How to protect yourself and your bank account during collision repair

Being involved in a car accident can be a harrowing experience. Forget about the damage to your car—which can often be extensive—crashes can leave you severely traumatized. Unfortunately, when you are in a shocked state like this, insurers and some unscrupulous auto body shops can take advantage of you.

Don’t let them.

If you’re involved in a car accident there are steps that you can take to protect yourself and your finances. At Chaney’s Collision Centers we believe in giving the best service possible to our clients which is why we have written this guide on how to avoid getting ripped off.

Here’s what you need to watch out for:

Your insurer forcing you to go to a preferred dealer

This is one of the biggest cons that insurers constantly get away with. You should always call your insurance company when you are involved in a crash, but unfortunately, some will try to refer you to one of their preferred dealers. Great, you think, you don’t have to go through the headache of finding an auto body repair shop you can trust. But this isn’t the case.

Insurers have pre-arranged deals with these auto body shops that sees them get work done for much cheaper than they otherwise would. Auto body shops agree to this deal because it guarantees them regular work. But there is a catch. The auto body shop will often work faster (and more sloppily) on these projects and use poor quality parts in order to make up for the loss of revenue. This means that the only person who ends up losing in this deal is you.

You have a right to use any collision repair center that you want. Don’t let your insurer roadblock you, be persistent and don’t settle for one of their dealers.

Your insurer forcing you to use aftermarket parts

Nothing beats the real thing. That’s why OEM parts—parts made by your car’s original manufactuer—are the gold standard when it comes to car repair. But some insurers will force you to use aftermarket parts, and cheap ones at that, in order to save costs. While there is nothing inherently wrong with these parts, they are not made specifically for your car and can lead to issues further down the line. Even if you want to pay extra for OEM parts, some insurers will try to force your hand. Again, don’t let them. It is your right to choose the best quality parts possible and if you want OEM parts your insurer should have to pay.

If you need a quote from an auto body repair shop or collision center that you can trust, get in touch with a member of our team today. We’ll always be happy to offer a second opinion or a detailed first quote so that you can move forward with your repair with confidence. Find out more by calling us today at (623) 915-2886 or by getting in touch using our online contact form.