There may come a time that you are involved in an auto accident that requires you to take your car to an auto body shop. In most cases your insurance, or someone else’s insurance will have to pay the costs of repair.
When you need auto body repair after an accident, choosing a good shop that will provide quality services is a strong consideration, but not the only one. Just as important as the way in which you deal with your shop, is how you deal with your insurance company.
Whether it is your insurer who will be paying for the repairs or another party’s, make sure the insurance company doesn’t cut corners. Your shop can be an expert ally in this effort, but you yourself must make the right moves.
It is always an important first step to report an accident as soon as possible. If your car suffers only minor damage, and you are certain there are no structural or other safety-related problems, follow the instructions of the responsible insurance company. An insurance company will often ask you to go to a claims center that will provide repair costs and may recommend body shops that can do the repairs.
But if there is even a possibility of more serious damage, take your car directly to your body shop of choice and tell the insurer to send its estimator there. For serious repairs, you need the shop to advocate for quality. The problem with doing this is that there may be delays with the insurance adjuster. Also, if your car has to be towed, a drive-in appraisal center is not really an option. Have it towed to the shop of your choice, and let the shop pay the towing charges, which they can include in the final repair bill. Also, find out how much the shop charges for storage, in case you eventually have to take the car elsewhere for service.
A good body shop can help you get your repairs done fairly and help you deal with insurance companies.