Comments on: Holding your vehicle hostage! http://www.autobodyfaq.com/2008/01/20/holding-your-vehicle-hostage/ Auto Body Repair and Insurance Questions & Answers Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:01:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Amber Desmet-Gama http://www.autobodyfaq.com/2008/01/20/holding-your-vehicle-hostage/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Amber Desmet-Gama Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:56:22 +0000 http://www.autobodyfaq.com/?p=22#comment-72 A customer should never be caught in between the insurance company and the body shop, but realistically it happens. We advise our customers not to settle for a minimum repair, in the end only benifiting the Insurance Company, Not their investment. We also bring to their attention if their insurance company has short-commings upfront. In some instances the insurance company that is representing a claim may have a different opinion on the repair and refinish procedures performed on the vehicle. As a Bodyshop, we respect their opinion, but we are the professionals performing the repairs and detail procedures. Those procedures are guidelines given from the vehicle manufacturer to ensure that the vehicle is retured to pre-accident condition. The customer pays their premium, no questions asked, each month on time, faithfully. So when the body shop requests repair procedures, detail procedures, labor rates, etc. Why should the insurance company go out of their way to nickel and dime? Why should they cut corners, bottomlines, etc... Bodyshops do not work to benifit the insurance company, and customers should not accept anything but the correct and proper procedures when repairing any vehicle. In many cases, the bodyshop is told by insurance companies that other shops do not ask for or charge for certain procedures. WHY WOULD ANYBODY WORK FOR FREE UNLESS THEY ARE NOT DOING A CORRECT REPAIR PROCEDURE? The customer chooses the shop of their choice based on reputation, refferal , etc. They do so when they choose an insurance provider as well. The body shop wants to correctively repair their vehicle, warranty their repair, and be around long enough to have them again as a customer. Shouldn't that be an Insurance Companies top priority?......Customer Satisfaction A customer should never be caught in between the insurance company and the body shop, but realistically it happens.

We advise our customers not to settle for a minimum repair, in the end only benifiting the Insurance Company, Not their investment.

We also bring to their attention if their insurance company has short-commings upfront.

In some instances the insurance company that is representing a claim may have a different opinion on the repair and refinish procedures performed on the vehicle. As a Bodyshop, we respect their opinion, but we are the professionals performing the repairs and detail procedures. Those procedures are guidelines given from the vehicle manufacturer to ensure that the vehicle is retured to pre-accident condition.

The customer pays their premium, no questions asked, each month on time, faithfully.
So when the body shop requests repair procedures, detail procedures, labor rates, etc. Why should the insurance company go out of their way to nickel and dime? Why should they cut corners, bottomlines, etc…

Bodyshops do not work to benifit the insurance company, and customers should not accept anything but the correct and proper procedures when repairing any vehicle. In many cases, the bodyshop is told by insurance companies that other shops do not ask for or charge for certain procedures. WHY WOULD ANYBODY WORK FOR FREE UNLESS THEY ARE NOT DOING A CORRECT REPAIR PROCEDURE?

The customer chooses the shop of their choice based on reputation, refferal , etc. They do so when they choose an insurance provider as well. The body shop wants to correctively repair their vehicle, warranty their repair, and be around long enough to have them again as a customer. Shouldn’t that be an Insurance Companies top priority?……Customer Satisfaction

]]> By: Lori http://www.autobodyfaq.com/2008/01/20/holding-your-vehicle-hostage/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Lori Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:42:00 +0000 http://www.autobodyfaq.com/?p=22#comment-2 Jake, Great post, you clearly outlined a problem that does (unfortunately) crop up on occasion. I would add, that when ever I had a vehicle owner that I knew was going to a shop that absolutely refused to negotiate, I always warned them ahead of time, and upfront, that there may be a problem, re: rates etc. and it would be their choice and responsiblity to pay that addition. Also I have not seen an estimate written (in ten years or better) by an insurance company that doesn't say somewhere on it. YOU MUST GET PRIOR APPROVAL FOR ANY AND ALL SUPPLEMENTS...So the shops 'should' be talking with the adjuster prior to proceeding.....even if it's a rate difference. Again...great job! lori Jake,
Great post, you clearly outlined a problem that does (unfortunately) crop up on occasion. I would add, that when ever I had a vehicle owner that I knew was going to a shop that absolutely refused to negotiate, I always warned them ahead of time, and upfront, that there may be a problem, re: rates etc. and it would be their choice and responsiblity to pay that addition.

Also I have not seen an estimate written (in ten years or better) by an insurance company that doesn’t say somewhere on it. YOU MUST GET PRIOR APPROVAL FOR ANY AND ALL SUPPLEMENTS…So the shops ‘should’ be talking with the adjuster prior to proceeding…..even if it’s a rate difference.

Again…great job!

lori

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