By Collision Week
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says it does not recommend the use of aftermarket structural parts because there is no system in place to guarantee that they would perform the same way the original parts would in a crash.

David Zuby, chief research officer for the IIHS, was quoted in Consumer Reports Thursday saying, “The vehicle structure is part of a complex system designed to protect people in crashes, as well as hold up the engine. There’s a lot of engineering that goes into making a crash protection system. You can’t willy nilly change those parts, because the system won’t work the way it was designed.”

The consumer Reports article was prompted by reports from Ford about possible safety problems with some aftermarket structural parts. Following its demonstration at the Collision Industry Conference on Wednesday condemning unsafe aftermarket parts (see related story below), Ford motor company released its findings to mainstream media outlets.

The IIHS told Consumer Reports that it has not crash-tested aftermarket bumpers, frame rails, or other safety related parts, however, “it does not advocate their use because there is no system in place to guarantee that they would perform the same way the original parts would in a crash.”

“There’s too much unknown to recommend them,” Zuby told Consumer Reports.

Read the full story in Consumer Reports

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.

Stumbled across a blog post on a great discussion board I’ve been participating on, much to either the delight or dismay of the other participants, as I apparently do not fit in. But that’s ok. I love a good debate.

Back to the blog post. AutoMuse® points out a recent news item up in Connecticut where the Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, wants to pass legislation to make sure consumers cars are repaired correctly and safely and demands that insurance companies do not harass or push consumers to use their “DRPs” or preferred shops.

Consumers deserve to choose where a car is repaired. No insurer should straightjacket or corral consumers, forcing them to use a so-called preferred shop.

I actually agree with this statement, and although I outline what DRP’s are, and how they work, and how properly run ones will protect and help a consumer, I have always said it is the CUSTOMER’S choice as to where they get their car repaired. I think some of my naysayers miss that part of my discussions, posts and articles.

For the full blog post over at AutoMuse® click here.

And my question for those reading: If Lyn had taken her vehicle to a non-DRP shop and had the same problems with the repairs, who was going to back up her problems then?

When you first choose a repair facility for your vehicle, the shop should tell you if they have problems working with a particular insurance company. However, what happens is, they start repairs and when they run into a problem with either a supplement, or overage on an estimate, they may tell you that the insurance company won’t meet all their demands.

The next call you will get is from your insurance company. The insurance company will tell you that the shop will not work with them and any charges the insurance company does not find valid, you will owe to the shop.


Obviously this is unacceptable, and the next move you may make is to move your car to a shop that the insurance company will work with. You call the shop that has your vehicle and tell them you want to move it. All of a sudden the shop is not as nice to you as when you first brought your vehicle to them. Now the shop wants to charge you tear down, storage and admin fees, and parts restocking fees. This could be hundreds to thousands of dollars over the original estimate.

Why should you be caught in the middle of a dispute between the insurance company and the body shop?

At the risk of being accused of taking one side or the other, please understand that each situation is different and there can be multiple factors involved. Some insurance companies do try to take advantage of the body shop, but I have seen body shops overinflate the value of repairs.

It has been my experience that shops overcharge to remove your vehicle to make up for the loss of income and hassle. They more than likely knew before they started repairs, that they could not work with the insurance company. They feel that they are punishing the insurance company by charging all the fees but it always comes back to the customer.

What happens all the time is the shop blames the insurance company, the insurance company blames the shop when both of them should have been able to sit down and repair the car per the manufacturer requirements without under or over inflating the estimate.

How do you prevent this scenario from happening?

If you do not use a Direct Repair Shop on the insurance company’s program, always talk to the shop manager of the shop you may want to use. Tell them which insurance company will be paying for the repairs and ask them if they work well with the insurance company or do they normally have issues with collecting full payment for repairs or argue about the repair process. Conversely, speak with your claims adjuster to verify that they have a good working relationship with the prospective shop. If either entity tells you they do not have a good track record, move your vehicle to another shop. Don’t wait until there are problems.

In closing, it is highly recommended to always do your homework when choosing a repair facility for your vehicle as well as on the insurance company itself. Do not be afraid to ask questions about a shop’s reputation with a particular insurance company. It is your right to get your vehicle repaired correctly, and to your satisfaction.

“Either you’re going to produce the documents we request or you’re not,’ said Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty. “And if you’re not, we will use all means available under Florida law to enforce our authority over our subpoenas.”

This should be interesting to follow: State Suspends Allstate’s License

“There is no regulation of the auto repair industry. The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimated that every family in the United States pays an extra $1,000 a year in insurance premiums to cover the cost of fraud.”

Read more

Myth: In many cases, the consumer believes that the insurance company and body shop are in bed with one another and do not have the best interests of the customer at heart. Consumers often feel that the insurance company wants their vehicle fixed as cheap as possible and that the repair will be below standards.

Fact: Even though the body shop has a contract with the insurance company to follow the insurance company’s repair guidelines in regards to parts and labor rates, the body shop also has a contract with the vehicle owner to repair their vehicle per the manufacturer and I-Car certification standards. What this means is that any respectable body shop worth their salt will not let any insurance company dictate how the vehicle should be repaired. Especially if that body shop holds the liability on those repairs.

