If you are in an accident and you file an insurance claim, you might yourself in the middle of your car insurance company and your repair shop as they squabble about what repairs actually need to be made and what the insurance company has to pay for. While you may think that you should just sit back and let your insurer and repair shop sort this out, you do need to pay attention and make sure that your voice is heard in these disputes. Here are some of the most common things these two parties will argue about:
1. Whether something needs to be replaced or just repaired
Your body shop might say that you need a new body panel. Your insurer might say that they should just repair the old one. Replacing is usually more expensive, but repairing the old one could leave you with a vehicle that is not structurally sound.
2. What type of replacement part to buy
An insurer might refuse to pay for a name brand part, instead wanting the body shop to buy something aftermarket, if it is essentially the same part. Other insurers might require the shop to use a brand new, name brand part, while the shop prefers to use aftermarket.
3. How long the repairs are going to take
When the shop gives you an estimate, your insurer might claim that they want the repair done faster. The more time it takes to complete a replacement or a repair, the more the insurance company has to pay for that fix. It makes sense that they would want the repair to take as little time as possible, especially if the insurer is also covering a rental car for their client.
4. The rate of labor
Your preferred shop might have a labor rate that is much higher than others in town. They might also do better work, but it still might be a point of contention for your insurer.
5. The extent of the estimate
In some situations, your insurer might claim that the shop is having them pay for a repair that is not necessary or the shop might leave something out of the estimate mistakenly, which the insurance company thinks should be included.
