How Auto Body Shops work with Insurance Companies, According to an Auto Body Repair Technician in Dallas, TX

Minor collision damage and small fender-benders often cost more than your insurance deductible if you have them repaired at a traditional auto body shop. If the accident is your fault, then you will have to pay the deductible.

Insurance companies have a contract with auto body shops for a pre-negotiated rate on specific repairs. Some practices include requiring low hourly labor rates or forcing the body shop to pay for a rental car if they do not complete repairs timely. As a result, the auto body shop is tempted to cut corners, using lower quality materials or neglecting to complete certain steps required for proper repair.

In many cases repairs are not completed timely, as promised. Auto body shops like to blame this on a delay in parts delivery when the truth is they took on more business than they could handle. Do your homework; research the auto body repair shop you are using to see if there have been multiple complaints about repairs not being completed on time.

Rental cars can be costly; make sure your insurance company covers the type of rental car you need while yours in the shop. Your policy might limit you reimbursement on a small car when you need a minivan.

Many insurance companies require auto body shops to use generic or salvage replacement parts to save money. This is acceptable for some repairs, but original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts are designed to match perfectly and in some cases may be safer. If you are in an accident and you are at fault then there could be wording in your insurance policy that requires you to use lower quality parts or pay the difference for OEM replacement parts. If you are not at fault, be sure to tell the shop to use only OEM parts.

Many foreign made cars require special equipment and a high degree of precision to perform repairs properly. If you drive a foreign car be sure the shop you choose is certified by the manufacturer to do the repair work. Your insurance company will not be likely to recommend these shops because they charge higher rates; however, they should be willing to pay to repair your vehicle to its original condition.

Check the parts and service warranty offered by the auto body repair shop. Sometimes an insurance company provides a parts and service warranty; it is useless. The auto body shop’s guarantee is the one that is important to you; most body shops guarantee their work and the parts manufacturers guarantee the parts.

Insurance companies have negotiated so many discounts with auto body shops that in order for the shop to stay in business they do lower quality repair work. Check with the Better Business Bureau, Vehicle Information Services or other agencies that monitor the quality of work done by auto body shops to be sure you are getting good service.

Jack Barker owns Collision on Wheels, a mobile auto body shop that specializes in minor collision repair, dent and scratch repair, bumper repair and replacement, and auto paint repair. They come to you to do perform auto body repair work in your driveway or at your workplace. Repairs are typically done in one day or less and the cost is often less than your insurance deductible. Jack serves consumers and businesses in the North Dallas Metro area, Dallas, Plano, Richardson, Allen, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Carrolton, Farmers Branch, Fort Worth, Garland and neighboring cities and communities in Dallas, Collin and Tarrant Counties.

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