● Do I really need to get it repaired?
Your car is the second largest investment you're
likely to make. Preserve its value and your safety by having it repaired professionally. Never drive a car that could be unsafe
because of accident damage.
● Can I take the car directly to you instead of the insurance company?
Some insurance
companies may want you to visit their drive-in claims center before having your car repaired. You can do this, or you can
leave your car at your collision repair shop and ask that the insurance company inspect the car there.
● Do I have to get the lowest price for the insurance company?
You are not required by
law to obtain more than one estimate or appraisal.
● Do I have to use a repair shop approved by the insurance company?
You have the right
to go to the repair shop of your choice. Your insurance company cannot require you to go to a particular shop.
● What if someone else gives me a lower estimate?
Differences in repair estimates are
common. A lower estimate may not include all necessary work. If you're not sure why one estimate is different from another
you've received, ask the shop manager.
● How can I know that you'll do a good job?
Choose a shop that has uni-body repair equipment
and certified technicians (by ICAR, for example). Ask if the shop will be using genuine manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts.
● How can I get a better deal from the insurance company?
Let your chosen collision repair
shop help you negotiate your claim with the insurance company, as this often leads to a better deal.
● Can you "bury the deductible" where automobile damage is covered by collision insurance?
No.
Conspiring to "bury the deductible" is committing a fraud upon an insurance company and is against the law. Insurance company
appraisers know the cost of repairs as well as body shops, and cannot be fooled by inflated estimates.
● But another shop has agreed to do this. Should I use them?
If a shop agrees to "bury
the deductible," it has to take shortcuts in making the repairs, and the owner will get a second-rate job which depreciates
the value of the car at trade-in time. A body shop willing to cheat an insurance company will be equally willing to cheat
the car owner. A body shop never really absorbs the deductible. The value is taken right out of the job, and it is the car
owner who still takes the loss.
