How to Get a Repair Estimate
You’ve been in an accident. You car looks pretty banged up but you have no idea how much it will cost to fix it. Furthermore, you’ve heard about people getting scammed by auto repair shops and want to make sure you are not one of them. Now what?
There are some basic steps you can follow in order to get a fair repair estimate for your vehicle.
Step-by-step
The first step you should take following an accident, or incurring any other damage to your vehicle, is to call your insurance company. Your insurer might want to send an adjuster out to evaluate the damage to your vehicle first-hand. Or the company might be able to provide you with a list of approved repair shops in order to obtain a repair estimate. It is important to make this call before doing anything so you are fully aware of your insurance company’s requirements. If you miss a step, your insurer might deny payment for the work.
Second, if the insurance company does ask you to secure a repair estimate, you will want to contact more than one auto body shop. The more quotes you receive, the more likely you’ll know which estimates are fair and which might be off the mark.
When asking for repair estimates, make sure the auto body shop knows which insurance company you have. Many insurers will not cover certain repairs. As such, make sure to ask the body shop what type of repairs are not covered in its collision repair agreement with your insurer and then request that those repairs are not included in the estimate.
Once you have a solid estimate, make sure to run the repair quote by your insurance company before doing any work on your vehicle. It is better to fully cover your bases before actually incurring any costs that might not be covered.
Avoiding a scam
When shopping for a repair estimate for your vehicle, many people feel uncomfortable simply because they do not know that much about cars. How can they tell whether or not a repair shop is scamming them?
If you are working with an insurance-approved auto body shop, chances are it is reputable and will not try to bilk you with unnecessary work. However, there are some simple steps you can take that can help you to feel more confident in the quote you receive.
The No. 1 step to take when obtaining a repair estimate is to ask for the estimate in writing. The quote should include details on what repairs your vehicle needs, what parts need to be ordered for the repairs and how much labor will be involved in the work.
The written estimate also should include a note stating that you will be contacted if unforeseen issues are found with the vehicle that might require additional repairs not included in the original estimate. The auto body shop should not do any work on your vehicle that you have not approved.
Finally, you should sign the written estimate to further validate the quote – at that point, the estimate is essentially a contract between you and the repair shop.