Do I have to use my insurance companies preferred shop for collision repair?
Since we have been involved in auto body collision repair in Shawnee, Oklahoma we have been asked one thing more than just about any other. One of the most asked questions of auto body repair shops are about your rights and your option to choose where you want to send your vehicle for collision repair. This problem is only made worse because the minute you are in an accident, a lot of information is flying at you and many decisions need to be made. If the car isn’t drivable, it needs to be towed somewhere. A police report needs to be filed, schedules need to be adjusted, transportation needs to be arranged, and a claim with your insurance company needs to be filed. It can be a lot do deal with all at once.
One of the biggest frustrations for auto body shops is the amount of misinformation a driver receives on where they should take their car to be repaired following an accident. Some of that misinformation even comes from the insurance companies themselves whether that’s your insurance company or worse, the insurance company of the party that hit you. You deserve to know your rights concerning your personal property.
The short answer to the question of having to take your car to the shop your insurance company recommends is: No. But before we go into why you have the freedom to choose whichever body shop for your car repair, let’s back it up a little bit.
What Many Insurance Companies Will Tell You About Collision Repair Shops
Depending on the company, your insurance company might try to convince you that you need to use a shop that is in their network. However, unlike your health insurance, there are not in-network providers when it comes to collision repair. You are legally entitled to use any auto body shop of your choosing, and your insurance company must reimburse for the repairs. Some of the other common statements insurance companies may include:
• “The repair is going to take longer if you go somewhere else. Don’t you want your car back as soon as possible?”
Our response? Quicker repairs don’t always mean better. We’ll get to that below.
• “That’s not under warranty. We can’t offer your lifetime warranty on the repair if you go to that repair shop instead this one that we chose for you.”
Our response? Insurance companies don’t actually warranty repairs, only repair shops do. Some even repair shops offer a lifetime warranty.
• “Well, that shop is out of our network, so we can’t guarantee the length of that repair.”
Our response? While most shops are pretty good at estimating how long a repair will take, simply being a direct repair body shop does not mean that all other shops are slower to repair. Your repairs will take as long as it takes to get parts, repair the damage, paint the car, and reassemble it. Most common repairs can be performed in a week or less.
Your Rights
Insurance companies are going to try to convince to use one of their Direct-Repair Shops, known as DRP. These are often the repair shops insurance companies have a contractual agreement with. There are a lot of repair shops that are DRP, so that can’t be the deciding factor for where you choose to go. However, your insurance company is going to try to convince you that if you don’t choose one of their shops, that it won’t be covered and it isn’t under warranty. This is false. You have the right to decide where your car gets repaired. Period. End of story.
Repair Time Pressures
Insurance companies want you to get your car repaired and back to you as soon as possible. Customers want quick repairs, and insurance companies want to minimize the length of your rental (it’s less expensive, after all).
The problem here is that shops who are under the gun to keep to short repair times may, in some cases, cut corners. This could be detrimental to the value of your car at resale. Let alone, to the safety of you, your family or other drivers on the same road.
Choice of Repair Parts
The vehicles on today’s roads are equipped with advanced technologies that can only be repaired with the same level of parts they were made with. These are commonly known as ADAS or “Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.” When these newer car parts are repaired, you only want Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts, which are directly from the manufacturer that ensure the right fit and functionality of that part. This has been an on-going debate with some insurance companies for quite some time now, solely for the fact that OEM repair parts are much more expensive than aftermarket parts. Insurance companies may also recommend the use of salvage parts, which means they are from a junkyard. Be sure to check with your policy. Some insurance policies allow OEM parts in auto body repairs, depending on the circumstance and age of the vehicle.
Choice of Collision Repair Facility
No matter what, you have the right to choose where your car gets repaired. However, you also want to verify the technicians at the repair shop are qualified to perform the repair. Almost every repair shop has its technicians certified through the I-CAR. However, there are some states where it’s not required for an auto repair technician to work on your car with a license.
You want your car to be repaired at an auto body shop that is not only Certified, but somewhere that will help you get everything you deserve in your collision repair. You want to find a shop who will be a team player.
Why Choose Downtown Auto Body In Shawnee Oklahoma for Collision Repair
Downtown Auto Body has been serving Shawnee, Oklahoma for years. We have a central easy to find location on main street in the historic downtown shawnee area. At Downtown Auto Body, our technicians have received extensive training and are up-to-date on the latest procedures. We will work with you and your insurance company, no matter what company you use, to ensure a stress-free repair.
When something unexpected happens and you need collision repair in the Shawnee Oklahoma area, Downtown Auto Body will be right here on main street just like we’ve always been. Just give us a call and we will take care of everything.
