There are plenty of misconceptions people have about auto body repair. After a crash, car owners are often so shook up that they won’t remember that they’re still responsible to make the best decision about what to do with their car. Understand these five things before any unfortunate event, and you’ll be better off.
Myth
The body shop you choose will cost you more money out-of-pocket than the one the insurance company chooses. Insurance companies are responsible for paying the cost of any repairs that are reasonably billed for the area in which you live. The majority of auto body shops will negotiate with your insurance
company when it comes to rates and processing techniques. Typically, an insurance company will guarantee a body shop a high volume of work in exchange for discounted rates. This doesn’t mean you have to do what they tell you.
Myth
If you bought a car from a dealership that does repairs, then that’s the best place to get the body work done.
Not true. They don’t always know best how to repair cars, and can’t always get the cheapest parts. Furthermore, it’s common practice for dealerships to outsource body work. Independent body shops order from the same large part dealers as the dealerships. Independent body shop techs also attend the same factory certified collision programs as do the techs at a dealership – so there’s no real difference in skills or price.
Myth
It’s necessary to use the auto body shop recommended by your insurance company, or the one the wreckers tow your vehicle to at the behest of that insurance company. It’s always your right to choose who does the work on your car. “Steering”, the act of strong-arming someone into business with a particular service, is, in fact, illegal in a lot of states
Myth
It’s possible that your insurance company won’t warranty the repairs done by the body shop you’re interested in. The body shop is the one who is responsible for putting the repairs under warranty. If it happens that a body shop won’t guarantee their work, it’s best not to use that shop.
Myth
For insurance purposes, you’ve got to get estimates for body repair from three different body shops. Do not to get an estimate from a body shop you wouldn’t want repairing your vehicle simply to fulfill the magical number of three estimates. You can bring the damaged vehicle in, let it get worked on, and then let the repair company negotiate with the insurance company.