Myth: Consumers often believe that DRPs will use inferior parts and products when repairing their vehicles in order to keep the repairs cheap and make the numbers that insurance companies keep them to every year.

Fact: There are basically 3 different types of parts: OEM, non-OEM or more commonly referred to as aftermarket and LKQ or used/refurbished parts. OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts are parts provided by the actual vehicle manufactures. Non-OEM parts are parts provided by a variety of aftermarket vendors. The third type can be refurbished OEM or used parts from a salvage yard.

The body shop can only repair your vehicle with the type of parts that are stated in your insurance policy. It is very important that you review your policy and go over what that shop will use on your vehicle.

Myth: Consumers believe that they have no choice as to where they can get their vehicle repaired.

Fact: While insurance companies will refer you to a DRP, it is still ultimately the consumers choice as to what shop they go to.

In closing, whatever body shop or collision repair center is chosen, it is their responsibility to the consumer to repair the vehicle to pre-accident condition, meeting all state and federal laws as well as manufacturer’s standards and any certifications. No insurance company can tell a shop to do otherwise.

Always check with your insurance company as to who is responsible for rental fees in any unexpected circumstances. Usually, if you have taken your car to a Direct Repair Shop on your insurance company’s program, then either the insurance company or the repair facility is responsible for all rental fees. This is NOT the case if you have chosen to take your car to a shop off their “approved” list. Again, always speak with your insurance company and find out what their policy is.

 This repair time can be delayed by parts on back order, additional repairs that require supplements or other unexpected factors.

 Estimate has to be written and accepted, parts will need to be ordered by the shop and the car scheduled to be brought into the auto body shop for repairs. If the vehicle is non-drivable, it will need to be towed to the repair facility.

You also want to be able to view their work. If they are unwilling to show you before and after photos and even let you see jobs they are currently working on just walk away. Any reputable body shop will be more than happy to show you the quality of their work.

Another thing that you definitely want to look for from a quality body shop is a guarantee. A good shop will always stand behind the repairs they have done and will usually give some kind of warranty on paint, parts, and labor. Ask specifically what their policy is regarding guarantees and what they will do for you if you are not happy with the quality of the work that they have. If they get indignant with you leave and find another one, any decent body shop knows and understands a customer has concerns about there vehicle being repaired properly.

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.

If by chance you pick a bad shop, 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.

 Some auto insurance companies use a Direct Repair Program to provide repairs for their policy holders. In a Direct Repair Program, a collision shop and an auto insurance company complete a contract to provide repairs for the insurance company’s claimants.

This is how a Direct Repair Program works: You are involved in an accident and contact your insurance company, or the insurer of the at-fault driver. The auto insurance company then refers you to a network of conveniently located repair facilities that offer a limited lifetime warranty on the repairs to your vehicle. The service might also offer on-site rental car arrangements. The insurance company and the collision shop handle all the details and paperwork, so you do not have to.

The collision shop and the auto insurer determine the specific provisions of a Direct Repair Program. The advantage to the collision specialist is the steady stream of referrals or work. A collision shop might participate in one, or several, insurance companies’ Direct Repair Programs.

Although a Direct Repair Program can generate additional paperwork for a body shop, it can also prevent delays. When an additional part is needed for a repair, the shop does not have to stop working on a vehicle to wait for an insurance adjuster to re-evaluate the situation and perhaps write a new estimate. Insurance companies promote the advantages of a Direct Repair Program to their customers as convenience, warranties on repair work, and the freedom from estimates and other paperwork details.

Your insurance will elect to replace your vehicle or reimburse you for the ACV in those instances where the vehicle is economically impractical to repair.

A vehicle is considered economically impractical to repair, or a total loss, if the cost to repair the vehicle equals or exceeds the vehicle’s ACV on the date of the loss. In many instances an insurance company will total a vehicle if the appraised damages equal 80% of the vehicle’s ACV because often, once repairs are begun, additional damages or “hidden damages” are found which would render the vehicle a total loss by definition. (This is sometimes referred to as a “constructive total” loss).

Your insurance will elect to replace your vehicle or reimburse you for the ACV in those instances where the vehicle is economically impractical to repair.

A vehicle is considered economically impractical to repair, or a total loss, if the cost to repair the vehicle equals or exceeds the vehicle’s ACV on the date of the loss. In many instances an insurance company will total a vehicle if the appraised damages equal 80% of the vehicle’s ACV because often, once repairs are begun, additional damages or “hidden damages” are found which would render the vehicle a total loss by definition. (This is sometimes referred to as a “constructive total” loss).

If the accident or claim is not my fault, do I go through my insurance company or the other person’s insurance company?

Report the crash to your insurance company immediately or within the time specified by your policy along with a copy of any police reports or supporting documents. Then report it to the other insurance company.

Typically each company will have its own way of handling a claim. The majority of the time, if it is not your fault, the other insurance company will process the claim. Just keep on top of them to insure your case is being handled promptly and to your satisfaction.