Get the collision repair facts from our over 30 years of experience in the auto body industry. We want our customers to know their rights.

1. What if my car is not safe to drive?

If you even question if you should be driving your vehicle or not you should probably park it and give us a call. We are available for towing 24 hours a day at 320-468-6677.  Most insurance policies have towing coverage.

 

2. Can I take my vehicle to the repair shop of my choice?

You have the legal right to choose a repair shop of your choice to fix your vehicle.    Your insurer should not attempt to influence your decision regarding where to have your vehicle repaired, it’s illegal if they do. When reporting your claim, immediately let your insurer know which shop you’d like to repair your vehicle. We work with all insurance companies and guarantee our work.

 

3. Does my insurance company have the right to inspect my vehicle?

Yes, they have the right to inspect your vehicle, but are not required to do so.  If your company chooses to perform an inspection, they can require you to travel a reasonable distance to complete their inspection.  However, they cannot require you to drive your vehicle to one of their own “drive-in” claim centers.  Rather, an adjuster of the insurance company’s choosing may perform the inspection.

 

4. Do I need to get more than 1 estimate?

No.  You only need to get one estimate. It the insurance company wants an additional estimate they can send out their own appraiser for the second estimate.  Even if you have an estimate from another location or from the insurance company we can work with that.

 

5. I already have an estimate from my insurance company  and its different than yours?

No problem.  We honor all insurance estimates and we see estimates at just a starting point.  We will work directly with the insurance company to document all damages and get your car back to pre-accident condition.

 

6. Can the repair shop “save me” my deductible?

No. The repair shop cannot change the cost of the repairs to help you pay your deductible.  Misrepresenting the cost of repairs constitutes fraud.  If a body shop with cheat the insurance company, they are probably cheating you too.

 

7. Can I have my vehicle repaired with original equipment parts… and will the insurance company pay for them?

If parts are being replaced on your damaged vehicle, your insurance company is required to pay for original equipment (OE) parts, unless you agree to aftermarket parts (parts not made by your vehicles manufacturer).  However, your insurance company is only responsible for restoring your vehicle to the way it was before it was damaged.  If your vehicle was not new at the time of the loss, the insurer does not have to pay for new OE parts.  They must pay for parts of “like kind and quality” (OE parts of comparable age and condition).  If you request new OE parts on an older vehicle, you may have to pay the difference.

 

8. Do I have the right to a rental car?

If you have not purchased rental car coverage and:

  • You were responsible for the accident; you would not be entitled to reimbursement under your policy.

The other driver is determined

  • to be liable for the accident; you would have the right to see reimbursement from the other driver’s insurance company.

If you have purchased rental car coverage:

  • You can file a claim with your own company for reimbursement, or
  • If you do not want to file a claim with your own insurance company and the other driver was liable for the accident, you have the right to seek reimbursement from the other driver’s insurance company.