. \u00a7 40-1-112<\/a>, joinder is allowed only in limited cases, such as when a carrier is insolvent or bankrupt. Filing an insurance claim is a separate step, and it doesn’t require a lawsuit.<\/p>\n

Using Your Own Collision Coverage and Rental Coverage<\/h2>\n

You can file under your own collision coverage, and your insurer may later seek repayment from the at-fault party’s insurer.<\/p>\n

That repayment step is called subrogation. Your deductible may be part of what your insurer recovers, so ask how your insurer handles it before you agree to anything.<\/p>\n

Rental coverage varies by policy. Some policies include rental reimbursement, and some do not. A property damage claim against the at-fault party may also address a rental while your car is out of service.<\/p>\n

Here is the trade-off. Your own policy is often simpler to start. A third-party claim can reach costs your policy may not pay, but it means dealing with the truck’s insurer, which can take longer.<\/p>\n

Gather these items for either route:<\/p>\n