Insurance Claims
Do I Have To Go Where The Insurance Company Suggests?
No. According to Colorado law, you have the right to take your vehicle anywhere you want.
Check the reputation of any shop you are considering. Bad repairs can last forever.
Insurance Process
Often an insurance company will complete an initial 'get started' estimate for you. Rarely is this estimate adequate to properly complete your vehicles repairs. When the vehicle arrives at our shop, we will do an initial disassembly of the damaged area and put together a thorough estimate of the damage complete with the parts we need as well as labor and materials. This estimate is sent to the insurance company to allow them the opportunity to match their estimate to ours. From our experience it is the priorty of an insurance company to spend as little as possible to get the vehicle 'done'. As a high quality repair shop, we cannot stand behind any repairs that require using inferior parts and cutting corners. At this point, it may be possible you will need to get involved in order to help get your vehicle repaired correctly.
Who’s The Boss?
Outside of the vehicle owner themselves, the auto body industry generally consists of two main
entities:
1. The repair shop
2. The insurance companies
Most damaged cars and trucks will involve an insurance claim. If you are the owner of one of these cars, you will either be the:
1. Insured, or
2. Claimant
The repair shop is in the business to repair your vehicle back to its pre-accident condition and is considered the ‘experts’ in vehicle repairs. These responsibilities include:
1. Repairing or replacing the structural components of the vehicle and insuring it’s designed safety and strength
2. Repairing or replacing the mechanical damage for proper functionality
3. Repairing or replacing the damaged sheet metal parts back to the manufacturer design
4. Restoring the paint finish to match the original manufacturers finish & color as best as possible
The insurance company is in the position of paying for these damages on behalf of the responsible person or business holding the insurance policy. Their business typically involves generating as much income through policies, premiums, and investments, while paying out as little as possible. This is where their expertise resides.
Do I have to accept whatever the insurance company says?
No, but many companies will assume a position of ‘control and expertise’ from the very beginning of a claim. Many customers mistakenly succumb to the manipulative techniques of these type companies. Though you may be told that they are trying to keep the cost of the repairs down to keep premiums affordable, keep in mind how much a Super Bowl commercial costs and you will get an idea of one of the real reasons they might want to keep repair costs down. Have some time? Check out the profit and loss reports of any insurance company.
Here are things you may want to remember:
• This is your vehicle—not theirs!
• Diminished resale value from inferior repairs or parts will be realized by you, not the insurance company
• There are laws made to protect you that are often blatantly broken by some insurance companies, one being the law that prohibits the ‘steering’ of any customer to a particular shop or shops
• Most of the insurance adjusters and estimators have never worked on a car yet may claim to be the experts in repairs.
You deserve to have your vehicle repaired correctly. If you are a claimant, the person who hit you is responsible for the repair costs for your vehicle. If their insurance company is not willing to pay for the complete, quality repairs according to your chosen shop, you may be able to re-coop the balance from them directly.
• Please feel free to ask for our opinion and recommendation of those insurance companies that handle their responsibilities with integrity from our perspective.
You can have your vehicle repaired by us whether we are on a program with your involved insurance company or not, and our warranty is real.
Don’t fall prey to the manipulation of a mega dollar Meany!
Auto Body & Hail Repair.
303-744-7711
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