Dealing With Collision Damage To Your Vehicle: What You Need To Know Before Going To The Body Shop
Posted on: 24 April 2015
Whether the damage to your vehicle is purely cosmetic or is preventing it from running properly, getting this damage repaired quickly after an accident is sure to be a priority. However, before you rush your vehicle over to the nearest auto body shop, there are a few things that you should know. Taking the time to review the important facts outlined below can help to ensure you enjoy a successful repair experience and get back on the road as quickly as possible.
The Insurance Company Cannot Make Decisions Regarding Which Repairs Are Performed
Many people believe that their insurance company calls all the shots when it comes to collision repair. However, the truth is, most of the decisions that are made during this process will be yours to make. This includes decisions regarding which repairs the auto body shop performs.
You can choose to only have repairs completed that are covered in full by the insurance company, you can choose to cover the out-of-pocket expenses associated with additional repairs, or you can choose not to have any repairs completed at all. If you choose to skip the repair process, the money you collect from the insurance company can be used to help cover the cost of buying a new vehicle or simply to compensate you for the decreased resale value of your current vehicle. The decision really is yours to make.
You Always Have The Right To Choose An Independent Body Shop
Insurance companies routinely maintain relationships with a variety of different repair shops in their coverage area. The purpose of these relationships is to help make the insurance company's job easier. Whenever a policy holder agrees to visit one of these shops, the insurance company will be able to avoid the need for an independent appraisal and may even enjoy a discount for sending your business their way. This is precisely why so many insurance representatives are quite insistent upon the fact that you should take your vehicle to the shop they recommend. However, the fact is, you are under no obligation to visit these auto body shops.
When choosing a repair shop to work on your vehicle, you will always have the right to choose any auto body shop that you want. As long as the shop is licensed, your insurance company cannot deny your coverage simply based on the fact that you chose to visit a repair shop other than the one they recommended.
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