FAQs
Automotive Service Excellence I-CAR are training and certification associations for the collision repair industry. Look for these I-CAR logos which indicate that technicians at that facility are well trained and certified by these associations.
No matter how minor, it is wise to report every auto accident to the police. Then contact our shop. We will assist you with the processing of your claim, answer your questions, and advise you to ensure that safe and proper repairs are made to your vehicle. Click here for our helpful article on the topic.
No. If you request it, your insurer must inspect the damage to your car at our facility rather than at their drive-in claims center. They are legally prohibited from coercing or using any tactics intended to prevent you from seeking damage appraisals at your own auto body shop rather than their drive-in claims facility.
With no-fault insurance, the victims of an automobile accident are compensated by their own insurance company, regardless of who caused the accident.
After evaluating the damages to your vehicle, your insurance company has the option of repairing your vehicle, replacing your vehicle, or reimbursing you for the vehicle's actual cash value (ACV). Actual cash value is the amount your vehicle would have sold for on the date of the accident.
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)
Yes. Provided the repair shop is licensed, your insurer must try to reach an agreed price with the shop of your choice. If your company cannot reach an "agreed price", they will provide you with the names of licensed shops who can do the repairs for the price the company has determined.
Yes. At your request, your company must recommend a qualified repair facility convenient to the vehicle's location which will repair the vehicle at the price the company is willing to pay and whose work is guaranteed. Your insurance company further stands behind the repair shop’s guarantee.
No. The contract of insurance only obligates the insurance company to restore your vehicle to the same condition it was in before the loss. Sometimes this requires the use of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts and sometimes after-market parts can be used. After-market parts are parts made by a manufacturer other than the original manufacturer.
No, the final choice is yours but if the insurer wants to use non-OEM parts and you decide to use more expensive OEM parts, you may have to pay the difference in c
When you bought your policy, you chose a deductible for your physical damage coverage's. This is the amount you are responsible for if a claim occurs. The higher your deductible, the lower the cost of your physical damage coverage. Your insurer will deduct that amount from the settlement of your claim.