No one wants to get into a car accident. However, with so many vehicles on the road being operated by distracted drivers these days, it is sometimes inevitable even for the most experienced and cautious of drivers. If you are or were involved in a wreck, like one of the six million that happen on average per year, you likely will be dealing with a body shop at some point. While your insurance company is likely to offer suggestions as to the auto body shop they recommend, the following guide lists several questions to ask your BODY SHOP before you commit to selecting them as the best choice. Not all body shops fix cars properly and not all insurance adjusters want to pay for a proper repair.

What You Need To Know Now And What To Ask The Auto Body Shop Before Fixing Your Car

1. Are You a Direct Repair Shop (DRP) for my insurance company?

A direct repair shop immediately sounds convenient, but they typically have a contract with the insurance company to keep costs low in exchange for more and more insurance referrals. You should immediately be concerned about who is really looking out for you in this claim process. Important fact, the insurance carrier owes to pay you for the damages as you are responsible to pay the shop for the work they do to your vehicle. You have the choice to select the shop that you feel is the best for your specific vehicle and one that you decide to do business with. Whether you select a DRP shop or a non-DRP shop, realize that very few shops do the right thing to be great and most other shops should never be allowed to work on your car. Remember, good repairs aren’t cheap and cheap repairs are not good. Your safety depends on the body shop doing the right thing for you, not the insurance company.

Consider these suggestions: Ask the shop in writing who they work for, you or the insurance company. Ask the shop in writing if they will notify you if the insurance carrier is not willing to pay for a proper repair. Ask the shop in writing if they follow the vehicle manufacturers repair specifications. Ask the shop in writing if any of the parts they plan to use will void portions of your vehicles warranty. For more help locating a great body shop, contact WreckExpert.com.

2. Will Your Shop Prepare Your Own Estimate?

After the car accident, an insurance adjuster will likely inspect the car damage and write an estimate about what repairs are needed. Remember, insurance companies don’t fix cars (body shop do). However, the insurance assessment is rarely thorough and likely undervalues the actual repair costs. Make sure the body shop that you select provides you with their own estimate of what’s needed to fix the car before repairs begin, so you can start to understand what shops are the most thorough and should get your business. 

3. Do You Specialize in My Brand of Car?

The auto repair shop your insurance company recommends may not be qualified to repair your type of vehicle, possibly leading to insufficient and dangerous repairs. For your safety, ask the body shop about their qualifications to repair a vehicle like yours. Just because they have some equipment, some training, and have worked on vehicles like yours in the past, does NOT mean they are qualified to perform a proper and safe repair. NEVER judge a body shop based on how the paint matches or how clean they made the car before giving it back to you. Let an industry expert guide and offer suggestions to help you get what you deserve.

Consider these suggestions: Ask the shop in writing if their equipment is certified for your specific vehicle. Ask the shop in writing if they have technicians that are qualified to work on your specific vehicle. For more help locating a great body shop, contact WreckExpert.com.

4. Do You Offer a Warranty?

Everyone prefers the original manufacturer’s warranty over a body shop warranty. Some car accident repair shops offer their own independent warranties on their work. Some insurance companies offer warranties on their DRP (Preferred) shop, but will not offer a warranty on other shops. Insurance companies aren’t designed to be in the “warranty business”, so why would they only warranty a shop that they can control?  Don’t let this scare you. It is better to have a warranty from a great and safe repair shop compared to an insurance carrier warranty on an unsafe repair. 

Clarify that the body shop offers a written guarantee, so you can trust that if any of the car was repaired insufficiently, they will rectify them at no cost to you or they will pay another shop to complete a proper repair.

Consider this suggestions: Ask the shop in writing if their warranty will cover all repairs, painting, and parts. Ask the shop in writing if rust in the damaged and repaired area is covered under their warranty as we think it should be covered. For more help locating a great body shop, contact WreckExpert.com.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, the experts at WreckExpert.com will help you determine the best auto body shops in your area. For over 20 years they have assisted Kansas and Missouri drivers with everything car wreck related. Services include negotiating total loss settlements with insurance companies on your behalf, making sure you get the highest quality repairs by offering after repair inspections, and they also provide loss of value appraisals (otherwise known as diminished value) to help you get compensated for your vehicle losing value from the wreck. To learn more about the ways they will look after you, visit their website to review their services. Call them at (913) 444-4636 to talk to a member of their team today. Be Safe and Get Educated.