Your insurance company will, more than likely, recommend a repair shop. The question is, do you have to use their recommendation?
No. You don’t have to use the body shop that the insurance company recommended. The choice is yours — by law, in the majority of cases. Yet a question remains: Will you get a quality repair?
Most insurance companies have repair contracts with body shops in your area. Choosing the insurance company’s repair shop has benefits for the insurance company, which has negotiated lower labor and material rates, as well as parts discounts with those shops. The shop will have met the insurance company’s equipment and training requirements. Insurance companies will also require their shop to provide a lifetime warranty.
Insurance company claims representatives are given set goals.
In general, companies would like to see at least 40 percent of their claims go to their direct repair shops. If you have chosen your own repair shop, claims representatives will frequently try to sway you away from your decision, telling you that your shop isn’t on their list, thus they won’t be able to handle your claim efficiently. They may explain that it will take up to a week before an adjuster will be available to write an estimate on your car. They could go further by stating that their company will not warranty the repairs if you don’t have your car repaired at their shop.
Do not be intimidated by this. Reputable auto body repair shops, like Telesis Collision Center, provide a lifetime warranty no matter who’s paying the bill. Shops are systematically interested in handling your claim and the repairs efficiently. Also, shop estimators are familiar with your insurance company’s claims process and know their local adjusters, making it easy to complete the estimate process and repairs quickly.
Again, the choice is yours. Overall, whether it’s the insurance company’s recommended shop or your shop of choice, it’s important that you choose a repair shop that you feel confident in. Ask friends, family and co-workers for recommendations. You can also research body shop reviews online through websites like www.autobody-review.com and www.Yelp.com.
At Telesis Collision Center, we encourage our customers to choose wisely. Since 1995, we’ve been repairing vehicles in the Antelope Valley, and have earned the distinction from our customers, as the “Collision Care Experts”
Give us a call today at (661) 274-2719 or visit us online at www.telesiscollision.com.
Remember, we aren’t satisfied unless you’re satisfied with the results of your collision repair.