Choosing a Shop of Choice: Rights and Responsibilities

When getting your vehicle repaired under an insurance claim you always have the option of choosing your own auto body or collision shop.  While many insurance companies in-network shops that they work with regularly and may recommend to you, there may be a million reasons for you to choose a shop that is outside of that network.  You may have an older vehicle they won’t work on, you may live in a rural area where those “in-network” shops simply don’t exist, you may have a more specialized vehicle such as an electric or hybrid vehicle that needs to be worked on by specific, certified shops or you may simply have a preference for a shop that you have worked with before.  These shops that you choose outside of an insurer’s network are known as “shops of choice.” When you are working with a shop of choice, there are many things that you need to keep in mind in order to make sure that your repair process is as smooth as possible.

Research When Choosing a Shop!

When you start considering which shop to use to get repairs for a claim completed, you will want to make sure you research the shop.  It is very important that the shop you work with is a high quality, well-established shop.  You don’t want to find out down the road that the shop has closed overnight without completing your repairs, or that your repairs were so poorly done that they will have to be redone. Once your insurance company has made the estimate payment for repairs to start, they won’t reissue that payment (or any of the other payments quite frankly) regardless of the problems the shop starts to cause afterwards. You want to choose wisely from the start.

With easy access to a smart phone, tablet or laptop one of the first places to look for information about shops is online.  Reviews are usually a good way to get a feel for the reputation of shops in your area and can give you an idea of any issues others may have had when working with them.  They can give you an overview of top contenders and can also steer you away from problematic shops.  Online reviews are usually a quick and easy way to whittle down your list to a manageable number of shops.

Another way to get good recommendations about shops to work with is to talk to the service department of your local dealership. Dealers usually work with one or several shops in their areas to keep their vehicles in excellent condition and are in a good position to recommend high quality shops to you. One advantage is that because they sell the brand of vehicle that you have, a dealership can normally recommend the shops in your area that regularly work on your type of vehicle. These shops can be good places to start your search for a good repair shop.  

What to Look For

When you go to a shop to determine whether it will be a good fit for your repair there are certain things you will want to ask and directly.  One of the first things you will want to find out is what their warranty is on their work.  Body work after an accident is often expensive and you will want to make sure that if there is any problem with the work done in the future, that you have recourse to get the problem solved without having to spend additional money to do so.  A typical warranty is to warranty the repairs during the time that you own the vehicle. Make sure that you ask the shop what it’s warranty is and are clear on what is covered and what is not, as well as the process you would need to follow to have the shop re-review your repairs under warranty.  This will go a long way towards eliminating uncertainty in case the unthinkable happens and something goes wrong with your repairs.

Another issue you will want to determine early on in your search is how well the shop communicates. Because repairs can often take time and are variable, you want to ensure that the shop you are working with will be communicative throughout your repair. You will want a clear estimate upfront, a clear explanation of the repairs that you understand and an idea of how they will communicate with you through the repair. Will they call, or give you text updates? Will they make you aware of any delays that come up through the repair? Will they help you schedule your rental vehicle? You will also want to make sure that in the case where you will be using a rental service through your insurance company that they will also communicate clearly and effectively with the rental company throughout the repair, updating them so that the rental is extended smoothly without causing problems or unexpected rental charges.

Another consideration you will want to address when choosing a shop is making sure the shop has the appropriate equipment and technology to handle the repairs of your vehicle. Many modern vehicles have a fair amount of technology and require certain kinds of specialized equipment for collision repairs. Ask about the type of equipment they have to complete collision repairs. Do they have the equipment to handle your repairs? Do they regularly work with these kinds of vehicles and have both the technicians and the equipment trained to do so?

Final Thoughts

Remember that when you choose your own shop, you are in charge of managing the shop. This can come with great advantages and in some cases, disadvantages. While with an in-network shop, your insurance company maintains close relationships with the shops and manages the entire quality process, you will take control of this process with your own shop. You are the relationship manager and can work with a shop that may be in a better position to help you with your repairs whether due to convenience, specialization or customer service. Just ensure that you are working with a quality shop that can meet your needs and you will find that your repair process can be smooth and worry-free.