So why should a body shop or a tow company let the major insurance company dictate their prices? Seems insurance companies tell you what you pay them…..then tell you what they pay you. Wrong.

Amber is absolutely correct in her presentation of facts. I work for a collision repair facility that is considered to be one of the finest and most reputable collision repair facilities in the nation. We cannot, nor do we want to be a direct repair for all insurance companies. Some insurance companies are not looking out for the interest of their customers, they are only looking to make a profit and that is their primary M.O./concern.

Naturally, collision repair facilities are looking to make a profit as well. What concerns me is an insurance company that tries to make a profit is seen as business-minded, but a collision repair shop that tries to make a profit is seen as crooked? All reputable businesses are started with the intention of being profitable and prosperous.

We are never in the habit of holding a vehicle hostage. Unfortunately, more often than not, we are shorted payment on the bill by certain insurance companies we are not contracted with. We do not bill the customer for the difference. We take the loss. Just to be clear, we do not like working for free or taking a loss on a job, but it happens.

Another consideration to take into account is once the vehicle leaves a repair facility, the facility is ultimately responsible and liable for the safety of the vehicle and the safety of the driver(s) and passenger(s) in that vehicle.

Liabilty is the primary reason some facilities are viewed as “difficult” to work with by the insurance companies. We do not want to be liable or accountable for an inproper/imcomplete repair that is written or pushed by the insurance company. We offer a Limited Lifetime Workmanship Warranty and our reputation is at stake.

We do not hire cheap labor and we do not hire inexperienced labor. Our estimators are also certfied technicians. They can write an accurate estimate and can competently repair a vehicle as well. I have known very few competent estimators that work for the insurance companies. Most do not have the knowledge to properly repair a vehicle to its pre-accident condition. All they know is what they see on the outside (the cosmetics). Most of them have never worked on a vehicle in any capacity and that is why disagreements between the collision repair shops and insurance companies ensue.

Who do you want writing an estimate for repair on your vehicle? Someone that is qualified to repair it or someone that has never even turned a wrench? Who do you want repairing your vehicle? A facility that is qualified, pro-active and accountable; or a facility that is seen as agreeable by the insurance company? There are a lot of reputable facilities out there that do high quality repairs, back their work and will go to bat for the consumer that are not DRP’s for insurance companies.

Best recommendation for finding a reputable collision repair shop is asking your mechanic who he or she would send their car to. You are always welcome to ask your agent for a referral, but I would phrase it like this, “Have you ever been in an accident? If the answer was yes, then ask him/her “who did you trust to repair your car and were you happy with the repairs?”

We repair vehicles for agents and claims estimators all the time that work for insurance companies we are not a DRP for. I think that speaks novels.

Thank you and please drive responsibly.

Just because a shop is a DRP (direct repair provider) for an insurance company does NOT guarantee a better repair. Sometimes, it just means that they are contracted with the insurance company to offer a lower labor rate.

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

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