Choosing the Right Auto Collision Repair Center

The Right One

Now you have had an accident, maybe you have even already called your insurance company, but you are really not sure what to do. After all people just don't have accidents every day and so they really don't know what to do. Accidents can be a very traumatic experience because you might have a number of questions, but you just don't know who to ask. You should take care in choosing a body shop after you have had an accident, because it can make a big difference. We want to try to answer some of the questions that you may have and our site is filled with a great deal of information to educate you. You can always just give us a call and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have and we would be happy to prepare you a written estimate on the damages to your vehicle.

First a couple of things you should know.

You are not required to take your car to the shop recommended by your insurance company.  This is probably what you don't want to do, some repair shops have agreed to contracts or are outright owned by some insurance companies, and they don't always have your best interest in mind. Some will cut corners on repairs just to save the insurance company money. You should be comfortable with the shop of your choice, ask your friends and neighbors for a recommendation, visit different shops and ask for a tour so you can see where your vehicle will be repaired.

• Call a few shops and ask them questions, such as:

1. Will you guarantee all your work for as long as I own the vehicle?
2. Is you company an I-CAR Gold Class Repair Shop?
3. Are your technicians certified by ASE?
4. Is your painter certified by your paint company?
5. Do you have a list of references?

If they can say "yes" to all of these, you know you have found a good shop.  You should also express any concerns you may have about the type of parts being used, the content of the estimate and the timeliness of the repair. View the following pages for more information on repairs, the more you are educated about the process the better the results will be for you to protect the value of the investment you have made in your vehicle.