You’ve had an accident and now you need to get your vehicle repaired. What do you do?
Whether you are a claimant or an insured, you need to report the accident to the insurance company. When you speak to them, they will recommend one of their Direct Repair Shops.
Do you have to use a Direct Repair Shop?
No. In the end, the choice is yours. The insurance company may tell you that the shop of your choice is not on their “approved” list of shops and that they may not be able to efficiently handle your claim due to your selection of a certain shop, but do not be intimidated by this. It is your right to choose whatever shop you want to repair your vehicle.
However, if by chance you pick a bad shop (that is not a DRP), and they mess up your repairs, it is you against the body shop. The insurance company is only liable to pay for the original repair, it will not warranty how those repairs are made, whereas if you had gone to one of the insurance company’s direct repair facilities, then they would have to get involved.
In closing, always remember, you have to go with a shop that you feel comfortable dealing with. It is your vehicle being repaired and you have to be happy with the outcome.
I think that the Insurance repair programs should not be. This intimidates the consumer and all they hear is that thay have to go to a preferred shop. This is costing the body shop industries who are not on these programs (business and money) . Makes it hard for smaller business. The insurance company can’t warranty the work, only the shops can do that. The smaller shops can do just as good of a repair as the big ones and warranty their work. This should not be controlled by insurance companies…