Body Shop for Cars

There might be plenty of good body shops in your area that do good work, and then there are some shops where people have a less positive experience. Of course, the best route to find a good body shop to repair your car is by asking friends and family who may have also had their vehicles repaired. This can include a body shop directly or even a resource such as a car dealership depending on the specifics of the damage. If you're not able to locate a body shop by speaking with friends and family for their recommendations, you may also turn to the internet. Reviews and testimonials from previous customers of that body shop can tell you a lot. 

An insurance adjuster will likely refer you to a body shop that works with them or a direct repair facility. These body shops will repair your car based on the instructions given to them by the insurance company, but this does not always mean that is a good repair in your eyes. While direct repair facilities do come frequently with lifetime warranties, it may be better for you to find your own body shop that you trust. 

If you have a personal injury case attached to your accident, it's a good idea to get several estimates for repairing your car. This can also be helpful if you are going to max out the repairs done by the insurance company and will need to pay for some of these repairs on your own. 

When you get quotes from different body shops, ask if you’re getting complete estimates or if there is a supplement, and you'll also want to know if they are using used, remanufactured, or new factory parts. 

There are many different questions that you should ask a body shop in deciding whether or not they're the right fit. Here are some common questions you’ll want to ask.

• Does this shop come with a lifetime warranty? Many reputable body shops will have a lifetime warranty on the work performed on your car, and this may even transfer when you sell the car.
• Does this body shop have experience working on my make and model of vehicle? You want to find a body shop that specializes in these types of cars and that can get these types of parts, and there are also specialized body shops that focus specifically on certain kinds of cars.
• Have you worked with my insurance company before, and if so, have there been any problems working with them? You are not required to go to a direct repair facility based on the specifics of your insurance policy, so always read through the details of your insurance policy. You're usually able to choose the body shop that you want, give them a claim number, and then have everything handled from there. Your insurance company, however, may have specific stipulations on how they want to fix the car. For example, they may try to repair pieces of your vehicle like the front bumper rather than replacing it entirely.
• Is there a chance that my estimate will go up once repairs have started? You certainly want to know whether or not your estimate can increase in the future once they start doing work. You may want to inform the body shop that they need to reach out to you and notify you about this situation as well so that you can be fully prepared for it or make a decision not to continue with the work.

Stay in communication with your insurance carrier and the body shop directly after you have dropped your vehicle there. This will help you to understand what stage your car is at and will make you available for any questions that may pop up after your car has been taken to the location and is under repair. It is possible that the mechanics or repair specialists may find other problems while they're reviewing your vehicle, and you'll want to notify your insurance company about these as well.

A recommendation for a direct repair facility or a body shop from your insurance company is only a suggestion. You are not required to use any body shop that has been recommended by your insurance company. You are free to choose your own service providers for car repair and therefore can go to anyone you want. 

There are some advantages, however, in going with the mechanic or body shop that your insurance company works with. This means that your insurance company can be your advocate. For example, in the event that a dispute arises over the work done by a body shop that you selected, you would have to deal with it on your own, whereas if you have a problem with one that the insurance company works with, you can communicate through them.

Getting a comprehensive estimate for your repairs from a body shop is extremely important. The repair services paid for by your insurance company are intended to make your vehicle whole again, which does not mean brand new but rather the state it was in before the accident took place. 

This applies to any repair work done whether you use the body shop recommended by your insurance company or not. There are many different kinds of damages related to vehicle accidents, including broken tail lights, tire damage, wheel damage, vehicle body dents, scraped paint, broken mirrors, windshields and windows, and dented or torn bumpers. 

A mechanic that you've taken your vehicle to in the past for minor repairs may not have the ability or knowledge to comprehensively repair your vehicle in these situations, which is why it is always a good idea to do thorough research in selecting the right body shop.

If you've been injured in an accident and also have vehicle damage you may have two different things to worry about in recovery of compensation: getting your vehicle repaired and covering your medical bills and other expenses from the incident. Talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer like those working at Morgan & Morgan to learn more about your rights.

If you have damage to your vehicle and your insurance company is not protecting your legal rights or if you're coping with severe injuries that someone else's reckless actions caused, you may need to turn to a personal injury claim to receive compensation for your injuries. Our lawyers will be there to guide you through the process if you're trying to determine your damage amount and can take the necessary next steps to fight for you.