Understanding Insurance Company Requirements Regarding Auto Body Repairs

by | Jan 15, 2018 | Automotive

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When auto body repairs have been completed after a major amount of damage was done, the vehicle owner must carefully check a broad range of features to make sure everything works as it did before the collision. The impact and resulting damage could have affected many parts of the car or pickup truck that were not directly hit.

Checking Function

The customer of this repair shop should make sure all doors open and close as smoothly as they did before. The trunk or hatchback should as well. Upon close inspection, there should be no sign that any exterior damage had occurred. Paint should match exactly. The vehicle should handle the way it did previously, and there should be no pulling to one side, shimmying or other odd movements.

Insurer Requirements

When the repair work will be complicated, the vehicle owner may have some trouble getting insurance adjusters to approve the claim. The insurance company may want a minimum of three estimates for auto body repairs and may only be willing to pay the amount for the lowest estimate. The policyholder can still choose one of the other companies but will have to pay the difference out of pocket, along with the deductible.

The Reason for Multiple Quotes

Insurance companies aren’t being unreasonable when they ask for multiple quotes. They’ve learned that the same quality of work may be offered by several body shops at prices differing anywhere from 5 to 50 percent. If one quote is far lower than the others, they may not insist the policyholder go there, but the highest quote will probably be refused.

Restoring Customization

There’s also the issue of restoring custom modifications. A custom paint design will cost more to recreate than replacing a damaged door with a solid matching color, for example. The insurer may refuse to pay extra for this type of paint job. Auto decals are relatively inexpensive, so if a hood with a classic Trans Am Firebird decal had to be replaced, the car owner can have a garage such as USA Towing & Recovery replace both the hood and decal if desired. The imagery will be paid for out of pocket by the customer. You can also connect them on Facebook.

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