Insurance Myths

It's your car, go where you want!

Don't be steered into another disaster from an insurance company telling you where to go for auto body repair. Insurance companies like to make it seem to their customers that you only have a few options of where to bring your car. This is false and illegal. Legally you are able to bring your car to any repair facility of your choice. Insurance companies have a DRP (direct repair provider) with participating body shops in which the insurance company will steer their company to those body shops in return for reduced prices. Many times for these reduced prices corners are cut and everything is not repaired properly or professionally.

Here are a couple things we have been told from our customers that the insurance companies tell them when they want to come to us instead of a direct repair shop.

1. "They are not one of our network shops and they are not on our list, we can't guarantee the repairs"

We believe the vehicle owner as our primary customer, not the insurance company. As for guaranteeing workmanship, the insurance company is unable to no matter where you bring your vehicle because they are not the repair facility. When have you ever seen an insurance company with a car being repaired in their office? Truth is they will send you back to whomever you selected off their list.

2. "If you use them, we can't get an adjuster out for several days, if you take it to our network shop we will have someone start on it right away"

This is just another ploy to steer you, we have heard insurance companies tell our customers how busy they are and they can't get someone out for 7 or 8 days. Most companies are required to appraise a vehicle within 72hrs. But some body shops pride themselves on getting an adjuster to the shop and an appraisal settled within a day or two at the most. Find a shop who put your car on the fast track to recovery.

3. "If you use that shop you will have to pay for your rental out of pocket"

This is not true. Most insurance companies have direct billing agreements with rental agencies. They do not like to tell their customers this and will try to force you into a reimbursement plan or offer to send you a check in the mail for x amount of rental days. Always remember as a claimant against a company, that you also have specific rights that a policy holder may not have. A tip for body shop customers is that if your vehicle is completed on a certain date, try to pick it up on that same date. Some insurance companies only cover rental charges for the time your vehicle is being repaired. Once it is fixed they wash their hands of the transaction.

4. "If you go to that body shop you will have to go there to get an estimate"

This is another ploy that insurance companies will use to steer you away from going to someone who is not one of their DRP body shops. They are trying to make it sound like it will be too much of a hassle to go to someone other than a body shop they have a deal with. In reality, it is not a hassle at all. At several shops you can give them a phone call, explain the damages and get a close estimate right over the phone.

Don't let your insurance company control where you take your car after an accident. Make sure you're getting the best work at the best price for you. There are several body shops to choose from when getting your vehicle repaired, make sure you choose a reliable, certified body shop to get your car looking new again.

If you're in the Houston area, visit Santa Ana Body Shop. This family-owned shop specializes in collision repair, paint, and repairing flood-damaged vehicles in a state-of-the-art facility.

Santa Ana Body Shop isn't happy with a job until our customers are. All Santa Ana technicians are I-Car and ASE certified, so you can rest easy that your vehicle repairs will be handled in the most professional manner possible. Visit our website at santaanabodyshop.com or call us at 713-956-0524.